Moving to Canada from Somalia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Somalia to Canada — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Somalia to Canada, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 86°F in Mogadishu, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Somalia to Canada, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
5,170 ↑ 76% vs 2022

people moved from Somalia to Canada · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Canada?

Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Somalia and Canada stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SO
20.2
CA
4.7

Canada performs significantly better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SO
$52
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SO
0.2
CA
25.0

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SO
64.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SO
0.0t
CA
14.0t

Somalia generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SO
0.7
CA
42.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SO
24.5%
CA
3.7%

Canada performs significantly better than Somalia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SO
19.0%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SO
$1,500
CA
$55,800

Canada performs significantly better than Somalia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SO
55.7 yrs
CA
83.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SO
86.5
CA
4.4

Canada performs significantly better than Somalia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Mogadishu Rain: 18.7 in/yr (474 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ottawa Rain: 37.1 in/yr (943 mm)
52° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Mogadishu Ottawa
Jan–Mar 86°/74°F (30°/24°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/73°F (29°/23°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Mogadishu Ottawa
Jan 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

Data: Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Somalia and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.

Somalia passport

Somalia passport holder visiting Canada

Visa Required
Somalia passport holders need a visa to enter Canada.
Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Somalia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Canada passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Somalia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Canada?

With 42.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Canada can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Somalia and Canada.

Is Canada safe for expats?

Canada performs significantly better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Somalia?

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 0.2 in Somalia. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Somalia: 27).

What's the weather like in Canada compared to Somalia?

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 86°F in Mogadishu. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Mogadishu gets 18.7 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Somalia, the official languages are Arabic and Somali.

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At a Glance

SO CA
Population 12,386,248 38,232,593
Currency Somali Shilling (SOS) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Arabic, Somali English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +252 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 911