Are americans really going to do it?

[scylla]

If your grand parent is deceased, than whoever inherited it (your father or mother) shall apply for citizenship. Once citizenship is there he or she can be additional points and connection for you.

You'll only get points if they're living in Canada. Zero points for Canadian relatives living outside of Canada.

 

[jes_ON]

I had the opportunity to study in Canada several years ago (Master's degree attained), but found it extremely difficult to remain. My mother had a serious health issue in the U.S. so I returned and took a full-time job. While I had a work permit in Canada, I was never able to obtain a job in Canada. The work permit eventually expired. Since I wasn't presently working in Canada I could not get an extension. Fast forward four years later, nobody in Canada is willing to offer a job and wait months for me to obtain the necessary paperwork. All I am saying is that i have a Canadian connection (a Master's degree from a Canadian university) and don't meet the point requirements for Express Entry. Without a job offer it is very difficult. If you don't have a degree of any kind, if you are past 40, and if you don't have relatives in Canada, the points are against you. I had a grandparent from Canada, but since he is deceased that doesn't count either. It's a very difficult process. Needless to say, i am still in the U.S.A.

If you are a US Citizen, have you checked to see if your occupation is on the NAFTA list?

http://www.tnvisaexpert.com/overview/nafta-job-list/

 

[juergens]

Interesting. There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on this, but I think I would qualify under NAFTA. In addition to full time work as an instructional designer in higher education, I also teach as an adjunct instructor. I've been doing this for roughly fifteen years and would easily have full-time equivalency. But what a risk. Assuming I were able to obtain a job offer, if there were any scrutiny at the point of entry I'd be without a job to return to. And it sounds as though these are intended for temporary positions. I'd prefer PR status and have the ability to "know" I'm able to stay for a longer term, but will definitely look further into the TN visa. If anything, even a year would provide for Canadian experience and that can't hurt.

Thanks for the info.

 

[jes_ON]

If anything, even a year would provide for Canadian experience and that can't hurt.

Yes, that's the main point - easier to qualify for PR with a year (or two or three) of Canadian work experience...

See Section 3, professionals -
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/international/nafta.asp

 

[AO2015]

I live in the US and I am finishing my Ph.D. degree this year. I`ve been also considering moving to Canada recently because of the same issue.
What is going on in the US is really hard to believe until you see it and hear it yourself and then it sends you thinking that if the US doesn't stands for the values that I loved this country so much for, then what is left to love about it??. For children to watch hatred, animosity and people literally trashing each other all day on facebook and face to face, even on campuses make me feel sad and deeply deeply disappointed.
Canada is a country that protects democracy values and recently very cleverly the policy of Canada has been to remove Canada away from the line of policy of the US. Most recently Canada strengthen its ties with Mexico and starting of December 1st Mexico nationals will no longer need a visa even to enter Canada. Mexico is only one of the countries in the Americas that Canada is strengthening its relationships with...and where is the US from relationships?. destroying, locking up, calling nations by bad names, and cutting American people eventually from the world because these behaviors will lead for nations to attribute what Trump does to all American people that is what people outside of the US see.

It depends.

My wife and I discussed it. The mood here is downright ugly. Hate crimes, harassment, you name it.
In my current state of NC, the KKK will be holding a Trump rally to celebrate. I kid you not.

We have the means, the degrees, and the job experience (tech sector) to make the leap, if we choose to. It won't be cheap. Process aside, we already know that it'll be difficult: leaving friends and family, paying more taxes, paying more for shelter, settling for a reduced standard of living.

But if we think it would benefit our daughter to thrive in a country that reflects our values, we'll do it.

If the crap I mentioned above continues (or gets worse), then America will have failed us. If the day comes when we make That Decision, it will be one of the saddest of my life. But it'll be time to move on.

I'm not looking forward to that prospect at all, but I am really, really disgusted with my country right now.

 

[knowledge101]

Thought this post is funny so decided to post my case. I'm a US Citizen married to a Canadian Citizen and living in the US. I have never considered living in Canada, but early last year seeing the political and racial climate I decided it would be a good idea to consider it. In summer of this year I applied for my PR through my wife. At the time I was serious about it, but honestly did NOT expect Trump to win. I am not moving because he won, but because quite frankly I align more with the Canadian people when it comes to politics and even overall character. For example, Obama's policies would be considered "Conservative" in Canada when you look at political compasses (see this for example):

https://paulitics.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/new-left-right-spectrum-canada-us-08.png?w=500

Now of course there were many other factors that went into our decision, but for me I realized Canada has more to offer me for my future and my kids than staying in the US. And ok ok joking aside, Global Warming...Canada will be the best place on Earth to live lol! No seriously, if we can't get our **** together, in 50-100 years Canada will be prime territory and everyone will want to come here!

6 months later and I just landed in Canada yesterday as a PR We actually went back to the US after landing because I have a job contract through June, but now will be looking for work in Canada now that I have a legal residence. I am SO grateful that I married a Canadian and have a way out. So many of my friends here would wish they could do the same. Sadly, despite this being just a 4 year term for the President, is IS an eye opener of the types of people (nearly half the people here who support him) that live here. I would say most of it is due to ignorance and fear, but I don't want to stick around to see what happens.

Good post, but for some of us, this is not a joke but a reality!

 

[Adrouault]

I'm dead serious about it. Not some idealist who thinks I can walk up to the border and reside permanently without going through bureaucracy. This past weekend I sat the CELPIP in Toronto, as the first step. Things are getting nasty in the States.

 

[JERiv]

I'm very curious how many folks on this thread ended up applying for PR and moving?

Count us in as folks who decided we'd had enough of mass shootings and crazy politics, and are looking at (hopefully) a little more sanity north of the border. We plan to land next month (got our COPRs), and move sometime next year (June if possible, since we have girls in school).

 

[austrani]

I'm a US citizen married to another US citizen. Between us, we have 2 bachelors degrees, 2 masters degrees, and 1 yr away from a PhD from a university in England. I work in tech and have 13 years experience, and my wife will be likely working in government in Canada. We are fairly valued members of society (imo).

I grew up in this country and used to love it. However, the current climate in the USA is terrible. My daughter had to participate in an active shooter drill in her school because there are mass shootings in schools around the country on a nearly daily basis. The country doesn't believe that guns are the problem, and I can't see this attitude changing ever, because, we are Americans and we do what we want!

Our president doesn't believe in global warming. He just removed a ban on importing elephant trophies into the USA. He's attempting to dismantle our already feeble "universal" healthcare system that is prohibitively expensive. There is also a general undertone of racism and sexism in this country and KKK rallies happening. Are you kidding me? I can't see these things changing in the near future, and it makes me very sad.

I want to love this country, but the values that are being portrayed by it on the domestic and international fronts are, frankly, embarrassing. Any time I talk to someone internationally, I feel obligated to apologize on behalf of my country. This is not how one is supposed to feel about their homeland.

Some say, "Why don't you stay and fight it? Try to make a difference!" My response to that is this - our government seems to be setup so that nothing can be accomplished, and because we are so divided right now, even those with the best intentions can't get anything done at a high political level. I'm done with this country, I'm completely over it. I'm voting with my feet and my USD (CAD) by moving my family's future potential to a country that more aligns with the values that I believe in. I didn't believe this so strongly until I lived overseas for a couple years, because I saw a system that worked differently from the one I knew and saw how well it worked. Upon returning to America I was sickened by what I saw here.

Because of these and other reasons, we applied for the express entry program. With the most recent draw requiring 439 points, we squeaked by with our score of 444. That said, we've received our ITA and are moving. I'm super excited and can't wait until we can pack up and leave

TL;DR: I don't want my children growing up in this toxic environment, so we're moving to Canada.

 

[JERiv]

That said, we've received our ITA and are moving. I'm super excited and can't wait until we can pack up and leave

TL;DR: I don't want my children growing up in this toxic environment, so we're moving to Canada.

Grats on your ITA!

Those were all of our reasons for starting this process as well. My daughters have also had to do the active shooter drills. And just this past weekend, it looks like there were fireworks nearby (audible but not visible), and a lot of our neighbors freaked out that there was an active shooter event. For another example of how weird it's gotten, my librarian BIL had to undergo training at his library on how to treat gunshot and stabbing wounds. So in some places, librarians are essentially doing battlefield first responder training.

For my family, we're at the point where we're just waiting for a good chance to get out. We're exhausted of trying to change things that we know aren't going to change. We live in TX, so we get an extra dose of crazy from our local politics. We just have to be patient at this point until all things align and we can finally make the jump. Can't come soon enough, though!

 

[megaman]

I'm very curious how many folks on this thread ended up applying for PR and moving?

I haven't made it to the application stage yet, but I did finally decide to apply for a job in Canada earlier this year, which was a big deal for me (didn't get it). I'm a lifelong US citizen (born overseas), but lived in the US the past 25 years. For a long time the US was an excellent country to live in. It's been fantastic for my career and family, but at long last I have had enough. Having spent some formative years in Canada (undergrad degree) I have no illusions about life there, but daily life in the US is now a constant level of stress which is affecting my children as well. Even if things improve after elections in 2018, elements of life are broken enough that it's no longer a great place to be. I realize this now every time I travel to Europe or Canada. As someone else said, you come back to the US and just feel embarrassed for the state of things.

 

[JERiv]

I haven't made it to the application stage yet, but I did finally decide to apply for a job in Canada earlier this year, which was a big deal for me (didn't get it). I'm a lifelong US citizen (born overseas), but lived in the US the past 25 years. For a long time the US was an excellent country to live in. It's been fantastic for my career and family, but at long last I have had enough. Having spent some formative years in Canada (undergrad degree) I have no illusions about life there, but daily life in the US is now a constant level of stress which is affecting my children as well. Even if things improve after elections in 2018, elements of life are broken enough that it's no longer a great place to be. I realize this now every time I travel to Europe or Canada. As someone else said, you come back to the US and just feel embarrassed for the state of things.

That's how we started. Then earlier this year we decided to do Express Entry to help us in our job search. It gets you over the hurdle of "citizens and permanent residents (PRs) first" in job applications. Now that we'll soon be PRs, here's hoping a job soon follows!

And I agree. Way too many folks are obsessed with 2018, as if that'll be a cure for all that ails us. But it's not a given that the Democratic Party will win. Even if they took the House (still up in the air) and the Senate (no expert worth their salt thinks it will), it won't really change all that much. Could they pass laws? Maybe. Could they enact any real change? No, not really. Could they reform gun laws, taxes, healthcare, etc? Definitely not. And if the miracle of the Senate happened, anything they all passed would get vetoed by the WH.

Then there's 2020. Trump may have overall low approval ratings, true. But lets not ignore the fact that he always did, and that he's got sky high approval ratings among the Republican base. They absolutely love him. And that was enough to get him elected in 2016 (yay electoral college! ... ). And lets not ignore the fact that the Republicans may likely elect a person who was kicked out of the Alabama Supreme Court twice, who ignores any laws he "feels" aren't religious enough, and who is accused of being a pedophile by multiple Republican women (which they label as #fakenews, because anything they don't like is instantly labeled as such regardless of facts), to the Senate today because "at least he's not a Democrat".

TL;DR: Yep. Even if Democrats got elected (big if), I don't think much will change or that they'll be able to properly fix whatever damage the Republicans and Trump are doing.

 

[moose17]

@JERiv , that's the biggest reason we made the decision to go for this - even if the Dems got control again and enacted some wonderful changes to health care and anything else, we'd be at risk of it getting torn apart at the next change in power just like the ACA has been. That aspect really clinched it for us.

Re: guns, we came home from our landing trip to a legislative survey from a state-level rep that include a question about if people should be required to pay for a permit and pass a background check to carry a handgun in public

@austrani, the "stay and fight" thing annoys me so much. Most people don't do anything they can't do from elsewhere. A few people I know are amazing at organizing so there's actually a gain in them staying but the rest of us? My husband and I will still vote, donate to important causes and politicians, and the main thing will be we can't protest in the US from abroad but those hardly have done anything anyway That'll still be more than many if not most of those who throw out that line will do. Plus, we're in a red state and by moving to Canada instead of to a blue state, we get to stay on as red-state voters, so that's pretty win-win-win I think.

 

[JERiv]

@JERiv , that's the biggest reason we made the decision to go for this - even if the Dems got control again and enacted some wonderful changes to health care and anything else, we'd be at risk of it getting torn apart at the next change in power just like the ACA has been. That aspect really clinched it for us.

Re: guns, we came home from our landing trip to a legislative survey from a state-level rep that include a question about if people should be required to pay for a permit and pass a background check to carry a handgun in public

@austrani, the "stay and fight" thing annoys me so much. Most people don't do anything they can't do from elsewhere. A few people I know are amazing at organizing so there's actually a gain in them staying but the rest of us? My husband and I will still vote, donate to important causes and politicians, and the main thing will be we can't protest in the US from abroad but those hardly have done anything anyway That'll still be more than many if not most of those who throw out that line will do. Plus, we're in a red state and by moving to Canada instead of to a blue state, we get to stay on as red-state voters, so that's pretty win-win-win I think.

It's ironic that the Wild Wild West of old actually had more gun control laws than we have today. Yet gun fanatics of today keep doing away with gun control laws because they're "so restrictive".

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-winkler/did-the-wild-west-have-mo_b_956035.html

"Guns were obviously widespread on the frontier. Out in the untamed wilderness, you needed a gun to be safe from bandits, natives, and wildlife. In the cities and towns of the West, however, the law often prohibited people from toting their guns around. A visitor arriving in Wichita, Kansas in 1873, the heart of the Wild West era, would have seen signs declaring, “Leave Your Revolvers At Police Headquarters, and Get a Check.”

Cowboys from our past would be shocked (and probably horrified) to see so many people carrying guns in a town or city.