Immigrate to Canada from the USA

How to Move to Canada from the US?

Canada is a beautiful country that shares many similarities to the United States but also many differences that are wonderful to experience. From the uniqueness of cities like Montreal, Vancouver and St. John to get to know northern tundra and people like no other in the three Canadian territories, many Americans want to experience the Canadian way of life.

As neighbours who share one of the world’s longest undefended borders, Canada and the United States have an ages-old positive history. It’s no wonder that Canadians immigrate to the United States and Americans immigrate to Canada on a regular and abundant basis.

Canada-USA Dual Citizenship

Many people hold dual citizenship with both countries and enjoy the benefits. Plus, with the two countries proximity, many relationships are established across borders and require one person to change their country of residence. Others choose to come to Canada for work opportunities or to study. The number of Americans seeking to come to Canada has increased dramatically in the last two years. Thus, applicants should make a plan long before they wish to move north.

The first consideration in coming to Canada is determining if the move will be temporary or permanent.

Move to Canada Temporarily from the USA

Those looking to move temporarily may be doing so for a range of reasons:

Canada Study Visa

Canada Study Permit Visa has an enviable and lower-cost, lower–stress environment for studies that are often attractive to Americans. This requires a study permit and may allow for work options during and after the study period.

SWAP

The Student Work Abroad Program allows U.S. citizens aged 18 to 20 enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies in the last year to obtain an open work permit for 12 months.

Visit and Work

Those with a valid U.S. passport can come to Canada to visit and work without a work permit, provided the work they do is still based in the U.S. and they won’t be entering the labour market in Canada.
Work – Those from the U.S. wanting to work in the Canadian labour market need a work permit and a job from a Canadian employer. There are many work permit options, so we can help determine what makes the most sense for you.

NAFTA

There are three categories under which a U.S. citizen can work in Canada without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). These are NAFTA professionals, NAFTA Intra-Company Transfer Canada and NAFTA Traders and Investors.

How to Move to Canada from the US Permanently

For those looking to call Canada home permanently, several programs can work depending on your situation and needs. We can help make a move to Canada possible and will explain the options to you. The four available programs are:

Express Entry

Through Express Entry, a point-based system, Americans can qualify to apply for permanent residency through the programs that use the selection system.

Provincial Nomination

If you know the province you’d like to settle in, you might be eligible for that province’s own Provincial Nomination Program (PNP).

Family Sponsorship

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is a relative age 18 or older may be eligible to sponsor you to move to Canada through Family Sponsorship Visa.

Investment or Business Immigration

Those looking to start a new business or take over an existing business of benefit to the Canadian economy may be eligible for permanent residency through Canada Investment Visa Programs.

We are always ready to help our neighbours to the south make a move to Canada. Contact us, and we can help determine suitable options for your needs.