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Moving to Canada with Autistic Teenager

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,899
9,506
I understand. If he is in school and get services there it's OK.

Are there grants there? Where are you located? I'm 42 years old.
He is 16 so by the time you get PR, he could be 18-19 years old. He would graduate within the next 2 years. As for school services, what do you expect. Any therapies within the school system have waits of many years. Look at adult services. Grants for what.
 

Stella777

Member
Oct 7, 2024
17
0
So he won't get therapy in school?

Grants for autism for therapy? Grants for single moms?

I saw the have Government housing. Is this easy to get?

Can I file and receive taxes each here like in the US?
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,899
9,506
I have family there. An aunt and a cousin. You mean $18 thousand Dollars?
Yes, you need to show $18k in bank statements (cash) from the time you apply for PR and until you enter Canada. This is for 2 people. If you have more children or are married then you need more.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,856
22,114
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
I have family there. An aunt and a cousin. You mean $18 thousand Dollars?
Yes, 18 thousand dollars. You need to have this at a minimum as a bank balance.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,856
22,114
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
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Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,899
9,506
So he won't get therapy in school?

Grants for autism for therapy? Grants for single moms?

I saw the have Government housing. Is this easy to get?

Can I file and receive taxes each here like in the US?
1. What type of therapy? Again with his psych assessments, you will meet with the school to determine his needs. If in high school, he can work in a quiet room or take more time to do a test but he is mainstreamed. There are no OTs or SLPs in schools. They may visit weekly but to get on the list will take years. If you want OT or SLP then you will pay out of pocket. May be on waitlists too.
2. Autism therapy - you will pay out of pocket and he will be an adult when he turns 18. He may be eligible for disability payments but needs to be eligible. Will need up to date pysch assessments which cost thousands and if you aren’t on a waitlist then could take years in Canada.
3. No grants for single moms but may get social assistance if not working but won’t pay the rent.
4. Government housing is based on being eligible and can take decades.
5. You need to file US and Canadian taxes if US citizen.
 
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scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,856
22,114
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
So he won't get therapy in school?

Grants for autism for therapy? Grants for single moms?

I saw the have Government housing. Is this easy to get?

Can I file and receive taxes each here like in the US?
Government housing generally has wait lists of at least 10 years. Also, if you are immigrating to Canada, the expectation is that you will not rely on this social service and will be easily able to support yourself independently.
 

Stella777

Member
Oct 7, 2024
17
0
No speech Therapy in schools?

What type of Social Assistance and how long does it take to get it?

So I should get my US Citizenship if I wan to file taxes there?

Do you know anything about him being places in a great Residential whether now or when he turns 18?
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,899
9,506
No speech Therapy in schools?

What type of Social Assistance and how long does it take to get it?

So I should get my US Citizenship if I wan to file taxes there?

Do you know anything about him being places in a great Residential whether now or when he turns 18?
You really need to research about coming to Canada.

No speech therapy in school unless approved and get on waitlist. He will age out.

Social assistance - look at how much by province. Need to meet eligibility requirements and meet with case worker to do needs assessment.

Residential/group homes have about a 20-25 year wait. My friend, who is Canadian, got her daughter on the waitlist when when she was 5 and she just moved her into a group home last week. 20 year wait. She made her basement into a separate apartment so daughter could live independently for the last 7 years.
 
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Stella777

Member
Oct 7, 2024
17
0
Oh my God! So no ABA therapy also.

Are there childcare/daycare for autism from the government?

Are there people for respite care and/babysitters? I can pay if I need to.

Tell me more about working and filing taxes. Adding child as dependent and getting money from it on my tax return.

Maybe I can ask you friend some questions
Those are my last questions. Thanks so much for your time.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,899
9,506
Oh my God! So no ABA therapy also.

Are there childcare/daycare for autism from the government?

Are there people for respite care and/babysitters? I can pay if I need to.

Tell me more about working and filing taxes. Adding child as dependent and getting money from it on my tax return.

Maybe I can ask you friend some questions
Those are my last questions. Thanks so much for your time.
Your child is 16. He would not be eligible for daycare/respite after he turns 18 through children programs. Again do research on the province you are moving to and the services available with wait times. ABA should have been started years ago. He will not be eligible for Autism programs because a) programs end at 18 and b) he will not get it in time with waitlists. Most people pay for ABA out of pocket or their private company insurance covers a portion of ABA. I have a 16 year old child on the spectrum so I know what I am talking about. My son goes to speech and OT paid through provincial program but only got funding after being on the waitlist for 5 years. He ages out at 18 but he is high functioning so doesn’t need support at school and will go to university or college. Assessments that cost $4-5k are partially covered by company insurance. The wait list is 2 years and I have had him on a waitlist so he can have one assessment before entering post secondary. If you live in Canada as PR, you file taxes. Nothing to tell you. Not sure what money you are expecting on your tax returns. You may get tax credits to pay less tax.

So not even sure if you will be eligible or invited to immigrate but do some basic research on programs for your child. Because if high medical needs then he may be inadmissable and if he isn’t expect to pay out of pocket for most services. Some services may be covered but not full costs.

Hire an immigration lawyer as you have not done any research, and get them to tell you about social services and waiting lists.
 
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YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,412
2,885
So he won't get therapy in school?

Grants for autism for therapy? Grants for single moms?

I saw the have Government housing. Is this easy to get?

Can I file and receive taxes each here like in the US?
He will be likely out of school once the immigration process is completed.

There is no special "grants for autism therapy for adults". There may be grants for single parents but if you qualify to immigrate under the economic stream, you are unlikely to qualify for those grants/social assistance.

Government housing take decades (10s of years) to qualify. So many people are in housing crisis.

If you become an US citizen, you will need to file your US tax. And if you immigrate to Canada and become a tax resident, you will need to file your tax return with CRA as well.
There is treaty between the 2 countries and you won't be double taxed.

Just a note. Unlike what a lot of people thinks, healthcare in Canada is NOT totally free.
Healthcare coverage is provincial (different in each province) and while visiting a doctor and hospital is free, medication/drugs, other therapy and treatments are NOT free.
Equipment and many services are also not free. Dental visits are not free (at least for now for most adults)

Some of those costs are covered by employer's extended health coverage for their employees. But if you are not looking to be employed, you will need to pay those out of pocket.
There are also co-pay and limits on coverage by those extended health coverage. (e.g. I only get $500 a year for physio and I have to pay out of pocket once the 5 or so visits are done. It can easily go over.)
 
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YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,412
2,885
Oh my God! So no ABA therapy also.

Are there childcare/daycare for autism from the government?

Are there people for respite care and/babysitters? I can pay if I need to.

Tell me more about working and filing taxes. Adding child as dependent and getting money from it on my tax return.

Maybe I can ask you friend some questions
Those are my last questions. Thanks so much for your time.
Private home care can be hired and it's starting from $40 an hour (for senior care that I've enquired) and there are minimum hours and visits according to each company.
I am not sure if there is any available for autism. If he/she can feed herself and use the bathroom, I don't think you can get any free care aid visits. (those are very short and with large windows for the allocated time slot)