Moving to Canada From the U.S. During the Pandemic and After

Are you an American who is thinking of migrating to Canada soon? Of course, if you have symptoms of the coronavirus, this is not a wise idea, and you will probably not be let in. However, because of the shared border and the abundance of trade between the U.S. and Canada, travel restrictions, right now, are somewhat more lenient than with other countries. Furthermore, U.S. residents who obtained their confirmation of permanent residence after March 18 are exempt from the travel restrictions.

According to the Canadian Immigration Council, you need a non-discretionary and non-optional reason to come to Canada right now. You will be turned away at the border if you are coming here for the following:

• Recreation
• Tourism
• Entertainment

The following people are exempt from the Canadian travel restrictions:

• Refugee claimants who are not U.S. citizens
• Immediate family member of a Canadian
• Extended family member of a Canadian
• International student going to study at a Designated Learning Institution that has a COVID-19 readiness plan
• Those coming to Canada for compassionate reasons
• Work permit holders
• and others

Even if you don’t have covid symptoms, you will be required to quarantine for 14 days, a requirement for all new arrivals. On the other hand, if you are coming to Canada for compassionate reasons, you may be able to get an exemption.

Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers have the final say as to who can come into Canada. You can speed up the border crossing process through ArriveCan app. They will want to see that you:

• Are asymptomatic
• Have a quarantine plan
• Are coming into Canada for an essential reason

Contact the CBSA if you have a question.

There are immigration programs to welcome skilled workers, families, students and temporary workers. During 2019, the United States was the fifth most popular country from which immigrants came to Canada. The ability to speak English fluently is a great asset when moving to Canada.

Canada will be raising the target to over 400,000 immigrants per year, beginning in 2021; this is for all countries but will still be advantageous to Americans who are interested in immigration to Canada.

Some Ways For U.S. citizens and residents to make their new home in Canada include:

• Express Entry
• Work in Canada
• Spousal Sponsorship
• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Study in Canada

This is the most known immigration selection system, and the United States is the second leading source country under this program. Immigrants from the economic class choose this method because of the shorter processing time, approximately six months.

A comprehensive ranking system is used to rank eligible candidates.

If you are from the U.S. and would like to learn more about Express Entry,the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or other ways to make Canada your new home, contact us.