If Trump wins many Americans will try to move to Canada: here's how
The Great White North, the United States friendly neighbor Canada, may see an influx of petitions from Americans who hope to move away from the US if Trump wins the election in 2024.
Canada has often been seen as a place of refuge for Americans who are unhappy with politics in their country.
Take, for example, draft dodgers during the Vietnam and Iraq war or during the 2016 election when the idea of Trump winning was so terrifying that Americans made the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration website crash due to the volume of visits to the website.
Canada is a natural choice for relocation for disgruntled Americans for various reasons: it is close by, it has free health care, abortions are legal, lower crime rates, fantastic nature, and in general, Canadians enjoy a high quality of life.
So, if you've found this article by googling "how to move to Canada from the U.S.," click on for a quick guide to the basics of how American citizens can move to Canada. It might have higher taxes and be a lot colder than the United States, but Canada is certainly an attractive place to call home!
The very first step you need to take is a visit to The Citizenship and Immigration website of Canada.
The website offers an online tool asking questions about your nationality, age, language skills, family size, education, professional experience, financial aspects, and if you have a job offer.
The process takes around 15 minutes and will point you in the right direction regarding immigration programs you can apply for.
Choosing the right program is not an easy step, and it will take time. Canada offers more than 100 immigration programs and visas. However, here are a few of the more common routes:
1) Express Entry: is for skilled workers worldwide who wish to apply for permanent residence.
2)Start-up Visa: this program is for entrepreneurs who wish to move to Canada in order to start a new business.
3)Self-employed: This program also applies to athletes and artists and allows them to move to Canada as permanent residents. Applicants must have two years of experience in their field and show that they intend to be self-employed in Canada.
4) Caregiver: for those who care for children, the elderly, or people with medical needs.
5) Agri-Food Pilot: this program is for those with agriculture experience who are non-seasonal workers in specific industries and occupations.
If you are so lucky as to be married to a Canadian, then the whole process of moving to Canada will be much easier for you.
Whether you are married or simply common-law, your Canadian partner can sponsor you to move to the great white north. There will still be some hoops to jump through, but this is undoubtedly one of the easiest routes to permanent residence in Canada.
According to the website MoveHub, these are the best place to live in Canada: Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Best for families: Ottawa, the nation's capital, is popular with families as it has great parks, libraries, low crime, and decent public transportation.
Best for students: Montreal is incredibly popular with university students since it has various educational facilities and fantastic nightlife. However, most will find it will benefit you to speak French if you decide to move there.
Best for singles: Toronto is incredibly diverse, and it is a young city. Best of all, 82% of Toronto's 15-29-year-olds are single!
Best for hipsters and those who hate the cold: Vancouver is the place to be if you hate the cold as it has the mildest climate in Canada. Vancouver is a hipster's paradise and is filled with vegan restaurants, tattoo parlors, and microbreweries.
Once you've figured out which visa or program you will apply for, you will need to proceed to get all of your documents in order.
Each program has different requirements and will take a different amount of time to process. So read up, consult an immigration lawyer if necessary, and be patient. Submitting all the required documents correctly is not always easy.
After you've handed in all the necessary paperwork and completed all the steps to apply for the visa or program of your choice, the only thing you can do is wait. Like in many other countries, bureaucracy in Canada is often slow, so now patience is required.
Once your visa/immigration program application is processed, you will receive the results. You may have to rectify certain information or re-submit documents if you've made a mistake.
However, if you did everything correctly and your visa is approved congratulations! Pack your bags, and start to learn O'Canada! After five years of residence, you will be allowed to apply for Canadian citizenship!