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Retiring to Canada
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Question
We’ve seen the Canadian dollar rise recently, but getting things done in Canada is still a deal compared with the United States. I’ve only just begun to look into retirement communities for myself and my husband, and I think that since we would like to move anyhow, Canada might be a good choice, maybe B.C. I can’t find anything that I have to be aware of, but are there any restrictions or anything else that you can point out?
Answer
Canada is a
fine place to retire, and you are right, you get more bang for your
buck north of the border. There are a few things to watch, but
generally speaking, Canadian facilities welcome our American neighbours
with open arms. The Government of Canada, however, insists on the full
application for citizenship procedure if you wish to go all out and
become a citizen. Of course, you don’t have to become one. But if you
aren’t a Canadian citizen, there is a penalty system whereby you pay
for medical services. Your penalty payments, however, may be less than
what you would pay in the States! And a robust insurance policy geared
towards your particular situation will cover eventualities in any case.
If
maintaining US citizenship is desirable, you can live here and work out
the details with an immigration lawyer. This is a gray area, and since
you will not be working in Canada, but rather spending...
If you want to become a full-fledged Canadian citizen, you have to fall into one of these groups:
- Skilled Worker Class Immigration
- Business Class Immigration
- Family Class Immigration
- International Adoption
- Provincial Nomination
- Quebec-Selected Immigration
As
retirees, you can only apply for number 3. And if you don’t have family
in Canada, you may be out of luck, no matter how much money you have! The Government of Canada also provides an
excellent website which will answer most questions: Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
There
are many advantages to becoming a permanent resident, as you would have
most of the rights that Canadian citizens have under the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms (except run for political office or
vote) and that includes Canada's health care system. You can apply for
Canadian Citizenship after three years, but it is not mandatory, and,
it is not necessary to give up your US citizenship – you will find many
people who have dual citizenship, enjoying the best of both worlds.
You
can become a Permanent Resident without becoming a citizen. This
involves completing the Canadian immigration process and obtaining
permanent resident status. Click here for more information.