Why More Americans Are Moving to Canada Than Ever Before
Whether it’s the controversial election of Donald Trump as president, or other factors are at play, one thing is certain: U.S. immigration to Canada is at an all-time high, according to CIC News.
According to recent figures, over 10,000 Americans made Canada their new home in 2019 by immigrating via the Express Entry system.
For context, just three years prior in 2015, only 600 U.S. residents immigrated to Canada through the Express Entry system. However, it’s also important to note that the system itself only launched that same year.
The popularity of Express Entry has not slowed down despite the coronavirus pandemic, as draws have continued to take place over the past few months. In fact, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its largest ever Express Entry drawback in February, inviting 4,900 candidates in just a single draw.
Other Ways U.S. Residents Are Coming to Canada
Along with Express Entry, there are other immigration avenues available for skilled workers looking to obtain permanent residence in Canada that are attractive for U.S. residents. This includes the Provincial Nominee Program.
Why Is Canada So Attractive To Americans?
The election of U.S. President Donald Trump in 2016 has created a lot of uncertainty surrounding U.S. immigration policy. In fact, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the large number of cases plaguing the country, Trump recently signed an Executive Order suspending immigration and preventing new green card holders and temporary foreign workers from coming to the U.S. in 2020.
Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marco Mendicino, responded to this move by welcoming newcomers to “Come to Canada” instead, adding that the U.S. immigration suspension would “spring Canada’s economic recovery” post-pandemic.
As a result of the growing contention for immigration expressed by the Trump administration, many foreign nationals living and working in the U.S. have been deciding to pack up and pursue employment and permanent residence in Canada due to its favourable stance on immigration along with programs like the Express Entry system.
Workers immigrating to Canada from the U.S. also tend to have a competitive advantage when applying through the Express System. The reason for this is that U.S. residents are often highly educated, fluent in English, and have extensive work experience – all factors that will award a candidate a high number of points in Express Entry.
How COVID-19 Will Affect Immigration From the U.S.
Despite the fact that Express Entry draws are continuing to take place, a travel restriction remains in place, blocking U.S. residents from entering Canada for non-essential travel – with some exceptions.
Exemptions to the U.S. travel restrictions include:
- Immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Those travelling for an essential (non-discretionary) purpose
- Temporary foreign workers
- Some international students
- Some approved permanent residents
Additional exemptions are listed here.
As it stands, the travel restriction will remain in place until at least August 21, but could be extended due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the U.S.
Even still, Canada has remained committed to welcoming newcomers and maintaining immigration levels.
“We have a plan in place that looks to leverage the best and the brightest from around the world,” said Mendocino in a recent CTV interview.
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Arghavan Gerami
Arghavan Gerami is the Founder and Senior Counsel at Gerami Law Professional Corporation ('PC'), a full-service immigration law firm in Ottawa, Ontario. Since 2011, Ms. Gerami has focused her practice on immigration and refugee litigation. Prior to that, Ms. Gerami worked at the Ministry of Attorney General and the Department of Justice and had the privilege of serving the Honourable Mr. Justice M. Evans at the Federal Court of Appeal on immigration and administrative law appeals. Ms. Gerami contributes to the Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Ms. Gerami has also published numerous journal articles and presented at various immigration and refugee law conferences and events across Canada.