Immigration Law

Helping Americans Moving To Canada

When People From The United States Want To Move To Canada

The US and Canada are each others largest trading partners, which applies not only to goods and services, but people. With such similar cultures, traditions, and work ethic, Canada is an extremely popular destination for American citizens looking for a change. For some Americans moving to Canada, it is about relationships, others work and still others about a different life style.

There are a number of Canadian immigration streams that Americans moving to Canada fall under to find work, permanent residency, and eventually citizenship in Canada.

Temporary Residents

For those people from the United States looking to come to Canada to work temporarily, there are a few options for US citizens:

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Professionals

This trade agreement between Canada and the US includes a list of professions.  The listed professions make obtaining a work permit for Americans to move to Canada much easier. For those Americans that have a job offer from a Canadian company in one of these occupations, obtaining a work permit can be as easy as arriving at the Port of Entry.

The list of professionals can be found here, and includes occupations such as Geologists, Lawyers, Registered Nurses, Social Workers, Graphic Designers, Accountants, and many more.

Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

For those Americans that may not fall under one of the occupations listed above, they may still be eligible for a work permit through an employment sponsorship. Once an employer has been found in Canada, the process of applying for an LMIA may begin.

Significant Benefit to Canada – Self Employed Persons

Many Americans move to Canada to pursue self-owned ventures. These entrepreneurs have obtained work permits for Canada by showing they can provide a significant contribution to the country by way of economic growth, or cultural or social development. If you are looking to expand your business to Canada, or to bring a unique set of social or cultural skills to our diverse country, this may be the option for you.

Permanent Residency

For those US citizens looking to make Canada their home indefinitely, permanent residency is the route to that end. Americans moving to Canada applying for permanent residency can happen through many different streams.

Federal Economic Class applications

Applying to immigrate to Canada under an Economic Class program means submitting a profile. The profile includes work experience, education, language ability, age, and a number of other factors to determine the amount of points one can obtain. If you score enough points through one of these programs, you are then eligible to apply for permanent residency. These programs include the Express Entry system, which houses the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, and Provincial Nominee programs.

Provincial Nominee Program

Each individual province and territory in Canada has their own set of immigration rules and criteria. Americans may fall under one of these province’s categories, for which they can apply for a sponsorship from the province.

If the province issues a nomination, the applicant can then apply for permanent residency in Canada.

There are a number of options for those American citizens looking to move to Canada for the short or long term future. To help better assess your eligibility, it is important to rely on a professional to ensure the best, most efficient options are explored.

Getting Help For Americans Moving To Canada

The immigration team at Kahane Law Office are available to help you make that move from the United States to Canada. Once you have decided to move, we can guide you, prepare your Canadian immigration paperwork and, file it all for you. We make it easy. Call today: toll-free at 1-877-225-8817 or 403-225-8810 locally in Calgary, Alberta. We also have an office in Edmonton, Alberta. Call them directly at (780) 571-8463 or email us directly here.