Are you hoping to move from the American dream to live in the lakes and abode of the maple syrup? Or maybe you want to bask in the glories of all the beautiful scenery, poutine, the cold weather, the forty-six beautiful national parks, delectable chocolate bars, humor, the moose, and the fresh air. It’s pretty understandable why you would consider moving to Canada from US.
Canada is home to so many immigrants worldwide because thousands of people move to Canada yearly. It is also no doubt that Canada, the second-largest country globally, is similar to the United States. That is one reason why most Americans consider moving to the Great White North.
But can US citizens move to Canada? Of course, you can move to Canada as a US citizen. Many Americans are moving or processing their visa to relocate to Canada at this present moment. So, why should you be left out?
Often, there is no reasonable estimable total or average cost of moving to Canada from the US. This is because the cost of moving, hugely, depends on you and what you already have planned.
There’s a significant difference in Canada’s moving expenses with your family and the cost of moving from the US to Canada all by yourself.
Also, the reason behind your migration to Canada can affect the cost. If you intended to move up North for work purposes, your total or average moving expenses would be different from that of a person hoping to study in Canada. So, all this has to be considered while estimating the moving expenses.
However, when all shipping expenses, flight costs, and those mentioned above have been considered, the average cost of moving to Canada from the USA is $3,500.
With reliable moving company to Canada form US, the cost can be as low as $1600 and if you are moving from California to Canada can be only $2200. Click here to start with professional US to Canada movers.
The pandemic has indeed disrupted so many things in the world, and that includes the immigration process. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t move to Canada during this season, it only means that there are special restrictions and requirements you must meet to be permitted to move to Canada at this period.
Before moving to Canada, you must possess a negative Covid-19 test result and be ready to be quarantined for fourteen days. Anyone moving to Canada during this period must also submit all information regarding their travel, including the Covid-19 test result and quarantine plan via the ArriveCAN App. However, these requirements are only for people traveling to Canada via air.
Owing to the global pandemic, you can only move to Canada from US when;
Immigrating to any country would not only open up opportunities for you but might also be a little disadvantageous to you in some areas.
That’s why it’s essential to understand the pros and cons of moving to Canada from the US.
Here is a table of nine pros and cons of moving to Canada from the US
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free and public healthcare. | New immigrants have to wait for three months before applying for public health insurance. |
| Canada has better summers. | Canada is extremely cold in winter. |
| The banks in Canada can issue a new credit card with low monthly limits and loans. | You can’t carry a credit history from your previous country. |
| Canadians are extremely friendly. | Canadians don’t have free speech; they tend to use milder terms. |
| Beers are cheap in Canada. | Becoming a permanent resident is difficult. |
| Excellent educational system. | Job opportunities are more accessible to people with Canadian work experience. |
| Wages are higher. | Canada has a high cost of living (taxes also considered). |
| Canada has a great job market; there are so many employment opportunities. | Canada has so many government regulations. |
| Canada has a low crime rate. | You might need to understand French to live in the French-speaking part of Canada. |
Regardless of the cons, Canada is still a fantastic place to relocate to. If you feel that you can handle the freezing winter and the expensive flights and cost of living, go for it!
As with moving to any country, you can’t just fly to Canada without knowing or meeting the requirements. There are certain things you must know or prepare to make you achieve your relocation goals. So, here are the requirements needed to touch down on the Canadian soil successfully.
The United States’ citizens are permitted to stay in Canada for six months without a visa, but if you plan to stay in Canada for more than six months, you will need to obtain a visa. So, ensure to get this before moving to Canada.
Like every other country, Canada wouldn’t want you to move and start constituting a nuisance. That’s why they often request proof of funds to know how well you can cater to all your needs in the Great White North. If you were moving to Canada from US for study purposes, you would need proof of sufficient funds to show that you can pay your tuition and afford your upkeep. On the norm, the proof of funds could cost 7550 USD for international students hoping to study in Canada.
However, at present, the proof of funds required to study in Quebec is 8300 USD. For Americans moving to Canada for work purposes (skilled immigrants), you will need to check the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship website to determine the amount required to prove funds.
Many Americans ignore the need to have travel insurance before moving to Canada from US. The travel insurance will help cover medical expenses and other things during your initial stay in Canada. For instance, before obtaining the medical healthcare card, you will need to be covered medically for the first few months of your arrival; that’s why you need travel insurance to get you completely covered.
Before moving to Canada from USA, you need to get your travel document ready for your eventual departure. Your travel document must be valid and have room for your visa.
Suppose you are a student and hoping for the cheapest way to move from US to Canada for further your education. In that case, you will need to gain admission into a Canadian university to qualify for a visa. Suppose you haven’t gained admission into any Canadian institution of learning and checked your eligibility status to come to Canada with this tool. In that case, you will realize that you won’t be eligible to move to Canada. So, get yourself admission into a university in Canada, and obtain your visa.
Before moving to Canada from USA, you have to make sure that you have edited or prepared your resume using the Canadian standards. This will help you get a job faster in the Great White North. Ensure to use a professional tone and exhibit all your skills.
If your well-prepared Canadian-style resume succeeds in giving you a job in Canada. Congratulations! You should have received your job offer letter already. This letter contains all details about your job duty, salary, and other terms of employment.
Of course, you can’t live in the streets of Canada–It would be too cold for you in the winter nights! That’s why you need to think of getting accommodation before moving to Canada from US. To be safe, you can spend the first few nights in a hotel or hostel.
Canada has many hostels and hotels where you can spend the night during your arrival to the Great White North. However, staying longer than a week in Canadian hotels would significantly affect your pocket. That’s why you need to start making plans for finding a suitable place to live before getting to Canada.
You can find accommodation in Canadian newspapers or websites that focus on property and real estate. To find an apartment, utilize the following websites Padmapper, Kijiji, Viewit.ca, and Walk Score.
All immigrants are required to provide their medical certificate as proof that they are in good health.
If you intend to study in Canada, you have to get your student transcript ready because you will certainly need it. If your transcript is in a different language other than French or English, it will need to be translated beforehand. If you obtained your qualification in a foreign country, it would need to be assessed for authenticity by the Educational Credential Assessment. So, get all your qualifications and transcript ready for your journey northwards.
If you plan to obtain a driver’s license once you plan for moving to Canada, you will need to first get a letter from your former insurance company that details your driver’s history.
Since you already know that your visa is required to get yourself to the Great White North safely, you would be curious to learn more about visa fees and the types of visas to Canada available to you as an American. So, to satisfy your curiosity, here is a list of the types of visas to Canada needed for your moving to Canada journey.
The most common type of visa to Canada is the visitor visa, also known as the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or the Canadian Tourist visa. This visa allows you to stay in Canada for six months (180 days) when you have all the required documents.
To qualify for the Canadian Tourist visa, you need the following documents.
The visa application process to Canada would cost a visa fee, which is dependent on the type of visa you are applying for. Here is the visa fee for the different types of visas available to you as an American moving to Canada to keep you from wondering or assuming.
| Visa Type | Fee (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Visitor visa – single or multiple entries (including extensions) | 100 |
| Visitor visa (maximum fee for family) | 500 |
| Visitor record (including extensions) | 75 |
| Study permit (including extensions) | 150 |
| Work permit (including extensions) | 155 |
| Work permit (maximum fee for groups of performing artists and their staff) | 100 |
During the visa application process, you will be required to show your bank statement of the last three months signed and stamped by a bank official to process your visa to Canada.
The healthcare system in Canada is universal and public-funded. According to the World Population Review, in 2020, Canada ranked #30 in healthcare globally. This is better than the healthcare available in the United States. That’s why Americans moving to Canada have just one thing off the list of things to worry about.
While the US’s healthcare system is the direct contrast of Canada’s, there may still be some similarities–or maybe not. To ensure that you are on the right track and not playing with your health by deciding to move to Canada (of course, you are not! Canada has better healthcare for you), you might need this. Here is an exact comparison of the healthcare system in Canada vs. the United States.
| Healthcare in Canada | Healthcare in US |
|---|---|
| It is public-funded. | It is mostly private. |
| It is cheap. | It is expensive. |
| It has a longer life expectancy rate. | Its life expectancy rate is low. |
| Healthcare is the 30th best in the world. | America’s healthcare is the 37th best in the world. |
| The wait times in Canada are determined by the person’s needs and service availability in the area. | Wait times in the US are determined by the person’s access to funding, the availability of services in the area, and the services’ readiness to be given at a specific price fixed by the insurer. |
| Public health insurance doesn’t cover everything; it only covers major health services. They often resort to private insurance to offer coverage for things not under the major healthy services. | Most people subscribe to their private insurance, or if they fall into a specific age or income rate, they are offered health insurance like Obamacare. |
Canadian healthcare, regardless of how good it may seem, has received criticism from Canadians. This criticism is mostly spurred by a need to improve an area of the healthcare system. However, most Canadians have expressed their love for the healthcare system because they don’t need to spend a dime on necessary medical needs due to universal and public-funded healthcare.
Conversely, some Canadians aren’t happy with Canada’s healthcare system because Canadians pay high taxes to receive treatment. This has also made most of them complain that there are long wait times despite the increased taxation. The wait times could also be as long as a two-month duration to receive treatment in a specific area.
In Canada, any health services that take place in the hospital are covered. If a patient needs surgery, the patient doesn’t have to pay for it because it is all covered. Many Canadians have undergone numerous surgeries and only had to pay for the drugs, which are low in price.
So, if you want to live in the maple syrup center, you don’t have to be scared of the healthcare sector as most things are free depending on the province you reside in. However, if you aren’t medically covered for specific medical needs, you can use employee insurance if you work in a company that offers that.
If you are moving to Canada from US for work purposes, you should know that Canada is full of job opportunities. But maybe Canada’s options might not be as much as those in the United States; that’s why it is pertinent to get a job offer before moving to Canada from USA. Here are some frequently asked questions about the job market in Canada.
Of course, US citizens can work in the United States when you have gotten their work permit.
To get a job in Canada, you have to utilize one of these job search websites, Monster, Job Bank, and Indeed. However, remember that to get a job in Canada, you must understand at least one of the two official languages, French and English, and have a work permit.
There are three Canadian work permits. They all serve different purposes to meet the needs of those applying for them. Here is a short description of the three work permits and their goals.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States have a free trading agreement. Anyone who is thinking of moving to Canada for business or trading purposes can utilize this work permit.
The employer-specific work permit is meant for those who have a specific job to do in Canada for a particular period. For most people involved in the filming or television industry, this work permit will be right for them as long as they meet all the requirements of obtaining a visa. Other people that qualify for this work permit are researchers, visiting professors, athletes, religious workers, dancers, entrepreneurs, etc.
This work permit is available to those who are spouses to a worker or student in Canada. To apply for this visa, you will need a letter from your spouse’s employer to confirm his/her employment. You will also need a copy of his/her most recent payslips.
In Canada, the tax, particularly the income tax, is one source of its revenue. However, for all the taxes, see what you are given; free healthcare, good education, roads, etc.
Canada has seven taxes: income tax, motor vehicle licenses and natural resource tax, property tax, sales tax, customs duties and the tariff on exported and imported goods, health services tax, and employers and employees’ contribution to social security plans.
Here is a list of things that aren’t taxed in Canada.
If you live in Ontario, Canada, your total tax on 50000 would be 11254 (22.5%), which gives you a net pay of 38,746. It could vary depending on the city.
If you are moving to Canada from US for study purposes, you need to obtain a Canadian study permit. Also, if you wonder if you can go to college in Canada while moving from the US, here is a quick answer or explanation of how you can study in Canada. You can attend college in Canada and move to Canada as a student as long as you have a study permit and an acceptance letter into a DLI.
If you have a pet that you would love to take with you while moving to Canada, you can bring it along when you meet the Canadian Food Inspection Agency‘s requirements. To bring your cats to Canada, you must ensure that you look up this website to check what the requirements are for your cat. However, you can travel with your dog as long as he isn’t infested and has proof of rabies vaccination, amongst others while moving to Canada.
It’s probably true that you are bothered about the best place to live in Canada. No need to worry; here is a list of the best places to live in The Great White North.
Montreal should be an ideal place for you because the house rents are usually low. So, get a quote for moving house to Canada.
Vancouver has lots of beautiful landscapes and culture (multicultural).
This is a beautiful and diverse city, but it is quite expensive.
When moving to Canada, you cannot bring in food, cannabis, live bait, illegal drugs, and weapons.
Moving to Canada from US can be pretty complicated with all the paperwork and process, but the easier way to proceed is through Express Entry. Check the Canadian Immigration website for more information.
The best way to send money to Canada from the US is through TransferWise, WorldRemit, or OFX.
Of course, you can. However, you must have stayed in Canada for a few years before you can apply.
The US and Canada have a trade agreement (NAFTA), which gives you more chances of getting the PR, but you still have to apply for the Canadian PR.
Of course, you should. Judging from all the marvels of this beautiful country, it is truly a place worth moving to. A lot awaits you in Canada!
Moving to Canada from the US is an exciting opportunity to experience the natural beauty, diverse culture, and high quality of life that Canada offers. However, the logistics of an international move can be complex. At Earth Relocation, we are dedicated to making your move to Canada as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
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