The reason I ask is because I'm a dual citizen. Originally from the US, but I moved to Canada after a job offer and lived and worked there long enough to gain citizenship. So it can be done.
However, I think most Americans underestimate how difficult it is to become a Canadian citizen. To begin with, you need to have a skilled job offer (not just waiting tables, stocking shelves, operating a cash register, etc), and generally the employer needs to explain to immigration why they need to fill the position with a non-Canadian. Then you have to apply for permanent residency after working and living in Canada a certain amount of time, typically two years. After an addition two years of living/working in Canada you may be able to apply for citizenship. But it is really the processing times that are the worst. They can vary considerably and can seem interminable. The timespan between the day I first arrived in Canada to the day I was doing my citizenship oath was nearly ten years. Some colleagues took less time, others took longer.
Not trying to discourage you, just relating the experience I had. It can be done, but it is not easy. The vast majority of Americans who vow to "move to Canada" give up after becoming more aware of the difficulties involved. Though as they say, nothing really worth doing is easy.
Sumi- kind of you to lay it all out! Yes, I think most people are unaware of how difficult it is to gain citizenship there but that's not necessarily the objective in my case. The idea is just to get out of the U.S. and regroup nearby in Canada and see how things unfold down here while looking at jobs up there. My husband is a chef and I am a social worker. Both seem to be preferred positions for fast tracking in the application system as far as I can tell. But even if it takes 10 years why would we care as long as we can remain in Canada during that time? The idea is simply not to be in the u.s. when it heads into a dictatorship. I figure at very least we will get 6 months to stay in Canada on a visitor visa. Enough time to plan our escape elsewhere if necessary if we can't land his in Canada. But I'm glad you outlined the process. I think it is important for people to understand that running to the border is not an easy out-
Just wondering, do you have legal status in Canada?
No. You can visit Canada for 6 months at a time though. Enough time to make plans about what to do next...
The reason I ask is because I'm a dual citizen. Originally from the US, but I moved to Canada after a job offer and lived and worked there long enough to gain citizenship. So it can be done.
However, I think most Americans underestimate how difficult it is to become a Canadian citizen. To begin with, you need to have a skilled job offer (not just waiting tables, stocking shelves, operating a cash register, etc), and generally the employer needs to explain to immigration why they need to fill the position with a non-Canadian. Then you have to apply for permanent residency after working and living in Canada a certain amount of time, typically two years. After an addition two years of living/working in Canada you may be able to apply for citizenship. But it is really the processing times that are the worst. They can vary considerably and can seem interminable. The timespan between the day I first arrived in Canada to the day I was doing my citizenship oath was nearly ten years. Some colleagues took less time, others took longer.
Not trying to discourage you, just relating the experience I had. It can be done, but it is not easy. The vast majority of Americans who vow to "move to Canada" give up after becoming more aware of the difficulties involved. Though as they say, nothing really worth doing is easy.
Sumi- kind of you to lay it all out! Yes, I think most people are unaware of how difficult it is to gain citizenship there but that's not necessarily the objective in my case. The idea is just to get out of the U.S. and regroup nearby in Canada and see how things unfold down here while looking at jobs up there. My husband is a chef and I am a social worker. Both seem to be preferred positions for fast tracking in the application system as far as I can tell. But even if it takes 10 years why would we care as long as we can remain in Canada during that time? The idea is simply not to be in the u.s. when it heads into a dictatorship. I figure at very least we will get 6 months to stay in Canada on a visitor visa. Enough time to plan our escape elsewhere if necessary if we can't land his in Canada. But I'm glad you outlined the process. I think it is important for people to understand that running to the border is not an easy out-