Tell me about Canada.

Post Reply New Topic

^Yep. Might have better chances as a (legitimate) refugee than as a potential expen$ive burden to Canadian taxpayers.

You're welcome!




I'm certainly glad you posted - I'm very interested in the Nordic countries. I'm wondering... did things start to get worse in Finland (as you described the healthcare situation) around the time Finland adopted the euro?

Wow, that is a seriously depressing link...

Canada feels a step closer to heaven and like a parallel universe. It's 80% the same as America, but the 20% difference is really interesting. I have a good friend as well as distant relatives who are Canadian.

Sadly I'll probably never get to live there.

And that's why Canada is the #1 country of interest for those emigrating worldwide. We're the world's number one round one draft pick. As poor as the working class is becoming here in the nicest part of Canada, I still feel blessed to have been born and raised here & I appreciate it more and more these days.

^I feel the same. I'm glad I live in Canada. Though I might move to New Zealand.

My nephew, a gainfully employed IT guy in Ontario, married a gainfully employed social worker in Australia. It took 4 years to get her into Canada, even though they were already married and had proof of 10,000 hours open blue tooth line - they were always together. But Immigration is tough. I was surprised - she's *such* a good candidate! And they're both so stable, no legal problems, both are parents, nice long employment history. But no, it takes what it takes. All you can do is get in line. After the 25,000 Syrians who just landed.

Although that's only their lives. Your life might be really eligible. You never know. The thing to do is get in line, because the time will pass anyway.

It occurs to me that during the Viet Nam War, draft dodgers arrived overnight and were accepted but did not have formal status. I think that was the USA & Canada working together to defuse a problem.

I was going to say that you should find out who they're admitting because there's always a favourite category but of course right now that's Syrians.

It is a country.

You should be a detective.

I'm fairly certain it's a place on Earth.

Sherlock, is that you?

thousands of americans were blocked from entering Canada during the last Olympics due to criminal records, even misdemeanors are grounds for restriction. from what I've read, in general- to be granted long-term residence in Canada, applicants must have some combo of the following-
*net worth of >$500k
*bachelors degree in a field Canada needs [STEM, medicine]
*spotless criminal record
*no debts
*no chronic diseases
*blood relatives in-country

most americans would fail these requirements, and that is by design. Canada, quite understandably, does NOT want another wave of americans that came through between the late 60s-70s.

Are you sure the restriction is anti-American? Because the same restrictions applied to the Australian woman that my nephew married - brought her up here to Niagara Falls it was lovely, but then she had to go home to Australia and wait out a few more years. The only thing on your list that affected her was "no blood relatives in-country."

I thought it would be easier for Australia because of the Commonwealth but not so.

all I know is that I remember reading this in a 1981 newspaper back in the day, Canada stiffened is immigration requirements shortly after ronnie raygun took office, it was a controversy at the time [down here]. I would think that if you married a native that would get you in, so your nephew's experience is somewhat alarming.

Canada's a very multicultural country and everyone is welcome.

Net worth figure may be different. I know that under the investor immigrant program BC had for many years people had to be able to give the government an interest free loan of $800K for 5 years, so under that program they had to have at least $800K liquid cash + whatever they needed to support themselves. So, a lot more than $500K. Quebec still has an investor immigrant program where people can buy their way in, but I'm not sure what the details are on it... besides that wealthy Chinese people buy their way in via Quebec, where they are supposed to go and set up base, but they fly into Montreal and then take the first flight out to Vancouver and continue to populate the West coast while Quebec pockets the money. Quebec operates... almost autonomously as if they are their own country. I don't think that loophole will be closed any time soon. Quebec needs the money and doesn't care to enforce rules that people must stay there once they let them in for cash. If you have $$$ and want to come to Canada, Quebec is your way in right now.

Bachelors degrees in some fields are useful here, but in others are all but useless since we have a lot of our own citizens with them who are unemployed. MD's are sought after, and perhaps some engineers etc, but what's really valuable are trades certifications. Carpenters, plumbers, welders etc. If you have high level certifications in these fields they're more sought after than a 4 year college degree. A girl I went to business school with told me that her family was shocked that their degrees counted for sweet F all for immigration points (there's a points rating system of some sort, and things like speaking both English and French add points) whereas you'd get more points on your application if you were a ticketed tradesman. Canada doesn't care what you can dream up and think about (we have a lot of our own dreamers and thinkers), but more so what you can DO with your hands. We need people that can physically build our country. Too many of our own citizens have gone to school to study computer sciences and paper pushing and not enough people are willing to be on the business end of tools. If you can WORK, you have a better chance of being let in.

Yep, no criminals. Not sure if there are any exceptions to this.

No debt? Not so sure about this.. people all over the world have debts. I'd imagine people just have to demonstrate the ability to pay and that they're not running away from financial obligations.

Blood relatives count for something, too. Family re-unification is a big thing here and Trudeau campaigned on loosening the rules for that.. so people who have been here for decades working can bring their elderly family members and other relatives easier now, or soon anyways.