Moving to Toronto from the US? Here are some top tips

I moved to Toronto for a two-year relocation and never looked back. The job that brought me up ended on schedule, but somewhere in those two years the city itself became the reason to stay. Here's what actually mattered:

• Housing: there's a spectrum from downtown high-rises to detached houses across the Greater Toronto Area, in neighborhoods like Etobicoke and Scarborough. Rent drops the further out you go. A year lease is standard, but a short-furnished stay first buys you a real month in a neighborhood before you commit to one you've only seen in photos.
• Work: networking and LinkedIn carry more weight here than cold applications. You'll need the right work permit before you start - worth consulting an immigration lawyer rather than guessing which one applies to you.
• Healthcare: OHIP, Ontario's public health plan, has no 3-month waiting period as of 2026. Coverage starts as soon as you're eligible and apply. Registering with a family doctor through Health Care Connect is easy once you're covered, though there can be a wait.
• Transit: the TTC covers most of the city, and a single Presto card gets you through all of it.
• Driving: US licenses fall under a reciprocal exchange agreement with Ontario, so you get 60 days before you're required to swap it for an Ontario one.

Full guide here if you want more:
theblueground.com/blog/toronto/moving-to-toronto/

If you're on the outside looking in, what's the most appealing thing about Toronto?