Live in WA work in BC; keep both US & Canada PR

[ImmiToCanada]

Hope everyone had a wonderful 2018 and wish everyone a brilliant 2019.

I currently hold Canada PR. I landed in Sep 2016 and move to USA on H1B since Sep 2017. I also received EB1 140 approval and I'll likely get my USA PR sometime in 2020.

I'm currently considering a faculty position in Metro Vancouver area starting Aug 2019. After I get my green card or after I switch to I-485 filing from Montreal Consular processing of E1 immigrant visa, I plan to live in Washington State close to the US-Canada border and do daily commute to the office This is because I would like to keep both US & Canada PR to eventually get citizenship of both countries and also because living in WA is cheaper than BC considering the real estate, car insurance, fuel price etc.

Based on https://eservices.cic.gc.ca/rescalc/redir.do;jsessionid=048370F574EFD955BFEA9FFB0427BB00?redir=faq#Q3, "the day you leave Canada and the day you return is NOT considered an absence" for Canadian citizenship application. So if I travel to BC on weekends, in theory I get 365 days per year for Canadian citizenship application. On the other hand, as long as I live in USA each night and file USA tax (also file Canada tax), the USA green card residence requirement for USA citizenship should be fine, right?

Any thoughts much appreciated!

 

[DEEPCUR]

Don't you have a problem if you are not employed in US during your GC interview?

 

[ImmiToCanada]

Don't you have a problem if you are not employed in US during your GC interview?

Good point, DEEPCUR.

I got my 140 approval under EB1A that does not require a job offer. I did plan to open a consulting company in the field outlined on 140 approval notice.

 

[DEEPCUR]

I am not sure if I understood you correctly.. so from Aug 2019, would you stay in Canada until you get your green card, and then once you get your GC, would you commute back and forth from WA?

If you come from US and go back the same day, how would you meet one day count for Canada? When they say the day you leave and the day you return, it is implies this:

- if you live in Canada and if you leave to US on 29th December, even if it is early in the morning , then 29th Dec is considered for Canadian citizenship.
- if you return back to US on 30th December, even if it is at end of the day, 30th Dec is considered for Canadian citizenship.

If you come to Canada and leave the same day without staying, I don't think it counts for citizenship.

 

[harirajmohan]

As far as i know, maintaining PR/GC in both countries at the same time is a problem and almost impossible.
Any PR/GC country asks for one thing when you reenter - Which country do you live.
Making both countries as primary residence will be a problem because we can have drive license and car registration in only one country. One of the borders and at least one of the officers on some day will ask on it during the frequent travel. Frequent travel will create easy opportunity to get scrutinized on making you to decide on the primary residence country.

Partial days count for Canadian citizenship but not sure if you can make it to accumulate required days.

 

[ImmiToCanada]

Thanks for everyone's opinion. Really appreciated it.

I think the best way to go is to get Canadian citizenship first and then get US green card. After that, I can use a US residence address, driver license, car insurance and even open a US business (like a consulting company) to satisfy the requirement for US citizenship application.

 

[harirajmohan]

Thanks for everyone's opinion. Really appreciated it.

I think the best way to go is to get Canadian citizenship first and then get US green card. After that, I can use a US residence address, driver license, car insurance and even open a US business (like a consulting company) to satisfy the requirement for US citizenship application.

If you have time to move to US then try to accumulate just 3 years in Canada and apply for citizenship and move to US.