Best Places for Americans Moving to Canada

6 minute read

"The United States Presidential Election of 2020 resulted in the election of Joe Biden becoming the 46th and current President of the US. That spurred thousands of Republican Americans to Google ‘how to move to Canada’. While many did so jokingly, the actual number of US residents moving to Canada has increased in recent years since the Trump election in 2016."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Sep 7, 2021

The United States Presidential Election of 2020 resulted in the election of Joe Biden becoming the 46th and current President of the US. That spurred thousands of Republican Americans to Google ‘how to move to Canada’. While many did so jokingly, the actual number of US residents moving to Canada has increased in recent years since the Trump election in 2016.

Therefore if you are American and are considering moving to Canada from the US, there are certain things you must determine before making your decision. Every Canadian city has unique characteristics that define them. There are other factors such as climate, employment, and lifestyle that you might consider.

In 2019, more than 10,000 US residents moved to Canada. The first step towards immigrating to Canada will be deciding on how. For that, it is important to decide beforehand where you plan to live in Canada. Based on the province or territory you want to settle in, you can choose the best Canadian immigration program to start the process.

An Overview of Canadian Provinces and Territories and Cities for US Immigrants

Ontario

Ontario is the number one destination for new immigrants in Canada as Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. Ontario is a province that has a diverse economy with numerous different industries including finance, manufacturing, tourism, arts and sciences. Ontario also hosts the capital city of Canada, Ottawa.

Toronto is home to more Americans than any other Canadian city. With a great public transportation system, diversified opportunities for employment with technology and finance hubs, and warm temperatures, Toronto is a great place to settle down. However, it is a bit expensive to rent a house in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

British Columbia

The capital city of British Columbia is Victoria. The province is best known for its beautiful coastal beaches to the west and a vibrant outdoor lifestyle. Most immigrants chose to settle down in Vancouver because of its thriving tech industry and excellent art and cultural scene.

Vancouver is situated just 50 kilometers north of the US border, making it easily accessible to US travelers. Vancouver also has a booming film and visual effects industry which attracts a lot of young and talented US residents. Americans with a political or media-based background also move to Victoria. Victoria is an environment-friendly city, currently home to 6,200 settled Americans.

Alberta

The capital city of Alberta is Edmonton. Alberta is best known for its beautiful landscapes. It also hosts one of the largest cities in Canada, Calgary. Calgary is also a popular immigrant destination. However, the cost of living in Calgary is very high, which often leads immigrants to settle in other cities in the province like Edmonton.

Alberta is the energy center of Canada with its massive tar sands. There is a thriving oil industry in Alberta that offers great employment opportunities for its residents. Calgary is the sunniest city in Canada. It has also been ranked as the fourth most liveable city in the world by the Economist’s 2018 Global Liveability Index. There were around 12,100 American residents who permanently resettled in Calgary as of 2016.

Saskatchewan

The capital city of Saskatchewan is Regina. Saskatchewan is one of the prairie provinces and one of the only two landlocked provinces in Canada.

The province offers a high and affordable standard of living and comparatively low average housing costs. The economy in Saskatchewan is majorly dependent on agriculture and livestock production.

Canadians from all over the country come here to fish, hunt, hike or camp in nature. Saskatchewan also has over 100,000 pristine lakes and many beautiful streams and rivers. According to the 2016 Census Canada, around 4,845 resettled Americans were living in Saskatchewan.

How to Immigrate to Canada?

Almost all the provinces and territories mentioned above have their own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) with the exception of Nunavut and Quebec. These PNPs allow the provinces to nominate applicants based on their skills and experience and their relevance to the local labour market.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for these immigration programs, then you can apply for provincial nomination. To be eligible, you have to demonstrate your intention to live and work in the province after becoming a permanent resident in Canada. However, you will have the right to live and work anywhere in Canada as a permanent resident.

Apart from the PNPs, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offers various Canadian immigration programs based on your skills and purpose of immigrating.

For example, if you want to immigrate as a skilled worker or a skilled tradesperson, then you can apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) through the Express Entry system. If you intend to work as a self-employed person in Canada, you can apply for the Federal Self-Employed Persons Program or if you want to establish a business, then you can apply for the Start-Up Visa Program.