Here’s How Americans Can Legally Move To Canada After The 2018 U.S. Midterm Election

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. That means, of course, the resurgence of the perennial promise from thousands of Americans to “move to Canada” if things don’t exactly go their way.

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TL;DR Listed below are four possible ways for Americans to immigrate to Canada is the federal election doesn’t go their way tomorrow.

While Trump is, unfortunately, not up for reelection, the entire U.S. House of Representatives, one third of the Senate, and a handful of governorships are on the ballot tomorrow.

These are called the “Midterm” elections because they fall halfway through the president’s four-year term. They are thus a referundum on the president’s performance.

Because of both heightened division and political participation in the U.S. in recent years, this is sure to be one of the most consequential and contentious Midterm elections in living memory.

Whatever the outcome, disgruntled Americans are sure to explore immigration to Canada as a way to escape their political woes and spite their political enemies.

To help them out, we’ve compiled this list of four ways to legally make the move north. Beneath each option are links to relevant government websites.

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Students

It is by far easiest to immigrate to Canada if you attend a Canadian university. Americans who study in Canada with a Study Permit can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit after they graduate. The Post-Graduation Work Permit is valid for a maximum of three years, during which time, former students can begin the Permanent Residency application process.

So if Americans truly intend to immigrate to Canada, they should consider applying to a Canadian university for either undergraduate or graduate studies.

Find information about the Study Permit here, the Post-Graduation Work Permit here, and Permanent Residency here.

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Skilled Workers – Entry Express

Skilled workers can apply to immigrate through a federal program called Entry Express. To be eligible, workers must be able to communicate in either English or French, the two officials languages of Canada. Applicants must also prove they have the funds to sustain themselves in Canada.

Find information about federal Entry Express here.

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Skilled Workers – Quebec

Quebec is exempt from the federal Entry Express program because it selects its own skilled workers. Workers who immigrate through Quebec must command a professional register of French.

This is a two-step process. First, applicants must obtain a Certificat de Sélection du Québec (CSQ). Once applicants receive their CSQ, they must then must also apply for a federal permit. The second step is most straightforward since applicants must already have the approval of the government of Quebec.

Find information about the CSQ here and the subsequent federal process here. 

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Atlantic Immigration Pilot

This special program makes it easier for foreigners to immigrate to one of Canada’s Maritime provinces, which are suffering a major labor shortage. Applicants must already have a job offer from an employer in one of the following provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

Find out more about the Atlantic Immigration Pilot here.

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