[WAYYY OT] How Hard Is It To Immigrate to Canada?

[Tar Markvar]

Considering that the US is gearing up for war, I might be looking to move to Canada in the near future. Especially if we have to start drafting people for this perpetual war agaist terror.

Not to make this thread political or anything....

Moving on. This thread is off-topic enough as it is.

 

[Darkness]

Not to make this thread political or anything....

Moving on. This thread is off-topic enough as it is.

Exactly: Don't turn this thread into a political debate. Thanks.

- Darkness

 

[Dinkeldog]

Hi all, just your friendly neighborhood moderator saying hi!

No advice on how to move to Canada or anything. Just saying hi.

 

[barsoomcore]

On Topic!

Well, thread topic, anyway. I work in Vancouver with a number of Americans so I asked one about working in Canada. Here's what he said:

It isn't that hard... but it sure does suck making monopoly money instead of cold green cashola. There is a lot of paper work, and it costs money, but other than that Canadians are so nice and naive they don't know how to keep us lazy good for nothing yankee swine away.

I would check with your prospective employer -- if they like you enough they ought to be willing to help ease your transition somewhat...

Take it all for what it's worth: the word of a Canadian about the word of an American. You gotta trust us both to trust this.

But if you do come up, Tar, welcome!

 

[Memory]

I'm not sure if you actually need to get landed immigrant status to work in Canada, which is a complicated process, and one that you should avoid if possible. As far as I know, it's pretty easy for Canadian and American professionals to get work authorization in each other's countries under NAFTA. Large numbers of Canadians get work visas to work in the US as doctors, teachers, professors, engineers, etc.... Americans don't go the other way nearly as often, but it shouldn't be any more difficult.

Maybe human resources at Bioware could give you more information. Good luck, it would definitely be a cool job--just be prepared for tough winters.

 

[Cheiromancer]

The last several years the winters have been surprisingly mild. By which I mean that it stays above 0 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time. And it's a dry cold.

Personally, I'd be more worried about the weather in Michigan.

Do check with Bioware- getting a work visa would be easiest, and after you've lived here a while it's easier to get landed immigrant status.

Good luck!

 

[Tar Markvar]

I lived in Rochester, NY for five years. I know that's not Edmonton, but it's a decent farm-team training area for learning to deal with snow.

I've lived in the SF Bay Area for four years now. I miss harsh weather.

Thanks for the advice. I think you're right, I should check with them and see. I'm sorta still in the "Should I Try This?" phase, and I wanted to see if the hassle was going to be worth it.

Looks like it might.

 

[Cheiromancer]

The snow is nowhere near as thick as in Rochester.

Hmm. Are you familiar with Aquinas Institute or John Fisher University?

 

[Teflon Billy]

Take a look at claiming refugee status. We apparently won't turn anyone away under any circumstances if they claim they are refugees.

My ex-wife was a German, and it took us the better part of three years and untold amounts of cash to get her her landed immigrant status.

In that time, refugee claimants galore in our local office were arrested for dealing crack, auto theft, lying on their documentation etc....with no ill effects on their claim.

Our immigration office refused to deport a refugee claimant found guilty of rape.

Also, we pay refugees a nice monthly stipend for the privelege of letting them come here, a perk not extened to actual landed imiigrant applicants.

My country is bizarre at times

 

[Dragongirl]

Wait til we are at war with Iraq, then it should be easy to go to Canada. If the Vietnam War was any example.