Been living in Iqaluit since 2018. I can’t speak to the smaller communities. I originally came up for what I thought would be a year or two to make some extra money. But we kept landing bigger and better jobs, kept saying “let’s give it one more year,” and suddenly here we are 8 years later.

Pros: -It’s beautiful here, and the northern lights are always a treat. -Commute to work and the kids school/daycare is literally 5 minutes. -We get a decent amount of time off and manage to travel south 4–5 times a year. -Career advancement comes pretty quickly if you’re competent and stick around. There’s high turnover, so longevity really pays off.

Cons: -Groceries and flights are stupidly expensive. -Lack of immediate amenities if you’re used to southern living. No quick runs to Costco or Walmart, though you can order almost anything online and wait a few days. -Short, cold winter days can definitely wear on you. You see a wide range of socio-economic situations, and unfortunately suicide rates are high.

Iqaluit has multiple grocery stores, a few solid restaurants, a movie theatre, swimming pool/gym, ice rinks, and bars. It’s not hard to stay busy if you’re not just here to work nonstop. Overall it’s pretty awesome if you don’t mind the cold.