+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Moving from USA(H1B) to Canada(PR)

Palz2312

Newbie
Apr 2, 2018
3
0
Completed my landing in February this year and are planning to move to Canada in the next 6 months. Can anyone help me to understand how is the job market for a technical/ IT recruiter. I have been into technical recruitment for over 6 years with almost 3 years US experience. Also, my husband is a mainframe developer, how is the job market for mainframe programmers?
 

WISHLAD

Star Member
Oct 17, 2014
64
2
Hello
I have following questions:

1) Can we drive USA car in Canada or is there any procedure you need to complete prior to start driving there?
2) What is the best way to transfer money from US bank account to Canadian bank account?
3) I heard we get health card after 3 months from landing. Which insurance would be best to take for these first 3 months?

Your helpful feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 

EmmEmm

Hero Member
Mar 27, 2015
289
47
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
28-04-2015
Passport Req..
25-09-2015
Completed my landing in February this year and are planning to move to Canada in the next 6 months. Can anyone help me to understand how is the job market for a technical/ IT recruiter. I have been into technical recruitment for over 6 years with almost 3 years US experience. Also, my husband is a mainframe developer, how is the job market for mainframe programmers?
Secure at least one job before you move. Job market is good, salary is on the lower side as compared to the US (except some niche skills)
 

EmmEmm

Hero Member
Mar 27, 2015
289
47
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
28-04-2015
Passport Req..
25-09-2015
Hello
I have following questions:

1) Can we drive USA car in Canada or is there any procedure you need to complete prior to start driving there?
2) What is the best way to transfer money from US bank account to Canadian bank account?
3) I heard we get health card after 3 months from landing. Which insurance would be best to take for these first 3 months?

Your helpful feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
1. Yes, you can. Make sure the car is listed in the goods list and included in the customs form. Search this forum and you will find the procedure.
2. Bank of America and Scotia Bank have a tie up. you can use Scotia Bank ABM to withdraw CAD with your BoA card.
3. Arbetov Insurance.
 

hsg1977

Newbie
Apr 30, 2018
5
0
HI All!!
I need some help; I am considering to apply for Canada PR.
Currently, I am working in Hospitality (Restaurant /Catering) field as a Manager / Chef in the USA on H1B visa. I am an Indian Citizen, I have 20 years of experience in the same area, and I have 60k USD with me. One of my friends have Canadian PR he is working in the same field in Ontario; he is ready to start a small business with me around there. Also, I know few more people in Canada as a friend (no relative).
What is the best and proper way to apply for Canada PR in my situation?
Your advice will be appreciated
Thanks a lot In Advance
 

ch671

Star Member
Mar 22, 2017
129
25
Hi Friends,

Need some opinion on my situation.

I am on H1b with PD of Nov 2016. My employer who is a Canadian is moving all the IT jobs to Canada, they have given me a option to Intra company transfer to Canada with bit reduces salary than USA. I also got a new job in USA and they are willing to transfer my H1b.

As all these delay in getting GC and more stringent condition for H1b, should i move to Canada and get PR later or should continue in USA.

Please let me know your thoughts on this
This is a very subjective question and you are only going to get people’s opinions (subjective) than an objective answer. People’s experiences, thought process and agenda affects the answer to such a question.

That being said, these are some of the pros and cons that I think come into play when making this decision of moving to Canada as a PR rather than staying in the US on H-1B. It goes without saying that you will do/have done enough research to take a calculated risk and the final call is yours.

Pros:

Number 1 is stability. You don’t have to worry about leaving the country the same week you lose your job, as you have to if you’re in the US, in most cases.

Your spouse can work without restriction assuming he/she also has a PR. This doubles your incomes as well as helps the spouse’s career development rather than being on the “housewife/househusband visa”.

You can become an entrepreneur as there are no restrictions, like there are in the US on H-1B (you can only work for your sponsoring employer). After years of experience you have enough knowledge experience and ideas to do so with only the piece of paper preventing you from pursuing those goals.

You can travel freely. On a US visa there is always a small risk of getting turned back at the PoE due to a number of different reasons. Deportation may result in a decade of barring entry into the US. Therefore less pressure when traveling overseas.

Social benefits/safety. Free healthcare/school fund, affordable college, retirement benefits, safe schools, sensible gun laws.

“Canadians are nicer”. Now this is more heresay rather than observation and should be taken with a grain of salt. I have not met any foul-mouthed or offensive people in all my time neither in US nor in Canada. But I’m sure there are exceptions in both places that should be steered clear of.

Cons:

Canada is much more expensive than US. Vancouver is probably more expensive for housing than SF. Toronto is comparable as well. GTA may be slightly less expensive but can still dent your wallet. Canada has lots of natural resources but they export it and import finished goods at a higher price therefore most things are expensive in Canada compared to US. Especially the things you love to buy most: clothes and other household items! Even if you convert everything to USD you will realize some things are still more expensive. Car Insurance can be a killer; Expect to pay close to $200 per month, compared to around $50–60 per month in US (depending on driving history of course).

Higher taxes. If you cried foul in the US after your tax returns in the US wait till you file taxes in Canada. The higher you earn the more you pay. Rich people pay as much as 40% taxes. So the net income is going to be less than what you probably make in the US (esp in tech industry). Of course healthcare is mostly free and education is affordable but if you’re moving from US to Canada you will note the difference.

Salaries are way lower. The average Canadian in the tech industry makes less (in pure $ number) than in US. US salaries esp in bay area are ridiculously expensive (in fairness, so is cost of living). But in Canada, say in Toronto, you will find a wildly varying salary spectrum, sometimes for the same type of job, that on average is less than in US. After currency conversion it’s even lesser. This salary reduction is of course offset by the savings in Healthcare and education, although that is highly dependent on how less you are making and varies from workplace to workplace and job to job.

Weather. For some people this is a dealbreaker and when anyone says “Canada” they imagine a frozen arctic with people’s tongues stuck to the lightpole forever and everyone skiing to work. This may be true in winter but summers are hotter as well. Though in fairness summers are shorter and winters are longer in Canada. If you are used to living near the Caribbean and/or Bay area you will feel it even more. However, remember than Detroit gets almost the same weather as Toronto does, and sometimes it’s worse to the south of great lakes than to the north.

Hopefully this knowledge will help you in your decision-making process.
 

LOOKATAMI

Full Member
May 17, 2018
24
1
Hi,
Like most folks here, I am on H1B received invitation to apply for Canadian PR.

I am wondering if one could live in Canada as a permanent resident and work remotely for United States company. Has anyone done that? What are the complications?
 

EmmEmm

Hero Member
Mar 27, 2015
289
47
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
28-04-2015
Passport Req..
25-09-2015
Hi,
Like most folks here, I am on H1B received invitation to apply for Canadian PR.

I am wondering if one could live in Canada as a permanent resident and work remotely for United States company. Has anyone done that? What are the complications?
yes, you can work for any country's company remotely from Canada as a permanent resident. What matters is how you will be getting paid. If in USD, then your US employer needs to setup your payroll accordingly that you do not have to pay taxes to IRS. In most cases, I have seen people paying taxes in the US and then claiming them as credit with CRA.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ch671

WISHLAD

Star Member
Oct 17, 2014
64
2
Hello

I do not have H1B visa stamped in my passport but do have valid I797. I have Canadian PR.

I am thinking of driving to Canada during three consecutive weekends and move my stuff there.

I am thinking of finalizing the apartment during my first visit and move some stuff. And then complete the move during the next two weekends. The visit during the third weekend will be the final entry to Canada from USA.

Do you think I can have issues for frequent border crossing? Or has anyone gone through a similar scenario.

If anyone has any better ideas, please share the same.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
Once again immigration debate has sparked off, and all bills under consideration have country cap removal. June 25 is the date to look forward. Country cap removal means essentially wiping out backlog.
 

gonikaushal

Newbie
Jul 24, 2018
2
0
Salaries are definitely better in the USA compare to Canada but nowadays there are so many rejections coming.
This video describes difference between H1B Lifestyle and Canadian PR, In long run, I think PR is better. However, people do get PR, become citizens after 3 years and then go back to the USA, which is not bad.
 

OnceMore

Star Member
Sep 2, 2018
183
44
Ottawa
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2133
Job Offer........
Yes
App. Filed.......
17-09-2020
AOR Received.
17-09-2020
SUMMARY
Went through all the 14 pages of comments in this thread, here is the summary:
  • getting GC with a PD>2012 is next to impossible
  • staying on H1B for decades is risky and restricts job options (including not working), travel, non-US-citizen children
  • US is better in ...... size of job market, salary, options for company/city/position, lower taxes
  • US is bad in .... immigration (stagnant H1B/GC circus - mainly a problem for Indians), healthcare, work stress (for some people this is not a problem)
  • Canada seems to be the opposite of both the above points
  • Biggest hurdle for those who could move to Canada but are on the fence: some combination of a mental block and a genuine concern of lower salary and higher taxes
  • In short: direct comparison will only lead you confusion-land, each country is different, don't try to get the best of both worlds
  • Choice is between stability of status (status not tied to your employment) vs having more money and options
Feel free to add items if you feel I missed somethings
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
SUMMARY
Went through all the 14 pages of comments in this thread, here is the summary:
  • getting GC with a PD>2012 is next to impossible
  • staying on H1B for decades is risky and restricts job options (including not working), travel, non-US-citizen children
  • US is better in ...... size of job market, salary, options for company/city/position, lower taxes
  • US is bad in .... immigration (stagnant H1B/GC circus - mainly a problem for Indians), healthcare, work stress (for some people this is not a problem)
  • Canada seems to be the opposite of both the above points
  • Biggest hurdle for those who could move to Canada but are on the fence: some combination of a mental block and a genuine concern of lower salary and higher taxes
  • In short: direct comparison will only lead you confusion-land, each country is different, don't try to get the best of both worlds
  • Choice is between stability of status (status not tied to your employment) vs having more money and options
Feel free to add items if you feel I missed somethings
Another plus for Canada is spouse being able to work without any issues. In US H4 EAD is facing revocation threat. It is a deal breaker/maker for many families where spouses are working H4 EAD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OnceMore

LOOKATAMI

Full Member
May 17, 2018
24
1
Can someone suggest if one should get Ontario Driving license during soft landing from USA?

I've a USA driving license (Massachussets) and I did my soft landing on Sept 1, 2018. As I've been reading in the forums that I'll have to surrender my US driving license if I opt for Ontario driving license. Is that true?

Should I research for a way to get Ontario driving license to build my driving history (lower insurance in future)?