Eight reasons skilled foreign workers in the US should consider immigrating to Canada

If you’re a skilled foreign worker in the United States considering new opportunities, Canada offers compelling reasons to make the move up north.

The United States consistently ranks as one of the top countries of residence for candidates invited to apply for Canadian permanent residency (PR), as per the Express Entry year-end report 2023.

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With a shared border and a long-standing relationship, Canada and the US maintain close connections that can make the transition easier.

Here are some reasons to consider immigrating to Canada if you’re a skilled foreign worker in the US:

Faster pathways to permanent residency

Canada offers several pathways to permanent residency (PR), the equivalent of a green card in the US. One of the most popular routes is the Express Entry system, which scores candidates based on factors such as age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.

Many skilled foreign workers in the US are likely to be eligible for Canada's Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), enabling them to create an Express Entry profile and to enter the Express Entry pool.

The highest-ranking individuals in the pool are invited to apply for PR during periodic draws held by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

A top-ranking candidate might receive an invitation to apply (ITA) within a few weeks of entering the pool. After responding to their ITA, a successful candidate could receive permanent residency within only a few months (five months is the latest processing time).

In contrast, obtaining a US employment-based green card can be a lengthy and uncertain process. It often depends on employer sponsorship and can take many years, especially for applicants from countries with high demand, such as India and China. Processing times for these applicants can exceed a decade.

Faster pathways to citizenship

Canadian permanent residents who have resided within the country for three out of the last five years can apply for Canadian citizenship.

In the US, a green card holder can apply to become a citizen after five years of becoming a lawful permanent resident, or three years if they are married to a US citizen.

Work-life balance

Canada values work-life balance and has implemented laws in some provinces that restrict after-work communication, giving employees the right to disconnect.

Statutory holidays, which are paid days off, are also an important part of Canada’s work culture. Some holidays are observed nationwide - such as New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day - while others are specific to individual provinces.

On average, Canadians receive 10 to 13 such paid holidays per year, depending on the province where they live.

In contrast, the United States recognizes 11 federal holidays, but private employers are not required to observe them (except federally-chartered banks).

All Canadian jurisdictions mandate that employers provide employees with at least two weeks (or 4% of gross wages) of paid vacation per year, and often three weeks or more for longer-tenured employees. Canadian jurisdictions also require that employers pay out any accrued vacation at the end of your employment.

In contrast, many US jurisdictions provide no vacation minimums whatsoever – and in many states, employers are not required to pay out accrued vacation time on termination.

Severance pay

Severance pay is paid to an employee to compensate them for lost wages when they are terminated without cause, without a long enough notice period.

In all Canadian jurisdictions, legislation provides a minimum requirement of one week for notice of termination, or pay in lieu of notice, when laying off an employee. This means that if you’re laid off in Canada, you can expect to receive at least one week’s notice or one week’s pay, and often more, as these minimums increase with your tenure.

Furthermore, if your employment agreement in Canada lacks a termination clause, or has an illegal or unenforceable termination clause, you might be entitled to common-law severance, in the amount of months or years, depending on your situation.

In contrast, many US states follow “at-will” employment, meaning that an employer can terminate an employee at any time, for any reason (as long as it’s not discriminatory), without needing to provide notice or pay in lieu of notice.

Publicly funded universal healthcare

Unlike the United States, Canada has a universal health care system funded through taxes. All permanent residents can apply for public health insurance.

In Canada, you need not worry about losing health insurance coverage for emergencies or serious medical conditions if you lose your job.

If you do get group health insurance coverage through your Canadian employer, this is extended health coverage, and you can expect to pay around 75-140 CAD per month out of pocket for it.

In contrast, losing your job in the United States often means losing the health insurance required for critical medical care. While you are employed in the US, you’ll pay much more out of pocket for your portion of the premiums—an average of 978 CAD (702 USD) per month, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)’s 25th Employer Health Benefits Survey.

Paid parental leave

In Canada, new parents can take up to 76 weeks of paid time off, by receiving benefits under the federal Employment Insurance program.

In contrast, the US provides for only 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave.

	Parent and type of leave	Maximum length of leave	Weekly pay
Canada	Birthing parent - standard parental	55 weeks	55% up to $668
	Birthing parent - extended parental	76 weeks	55% up to $668 for first 15 weeks + 33% up to $401 for remaining 61 weeks
	Non-birthing parent - standard parental	40 weeks	55% up to $668
	Non-birthing parent - extended parental	61 weeks	33% up to $401
US	Any Parent	12 weeks	Unpaid

Canadian paid time off for parents consists of a combination of leave for the birthing parent (“maternity leave”), and leave for either parent (“parental leave”).

Maternity leave in Canada

The birthing parent gets up to 15 weeks of where they can receive Employment Insurance benefits at a rate of 55% of their average weekly earnings, up to $668 weekly.

Parental leave in Canada

In addition, new parents are entitled to 69 weeks off which can be split between the two (with no one parent getting more than 61 weeks).

There are two options – standard parental and extended parental – with the amount of pay depending on the option chosen.

Parental leave in the US

US law for parental leave allows employees to take a job-protected leave of absence of up to 12 weeks, but does not provide for any pay.

Old age security

Retirees in Canada can receive a monthly pension of up to 989.63 CAD (in 2024), by claiming Old Age Security (OAS) benefits.*

On top of this, low-income retirees can receive an additional $1,086.88 CAD (in 2024) in the form of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

Both payments are indexed to inflation and are provided based on being retirement age and how long the person has resided in Canada. They are funded out of tax revenue and not based on a retiree’s historical employment earnings or contributions.

The US provides retirees with no comparable benefit to OAS.

Both Canada and the US provide other pensions based on retirees’ history of employment income: Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Social Security, respectively.

If you move to Canada, you can still collect any Social Security benefits you are entitled to once you retire, based on earlier earnings and contributions in the United States.

*Assuming delaying receiving OAS to age 70, so as to maximize the monthly benefit.

Welcoming culture

Canada is known for its diverse population and a culture that is welcoming of newcomers.

According to the 2021 Canadian census, Canada’s population self-reported over 450 ethnic or cultural origins. Canada also ranked first on Gallup's 2019 Migrant Acceptance Index, scoring 8.46 out of 9. In contrast, the US ranked in sixth place.

The Canadian government recognizes the contributions of newcomers and actively supports their integration.

Newcomers to the country can benefit from free government-funded settlement organizations, language classes (in English and French), and other systems in place to ease the transition.

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