Montréal #3 city for American Expats

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http://www.realtor.com/news/trends/top-10-international-cities-for-american-expats/

 

3. Montreal, Canada

Median home price: $213,700

American expats in Canada: 343,252

The rue Saint-Paul in Montreal

bakerjarvis/iStock

Our neighbor to the north may seem like just a colder, nicer extension of America. But the cosmopolitan city of Montreal, in the French-speaking province of Quebec, offers a slice of European living without leaving the continent.

Montreal is full of Old World architecture, such as the Gothic Revival Notre Dame Basilica and stone buildings on the cobblestone-lined rue Saint-Paul. And there are no restrictions on American home buyers. Chateau, anyone?

English-speaking expats usually reside in the western part of Montreal. That’s where Americans can bond in bars, like the Sir Winston Churchill Pub, that spotlight U.S. football and NBA games.

The city added 70,000 jobs between December 2015 and 2016, with manufacturing, tourism, and construction spearheading the growth. The tech sector was a big factor, too.

Those without business or family ties in the province (or Canada) can still receive permanent residency without having a job offer. Quebec, which has a skilled worker program that’s separate from the national one, looks favorably upon applicants with degrees and professional expertise.