How hard is it to get into Canada if you want to move there? Do you have to speak french and take a test?
The last time I looked into it, it was based on a point system. By the age of 45 your out of their point system and more of a burden vs a contributing part of society. They want folks that will work to pay into the system before they retire and take from it... At 45 your not going to be a big payer into the system.. Im not sure but I still think it was after 9-11 that I was looking at moving there. There is way, way more restrictions now than when I was looking to move there. You can actually have duel citizenship in both the US and Canada...
No clue on French or a test. I doubt the French part but I could be wrong. I would think if you were a professional or were bringing a business were you instantly hired employees you would have a better chance.
No you dont need to take any test in French... They do use both languages there though... as far as bringing in a business.. they have to assess the need in the area that your looking... Ihave a retired friend that has a wonderful retirement and health insurance plan that was looking at a border area so she could come back into the US for medical care if need be... she didnt qualify by points so she was rejected even though she wouldnt need to live off their system...
The best place to start is with our Canadian Government webpage for immigration. Welcome Page | Page d'accueil From there, you will be able to ascertain if you would be able to live and work in Canada. I was born here, I plan to die here too. You would need some kind of Sponsor. Basically, a person who was born here who will take responsibility for your welfare - making sure that you have a roof over your head and food in your belly while you setup your new life here (banking, job, permanent residence, etc). I barely speak French. I was able to hack-n-bash enough French to travel through Quebec and other primarily French areas. I can still count in French, and understand limited French, and read limited French (all of the products sold in Canada must have English and French on them). I love it here - would hate to live anywhere else!
I love Canada. Having lived in the Detroit area, I have been to Windsor many times. I used to work for a software company that had a lot of business in Canada. I would drive to Windsor and fly to Toronto or Ottawa and avoid customs pain. Ottawa is a real cool city. From downtown you can be in the country pretty quickly. I have a buddy that lives NW of Toronto and one that lives outside of Ottawa. One side of the city (Ontario side) has english signs and then french, the other side (Quebec side) has french then english. I put in quite a few miles on Air Canada.
hard to get into Canada Yes,there is a point system to get into Canada. Speaking French will help you as it does add points to your total. Even if you are retired with your own income and would come back stateside for medical care etc.they still won't take you. My Dad is a Vietnam vet, his parents moved to British Columbia and we live in Seattle. He wanted to go live there and take care of his dad in his old age. They wouldn't take him even tho he has a nice retirement income and complete medical care through the VA which he could have easily traveled here for. My grandfather offered to sponsor him and he would have been living in the house and they still couldn't get an approval. If you have anyone in your family who has a serious medical condition, you cannot get it. Even if they are not coming into Canada with you, they won't take you (the idea is that you would be sending $ home for their care rather than spending it in Canada). If you have too little education or are not skilled in a career that is in-demand in Canada, they will not take you. If you have more kids than your career can provide for, they won't take you. If you are bringing in a business to Canada (and have your own capital) they look more favorably on it. We looked at emigrating to Canada previously but didn't like the gun laws, or the fact that if you start out as a Canadian you can come to the US and we will let you have dual citizenship but if you go to Canada they require you to give up your US citizenship. At the time we were too young and undereducated (by their standards) anyway. Now we are better educated but I have developed a health condition which is an absolute no-no on their list. If our new leadership does what it says to do and provides universal health care to all Americans, then I will be a little happier about staying here. Their point system is strict but fair, I guess. I only wish that we in the US had something similar because we seem to take anyone for any reason, people who end up getting our SSI, public assistance and medical care, etc.
I'm really torn on this one. I am from Toronto, and live here now. If you are educated, speak English and French, it seems it is less likely that you can get into Canada. Show up here with no money, 5 kids, no education and no grasp of English (let alone French), and there are immigration specialists lined up to give you refugee status, thus getting you free health care and money from the gov. to get by. A little harsh, I know, but I'm not just making it up. Your best bet would be to get a hold of an immigration lawyer and see what can be done.
If you have more kids than your career can provide for, they won't take you. I like that. That should be a rule everywhere because I can't stand people who do that!
If you're not a refugee then you have to apply the points system. For a well educated and well off American it would be pretty easy. You'd just need a sponsor. If you're a refugee it's a lot easier. However, refugees have it pretty tough in life already. In Toronto we have people from all over the world. A lot of people who come here as refugees work twice as hard as the average person who is born here. A lot of these people come from war torn countries. Getting your village cluster bombed it a little worse than a drive by shooting. I have no problem at all with refugees and immigrants. If you're willing to leave your home country, travel to the other side of the planet, learn a new language, learn a new culture, new skills, all while trying to pay bills and raise a family God Bless You! I hope all Canadians welcome new citizens of all backgrounds with open arms. Diversity and competition keeps our country strong.
I agree with what you are saying, however it has been my experience that 98% of the immigrants (not just refugees) I have worked with over the years have no interest in becoming "American". They can't speak English, don't understand English (or at least pretend they don't) and act like we owe them something for nothing. I have known some good, hard-working immigrants but they are few and far between. I wish more were like the good ones I know. Sorry to sidetrack the original post. Tim
Tim - I think we all owe our fellow human beings something for nothing. That's part of being a Christian that I can't ignore. If everyone is as welcoming as you are I'd expect them all to be wary of becoming "American." If the Americans are looking down on them all the time it sends a pretty unfriendly message. It's hard to join the club when the members have decided there's a 98% chance that you're worthless before they've even met you. Sure they can't speak english. That's normal for a person from another country. You can't speak Spanish. Does that mean you're considered to be worthless when you travel to a part of the world where they don't speak english? I've seen American travelers and if you want to see people who don't speak the local language and expect something for nothing look no further than an American. I have to ask you this. What do we owe to the strangers we come across in life? I owe them a smile. Kind words. A helping hand. Prayers and kindness. I don't ask someone if they speak english or where they are from before I hold the door open for them, carry their baby carriage up the stairs, or help them change a flat tire. They don't think YOU owe them anything. They think life owes them something. After all they moved to your country to get away from a terrible life in their home country. It's not as easy as walking up to a hole in a fence and walking through. There are lots of bones in the sand from people who didn't make it. No disrespect. Just food for thought. If they're not leaving we're better off to turn them into productive and welcome citizens. Ignoring them is really just more of a drain than helping them.
to get into Canada is guaranteed if you are a member of a particular violent religious group that refuses to integrate since our govt leaders seem determined to let them in in huge numbers and gives them more rights as they take ours away. i wont name the particular group but heres a hint, cover your wife in black including her face...
Mary - That's not true and you know it. Plus citizens have far more rights than refugees and new immigrants. There are also plenty of violent people who are born here. Visit your local prison. There are lots of white people who were born here who are career criminals. What's their excuse?
