Filipinos immigrate to Canada largely because work visa approval and finding a good-paying job is easier than in the United States. Canada also nurtures a culture of welcoming newcomers into the workforce. Since over 80% of Filipinos in the Philippines speak English, many don’t face a huge language barrier when moving to Canada, giving English-speaking Filipinos an advantage over other new residents who haven’t mastered the language yet. Out of the top cities in Canada for Filipinos, Toronto remains the most popular.
Over 192,000 residents of Filipino descent call Toronto and the greater Toronto area home. Find out why Filipinos are drawn to this particular city.
Toronto provides diverse job opportunities
The city of Toronto is home to a diverse job market, with job opportunities in a variety of fields such as finance, technology, education, and healthcare. Filipinos can move to Toronto and find work in a field that matches their skills and interests. Nursing and caregiving are two of the most popular fields for Filipino residents. Toronto’s high ageing population creates a high demand for jobs in these fields, and the city fosters programs geared towards training new residents in these healthcare positions.
According to the Canadian Department of Labour and Employment, Filipinos are some of the most highly paid foreign workers in the country. For example, the area around Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue, known as Little Manila for its high concentration of Filipino residents, boasts one of the highest median income levels in Toronto as a whole. That demonstrates how Filipino residents don’t just find any old work in Toronto, they find good work.
A higher cost of living is one of the many adjustments Filipinos have to make when moving to Canada—but the higher paycheck and value of the Canadian Dollar vs. Filipino Peso make it worth it.
Toronto nurtures a thriving Filipino community
Filipinos can celebrate their culture with like-minded people in the heart of Toronto. Most Filipino residents settle downtown; residents from other ethnic groups tend to settle in the surrounding areas just outside the city. This is because Little Manila formed downtown.
Little Manila, an area in the city proper with the largest concentration of Filipino residents, shops, businesses, and culture festivals. Tagalog (Filipino) is one of the most widely spoken languages there.
Filipino Canadians celebrate Filipino Heritage Month with festivities during the month of June, such as the Salu Salo annual community picnic in Earl Bales Park.
The city also looks forward to the yearly Taste of Manila festival, an event drawing in thousands of people to the Bathurst/Wilson area to celebrate Filipino culture. Organizers boast that it’s the largest Filipino cultural event in the world outside the Philippines.
Sending money from Toronto to the Philippines
Going abroad and sending remittances to family members in the Philippines is a common practice in Filipino culture, and Toronto has remittance centers where people can conveniently send balikbayan boxes and money to family overseas.
Western Union is proud to help Filipino residents in Canada continue this tradition. We help you easily send money to family in the Philippines whenever you need to with just a few clicks, and we even help you set up recurring transfers as well.
Just download the mobile app or get started on our website. Once you set up with Western Union, you can send money and track your transfer right from your phone so you know the moment your loved ones receive it. Find out how to send money to the Philippines with Western Union today.
