A small city, but with quite a few industries. U'd not get the feel of a metro though, which maybe a boon as well as a downside.
Boon:
-Cheaper accom.
-Low cost of leaving.
-Lower settlement costs.
-A slow paced lifestyle.
Downside:
-Mostly labour jobs for a new immigrant.
-Commute by car.
-Far from bigger cities.
-Thus, less opportunities.
-Poor mix of multi-culturalism.
U also might be afar from friends/relatives, if u have any here. But, starter jobs could be easy to find in Hamilton, due to it's presence of many industries.