I’ve heard this many times, for different reasons, so it’s time to address it. “If _____ happens, I’m moving to Canada”. It could be your political candidate losing. It could be the heat. Or the hurricanes. The bugs. Insurance, rent, there’s a myriad of different reasons why. So lets discuss how to move to Canada.
Before I start, I have no intention of leaving Florida for a move to Canada
I love it here. But I can understand why some people may be done with it. And with the current exchange rate, trading in your American money right now for Canada dollars is a decent move. As I write this, 1 of our dollars gets you 1.36 in Canada.
Let’s do this. First of all, are you eligible? You’ll need to fill out this online form. They want to know your plan. Why are you moving there, and how long you plan to stay. Do you have a job lined up and what’s your net worth. It’ll also be easier if you already have family there.
Express Entry
If you qualify, Express Entry is the way to go. Canada wants to know if you plan on contributing. “The application process for skilled immigrants who want to settle in Canada permanently and take part in our economy.” You’ll need to fill out a form. If you score high enough, they’ll invite you. The best way to make this work is to already have a job offer in Canada. Here’s a place to start.
Self-Employed
You’ll need to prove 2 years of recent work experience in the field of cultural activity or athletics. Seems pretty specific. Writers, musicians, sports people. You’ll also need to pass a medical exam, a something called a police certificate. This is starting to look more complicated than I thought.
This idea of a Move To Canada Seems like a lot of steps, what else you got?
A green card marriage. Thrillist lays it out pretty clearly: “marry a Canadian citizen or permanent Canadian resident over the age of 18, they can sponsor you as a permanent resident. You’ll just need to prove that you’re very much in love and aren’t using the marriage certificate as a piece of paper to get into the country.” I’ve attached this scene from “The Proposal” to brush you up on what you’ll need to do to prove your love:
There’s actually a whole form dedicated to just this process. If you’re looking to meet someone in Canada and develop a relationship, here’s some pricing. This seems really sketchy. I really don’t recommend this.
Or Try The Entrepreneur Route
It’s called a start up Visa. You’ll need to have a viable business plan, and money. Here’s some more details on that.
So the road to becoming a Canadian citizen isn’t as simple as you’d hope. What about our neighbor to the south? Mexico. Moving to Mexico seems to be easier. If you got money. It goes like this – hire a “fixer” or attorney for a grand or so. Prove to the Mexican authorities that you have enough income (or savings) so they don’t have to support you. Learn some Spanish so you can pass a test. There’s a few steps: Here’s everything you need.
Election season is here, so the next time someone says to you “I’ll move to Canada”, let them know it’s not as easy as you’d think. And suggest Mexico instead.
Winning the Powerball would solve some of those pesky immigration problems
