How difficult is it to move from the United States to Canada?

Question

What is involved in moving permanently from the United States to Canada?

Answer 1

www.cic.gc.ca is the Canadian immigration website.  US citizens apply for permanent residency just like everyone else and they are in the same line-up.  There are different ways to apply, probably your best bet is skilled worker or temporary work permit if you don't have family in Canada.  Don't expect it to be fast, or easy, or cheap.

Contrary to what others have said, you can't just drive across the border and access Canadian health care, you need to pass a health exam to be granted residency and then there is a waiting period before coverage.  

Answer 2

For now, because of the Oil, and the incompetent USA administration we have, Canada looks a better country than USA.  However, when we have a new administratiion to replace the current incompetent one, the USA will come back to be a better country.  

What if the oil price coming down, what if a new product coming out to be able to replace the oil?  In fact, Canada's economy has relied and will continue be relying on the USA, Therefore, don't just think Canada is a better country by judging from the current economic and political situation in the usa.  

Here in the USA, we have all kind of climates and lands that give a big varieity of natural resources and food sources to this country, but Canada is too cold to diversify her develpment and industries, and  easier to get into economic trouble when even a little adversed condition comes.

The USA has everything, except a competent government. We'll know very soon how the new one will do, at least, I am glad to see this current incapable one will be leaving very soon.

Edit :

Thanks for the current Oil crisis, Canada survives from this recession.  Canada is too fragile in dealing with economy trouble. I have lived in Canada before, that is what I found.   Anyway, whichever one of the candidates goes to the White House, believe me, we will have a better country than what we have now.

Answer 3

Get a passport and go. You need to live there for a full year before you get full citizenship from what I understand. Enjoy the socialized healthcare once you're up there. Takes a year or more to see a doctor in some cases. Trust me. The Canadians don't have all the answers. It might seem like a screwed up country down here at times, but if it weren't for the Big Dog down South, Canada would be sweating bullets about the Big Dog Up North....  

Answer 4

If you want to move permanently, you can't just go on a student visa or take any job because not all jobs lead to permanent residency.  You can do a provincial nominee program, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/p... which is the fastest way but you would have to have a job offer or you can do a skilled worker application if you qualify but it can take a couple of years of processing before you can move, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/s... or you can go as a live-in caregiver (nanny visa) and then be able to apply for permanent residency after you work as such for 2 years, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/caregi...

Answer 5

Get a passport and drive over one of the state lines next to Canada. I think I might do that and get out of this h**l hole that we have become.