For many newcomers to Canada, buying a home is about more than owning property. It can represent stability, belonging and an important step in building a life in a new country. But navigating an unfamiliar housing market, mortgage system and homebuying process can add another layer of complexity to an already significant financial decision.

According to a recent Royal LePage® survey, conducted by Burson,1 four in five Canadian newcomers (80%) believe home ownership is a good financial investment, rising to 86% among those who owned property before immigrating. The vast majority of newcomers (90%) say that home ownership is important to their sense of being established in Canada.

Despite positive attitudes toward home ownership, many newcomers have yet to enter the market. One third (33%) of newcomers say they currently own their primary residence, including some who also own a secondary property, while 66% do not own any property. Of those who do not own, 80% rent their primary residence and 13% live with family or friends. 

“Home ownership has long been a defining goal for Canadians, and for newcomers it can carry added significance as they establish themselves in a new country and community,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. “They face many of the same affordability challenges as Canadian-born buyers, from saving for a down payment to finding a property that meets their needs and budget. At the same time, they are likely learning an entirely new housing and financial system. Helping them understand the path to home ownership with reliable information is an important part of how our company is supporting newcomers in successfully establishing themselves in Canada.”

Ownership rates climb the longer someone has been in the country. Among newcomers who have lived in Canada at least five years but less than a decade, 45% own a home, compared to 22% of those who’ve been in the country less than five years. By their fifth year after admission, economic-class immigrants report comparable home ownership rates to Canadian-born individuals, according to Statistics Canada.2

“Owning a home in Canada would mean finally feeling settled after immigrating and leaving everything behind in our home country. It would give our family a sense of stability, security, and belonging, and a place we can truly call our own. It would also represent all the hard work and sacrifices we have made to build a new life in Canada.”

– Gen Z survey respondent, Manitoba

Home ownership is the goal, but financial barriers remain

Buying a home in Canada is a priority for many newcomers, but affordability, financial readiness and navigating an unfamiliar housing system can be challenging. 

More than three quarters (76%) of newcomers who do not own their primary residence say they intend to buy a home in Canada. Of this group, nearly half (48%) plan to purchase within the next two years, while 21% expect to buy more than two years from now. Another 24% say their timeline is uncertain, but home ownership remains a priority.

For many newcomers, purchasing a home in Canada would be their first experience with home ownership. Prior to immigrating, only one third (33%) of those surveyed say they owned their home, while nearly half (49%) rented and 17% lived with family or friends.

Among newcomers who do not own a home but intend to buy, 61% say saving for a down payment is their biggest barrier, followed by securing more stable or higher-paying employment (50%), learning more about the homebuying process in Canada (28%), building their credit score or credit history (27%), and deciding where they want to live (26%). Respondents could select more than one answer.

“Canada has been shaped by people who chose to build their lives here, and for many newcomers, owning a home is the moment that choice is solidified. The role of a real estate professional in that journey goes well beyond finding a property. It means making an unfamiliar system understandable, advocating for the buyer’s interests and connecting them with the people and information they need to make confident decisions,” added Soper.

For some newcomers, rent-to-own bridges the gap to ownership

For newcomers who are still building their Canadian credit history or saving for a down payment, qualifying for a traditional mortgage may take time. Rent-to-own programs can offer another path by allowing participants to live in a home while working towards the eventual purchase.

One fifth (20%) of newcomer homeowners say they purchased their first primary residence in Canada using this service, while more than half (52%) of newcomers overall say they are familiar with rent-to-own as a path to home ownership.

Through such programs, the rental period can give prospective buyers time to build savings toward a down payment, establish Canadian credit and employment history, and strengthen their financial profile before applying for a mortgage. Requity Homes, Canada’s leading rent-to-own provider and a partner of Royal LePage and CMHC, offers this type of pathway for prospective buyers who may need more time to meet traditional lending requirements.

Here are a few highlights from the Royal LePage 2026 Canadian Newcomers Survey:

  • Before immigrating, nearly two in five newcomers expected buying a home in Canada to be more difficult than in their home country.
  • More than half (55%) of newcomers who own their home turned to a real estate agent for information about buying a home in Canada.
  • For aspiring homeowners, nearly half (47%) of newcomers who plan to purchase a home intend to do so in the same city or town where they first arrived.
  • One fifth of newcomer homeowners say they purchased their first primary residence in Canada using a rent-to-own program.
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Royal LePage resources for newcomer homebuyers:

To help aspiring homeowners new to Canada, Royal LePage has published a number of online resources available at the following links:

1Burson used the Leger Opinion online panel to survey 1,400 recent newcomers to Canada (i.e., immigrated within the past 10 years) between August 25th and September 8th, 2026. See methodology section for more information.

2The homeownership trajectories of recent immigrants, Statistics Canada, June 2026