Canadians moving to the US

[canadianjovigirl]

Just wondering if any Canadians have moved to the US and if so how did you do it....what process did you have to take to get the correct visas etc. Any advice or links would be appreciated.....

Thanks

 

[Northstar]

I moved the other direction, but I can tell you that, to move to the US and work, there are way more visa types than Canada has, and you'll need to figure out which ones might apply to you.

For either country, it's much easier to get the proper working visa once you've got a job offer in hand. Moving with the intention of looking for work once you arrive is generally a lot more trouble, as far as getting the proper visa is concerned.

Here's a link to a page from the US Embassy in Canada, telling about visa types and other information for Canadians going to the US... it's a starting point! Good luck!

http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/usa_visa.asp

 

[CanadianGuy]

I moved from New Brunswick to NYC back in '95 under the TN (Treaty NAFTA) Visa program. It had to be renewed every 12 months I was in the US but the TN Visa's aren't very complicated.

Nonetheless, I found an immigration attorney to help me thru the process and she was amazing. Each year I had to make a trip to Buffalo for the immigration renewal ... which sounds like more trouble than it was. If you are approved for a TN visa, you get it right on the spot, no waiting for 8, 12 or 26 weeks for approval.

There are lots of VISA's that may work for a Canadian depending on your line of work and whether or not you already have a job offer in the U.S.

I *strongly* recommend you locate and hire an attorney that you trust. Ask around .. the rates can vary wildly.

One attorney quoted me over $5,000 for a TN Visa application.... That was Joe Grasmick in Buffalo -- he has a great website with a ton of great information but I don't recommend him based on all the feedback I got from other attorneys and other immigrants... not to mention his outrageous fees.

In the end, for the first year I paid about $1,500 for legal fees and each year that followed the fee was between $750 and $1,000.

Now this was a few years ago so you may want to factor in 'inflation' .. I doubt you'll find an attorney willing to work for those rates these days.

Knox

 

[brighteyes]

I really really looked into this just a few weeks ago, as I am soo sick of this Canadian weather.

I researched jobs in my field, and if I had a job I would do ok. I even checked housing prices, etc. But if I was ever without a job, and without healthcare benefits, I would be up a creek without a paddle.

I have been told by friends to stay in Canada where I have healthcare!
So I am staying here and hopefully when I am done school, I will have a good enough job to visit Florida several times a year!

 

[Gigi22]

My BIL and DSis moved temporarily to the US several years ago to enable BIL to finish his studies. BIL was a full-time student, DSis was a fully-qualified CA (accountants were one of the professions allowed to go to the US to work under the NAFTA rules). As I recall, DSis found it difficult to get a job in her area, it took her several months because no one wanted to hire a non-American--someone who might leave the country. After she got her job offer, she had to have her visa changed. They both had to go every year to a land crossing at the border and renew their visas, which they found was a real PITA. They were quite fortunate because they were able to obtain very good healthcare coverage, DSis's work as an accountant in the US was at a major healthcare provider. They returned to Canada about 18 years ago, so not sure what the rules are now. I don't believe that they had to use a lawyer at all, but I am sure things have changed since back then. My best guess would be that it would still be very hard for a Canadian to get a job in the US, especially with so many Americans out of work.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I recently did a lot of research on this very topic. Last year I discovered that DH and I could live in FL and have a house nearly twice the size that we currently have and be mortgage free. Plus, a job for him in his current line of work would actually pay about $20-30K more per year and he would have less responsibility. I can work just about anywhere without difficulty. I have a lot of extra credentials and awards in my industry that can allow me to work in many different capacities. Anyway, I discovered that it would be rather difficult to obtain a visa. The US government has laid out a very specific group of occupations that they will grant visas to. Unfortunately we do not fall into any of the categories. The only way around that is to have a job secured first but the employer would have to get the visa. I doubt that in either of our lines of work an employer would go through that for us.

So I'll just have to keep dreaming of warmer weather and wait to either retire or win the lottery. Plus...you know if I lived there where would I go on vacation?

 

[abdmom]

For either country, it's much easier to get the proper working visa once you've got a job offer in hand. Moving with the intention of looking for work once you arrive is generally a lot more trouble, as far as getting the proper visa is concerned.

ITA with the above poster. I'm a Canadian who moved 15 years ago to the U.S. and just moved back a few months ago. We went originally on TN visas. These were very easy, and we just did them ourselves. Then, dh got a job offer in his field, with a H1B visa. After a few years we could convert this to a green card and we used an immigration lawyer for this.

I have a Ph.D. in the sciences from U of T and found it quite difficult to find a job. Many American employers view Canadian degrees about the same as a third world degree. They've never heard of our universities.

The tax structure is not as friendly as one would think. Even with mortgage interest deductibility, we ended up paying as much in taxes as in Canada. Things like maternity leave are pretty much non-existent. Health care costs can run $1000+/month. IF you have insurance through your employer, you can still be paying $400/month.

We lived in MA and MN. MA was warmer, but too warm in the summer for kids to play outside. Plus there were though pesky Nor'Easters and tropical storms. 100+ inches of snow in one year. MN, we had tornado warnings and watches, blizzards, hailstorms which damaged the roofs of half our neighbourhood and temps of minus 30 Celsius.

Coming home, I found the paperwork to get my health card and drivers license, very frustrating. Many times I wish I hadn't left, just on this basis.

I have 3 kids. Moved back when dh died. It's he double hockey sticks with the move - which is still ongoing. DS14 is happy to be in Toronto, but wishes he had been born here instead of having to move around.

In sum, the grass is always greener. If you have a job offer where your salary will enable you to enjoy a much higher standard of living, great. But if not, Canada is not so bad in comparison. The job market in the States really stinks right now.

 

[BellyBaby]

WOW! I've secretly been wishing I could live in Florida (ok, no so secretly!) and wondering how or if it would ever be possible...but with this fabulous thread, I'm very grateful and happy to be Canadian! The Olympics renewed my spirit as well! This is just extra sauce!

A huge thanks to all of you!

 

[canadianjovigirl]

Thanks everyone...it does seem like way to much trouble and next to impossible. Guess we will just buy a place there, vacation lots and when the kids all leave home spend 6 months a year there.............or we could look at other areas like Costa Rica etc..............

 

[LuvSnowWhite]

I've also always wanted to live in the US. I think I will keep working until I retire and I will have a pension and I can be a snowbird! I am single so it's a bit harder to buy a place down there by oneself.

If Chase would just let us get our Disney Visa we wouldn't have to move down there!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Thanks everyone...it does seem like way to much trouble and next to impossible. Guess we will just buy a place there, vacation lots and when the kids all leave home spend 6 months a year there.............or we could look at other areas like Costa Rica etc..............

I've heard that Panama is really trying to get North American's to retire there.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I wanna add that you need to be prepared for the nightmare that switching countries can present..

When I moved to the US in 95, I was a grown adult with 6 or 8 years of credit history behind me... IN CANADA ... in the US, I was a newborn practically.. after 18 months - I got a Discover card...

Banking is a HECK of a lot less consumer friendly and honestly I was shocked at the crap they could get away with..

 

[CanadianGuy]

I wanna add that you need to be prepared for the nightmare that switching countries can present..

When I moved to the US in 95, I was a grown adult with 6 or 8 years of credit history behind me... IN CANADA ... in the US, I was a newborn practically.. after 18 months - I got a Discover card...

Banking is a HECK of a lot less consumer friendly and honestly I was shocked at the crap they could get away with..

 

[minnie56]

I wanna add that you need to be prepared for the nightmare that switching countries can present..

When I moved to the US in 95, I was a grown adult with 6 or 8 years of credit history behind me... IN CANADA ... in the US, I was a newborn practically.. after 18 months - I got a Discover card...

Banking is a HECK of a lot less consumer friendly and honestly I was shocked at the crap they could get away with..

Oh yes!! TOTALLY agree. I have a daughter in New York City and though she banks with TD there...the things they have done to her are a nightmare! I had to get myself put on her account so I could keep them in check with their nonsense!!!!!

Florida is not much better...

 

[minnie56]

What is the attraction with the U.S? Just curious? I lived in Florida..couldn't get my feet back on Canadian soil fast enough. Vacationing there is one thing, living there??? A whole different ballgame!

 

[brighteyes]

What is the attraction with the U.S? Just curious? I lived in Florida..couldn't get my feet back on Canadian soil fast enough. Vacationing there is one thing, living there??? A whole different ballgame!

The attraction is lots of this,,, and more of this... and then I would be on if I never saw snow again.

 

[minnie56]

The attraction is lots of this,,, and more of this... and then I would be on if I never saw snow again.

I understand that..but in real liffe when you work Mon-Fri and the beaches are packed on weekends the dream pales a little. Trust me, the trade off isn't always worth it.

 

[brighteyes]

I understand that..but in real liffe when you work Mon-Fri and the beaches are packed on weekends the dream pales a little. Trust me, the trade off isn't always worth it.

I understand I won't be going to the beach everyday. I probably wouldn't go to the beach every weekend either if I lived in Florida or somewhere else sunny. Winters here are hard on me. I have a chronic illness that doesn't go well with cold winters.

However, I like my healthcare too much to lose it. So I will stay here. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here.

 

[minnie56]

I hate winters too...alot. I break it up by going to Florida and other warm spots. I was in Florida for 4 days before a 10 day Caribbean cruise in Jan and just returned from 10 days in Orlando this past Wed night. That works too!

I am fine up until Christmas, then it drags and gets uglier.
Our health care is a big plus to living here though for sure.

 

[dancin Disney style]

The attraction is lots of this,,, and more of this... and then I would be on if I never saw snow again.

Ha Ha Ha....I could totally do lots of this I'm self employed and set my own hours.

I do get what you're saying about healthcare though...as I get a little older I have a few issues... although our healthcare system did not find answers for me. I had to do that on my own and pay for it on my own. I still wouldn't want to be without.