Canada has made a reputation for itself over the years as a suitable country to immigrate to for various reasons. However, there are a lot of U.S. citizens and residents as well, over 10,000 of them, travelling north, across the border to settle in Canada via the Express Entry method. There are quite a few reasons for this trend.
The Trump administration has introduced quite a bit of volatility in the visa process for international immigrants. Among these hurdles is the embargo on the issuance of H1-B visas and green cards, and the requirement to pay foreign-highly skilled workers higher wages. These abrupt and untoward changes have brought upon a dilemma for immigrants choosing the USA as a country to work or study. And at the same time, Canada has become an attractive destination due to the easy settlement route, and the low hindrance in the visa process.
Apart from the aforementioned volatility, there are a few other reasons as well as to why U.S. residents might choose to immigrate to Canada. A prime factor is free universal healthcare, which is in stark contrast to the high healthcare costs to be borne by residents in the United States. Paid statutory holidays and paid maternity leaves are other aspects where Canada makes lives easier for workers. While the USA allows for 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave for new parents, Canada offers 35 to 61 weeks off.
Lastly, a better work-life balance and a more lenient visa system make Canada a stellar choice for most aspiring immigrants from the USA. The Express Entry pathway is one of the most used, wherein the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) use a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to award points to permanent residency applicants, based upon which they are given a suitable rank. Individuals who rank the highest in that pool, are invited to apply for permanent residence.
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