I am an American- used to love it, but now...well how is Canada?

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Nicole

I think your completely right, Bush ruined your country, sorry for anyone who's into political liars. America was amazing at one point yes, but not now.
And that's true, everyone in this world is struggling but you just have to make the best of it, your way is to get out of one of the worst countries now which at some point was one of the best.
Ontario pays for hospital bills, its great, medication is payed for, etc, etc.
Canadians are really excepting, most of us, I mean your going to find bad people anywhere you go, not every single person in Canada is nice and friendly, same as not everyone in the states is bad.
Yes the passport is a long wait but its only 4 years I believe, my boyfriend will be getting a citizenship, really if you don't come over here and cause trouble then they won't deport you, if you come over here and start making a mess they'll ship you off just like that.
Niagara Falls is just beautiful, have only seen pictures but I plan to see it one day because I live in Ontario and plan to live here for the rest of my life.
Jobs are easy to find and get actually, depends on what you want to do, if you don't have any criminal record then its simple.
My dad doesn't have his high school diploma and he drives transport, makes $20 an hour I believe, brings home a little over $2000 a month and is a single parent and he has a criminal record.
School cost, um, I feel its pricey just about everywhere that you go, but yes I think its more resonable here, my 2 cousins are taking a 2 year course each, one in fitness/sports, one in fashion merchandising and it'll total to be around $10,000 for both of them, that includes food and everything and one lives right on campus, the other one shares an apartment with a roommate.
I feel college is kind of a joke but Queens University, hands down the best in Ontario or comes pretty amazingly close too it.
Yeah we are really excepting and I find most Americans hate Canadians, MOST, I know not all do because I have an American boyfriend. We do not care where you come from, we couldn't care if you came from Hong Kong, most of us at least, I don't judge just because of where you come from, in Ontario a lot of us do for each other, a lot of people like to be nasty pricks and a lot like to hold the door for you when you walk in the bank and it just makes your day.
Its getting really bad in the world and is pretty much bad wherever you go, you just have to make the best of it and if we have more people in the world who actually use their minds...Like you, then we wouldn't have half the problem in this world.
You can get a job without having a citizenship you just have your social security number, it sounds hard, really, its not, we're not picky about letting people come over here, I see a lot of Chinese women and men around, a lot come over here to travel and see the beautiful sights.
Canada is amazing, as far as sights go. The 1000 islands(I got to live right next to it so I saw it everyday and actually got to go out on the river so much), Niagara Falls, its all so beautiful and driving through the country and seeing all the farm land is nice to, it just reminds you that you don't see construction and people making new buildings and taking animals lifes away, you see deer, rabbits, foxes, everything.
Really that's it, we just moved into an apartment, a house with 6 apartments for $735 all inclusive, not in a bad neighborhood, its not a mansion, but its ok for a 2 bedroom especially for the winter.
I could go on and on about Canada all day, of course I haven't been outside of my province, Ontario is the best province I believe or one of the best I should say.
Hurricanes are happening in British Columbia because of the water and what not.
Feel free to email me if you want to know more, see pictures of the water, anything.

SeeMui

Honestly, if you're questioning America's lack of affordable and universal health care, war involvement, Bush-like politicians, and mostly lack of gay rights, then you'd love it here in Canada.

To answer some of your questions,
> university costs are generally lower than in the U.S.; the quality of education is equal to, or superior, IMO;
> the real estate market is not a joke like it currently is in the U.S.;
> rental costs depend on where you want to settle--big or small city--but pretty much on par with U.S.
> job availability depends on your field, of course, but likely similar to the U.S.

You'd have to enter on a student or work visa first, then apply for landed immigrant status, then full citizenship after many years. But it really shouldn't be a huge problem; thousands of Americans emigrate to Canada every year.

Leon

I immigrated to Canada and I've had a very good life here. Where I live in Alberta, there is such shortage of work force that if you don't like your job, you can basically walk across the street and get a better one and better paid too. Housing costs have been going up though because everybody is moving here to get these jobs. BC has very little unemployment also.

How easy it is to immigrate depends completely on your qualifications. You can apply as a skilled worker if you qualify under their points system, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/index.asp You would wait about 1.5 years to get permanent residency and then you could move.

If you don't qualify under the points system but you do have some job skills that some province needs, you can immigrate as a provincial nominee, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/provincial/apply-who.asp You would need a job offer from a province where that job is on the short list and you need to qualify to do this job. If you don't have a lot of education, BC and AB both offer semi skilled jobs also. If you do this, with the help of your employer, you can become a permanent resident within a year after moving to Canada.

If you don't qualify for any of these jobs, you can immigrate as a live-in-caregiver as long as you have childcare experience. You would have to do that for 2 years and then you qualify to apply for permanent residency.

Once you are a permanent resident, you can sponsor your parents to join you. If you live in Alberta or Manitoba, you can also sponsor other family members to come under provincial nominee program - family stream.

freeside49

Canada has lots of jobs in the western provinces (BC,m Alberta and Saskatchewan). Weather wise BC is very mild winters and nice summers.
You can stay for up to six months without a visa or anything but you cannot work nor would you be covered by healthcare. To work here and be covered by medical you need to apply for temporary or permanent residency status. http://www.cic.gc.ca Once you have that you can get health insurance as there are no "existing conditions" or "refuals" permitted.

The easiest way in is to secure a job here (try http://www.monster.ca or google "job" and the city you are thinking about. ) and with a job in hand getting working visa much easier. Once you live here for 3 years or so then you can apply for full citizenship.

Leiah

its amazing here, aslong as you live in the right place (aka not toronto)

Bull

Yeah it's confusing eh?

asking amy

stuff america and canada AUSTRALIA is the best!!! go aussies

SuperBlackHawk

the Canadian waiting list for citizenship is 10 years long. go to the Netherlands. citizenship is free and very simple. they take care of people over there. government funded health care, the unemployment is great ( the government makes sure your bills are paid ans long as you show proof that you are looking for a job). its much cleaner over there. ive checked into it lol

$exxxy Je$$ie

Canada's @ # 2... after America!

Amy E

So basically what you're saying is that when things get tough you turn your back on a country that's done so much for you? Well go...I hope Canada lives up to your expectations because if you give up on that country too; where will you go? You think you have it rough here, imagine what it's like in a country where a years wages wouldn't buy a pair of jeans here. You really should be ashamed of yourself for being such a spoiled girl. Look around you - everyone is struggling! BUT - as far as I know none of my neighbors have had bombs dropped on their homes and their children haven't died from drinking the water. Shame on you. You may live in America....but you are NO American.

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