Moving to the United States from Canada is legal and well-trodden, but there is no single application: you enter through a specific pathway (a family relationship, a job, a school, or an investment), and each one has its own forms, fees, and timelines. Canada and the U.S. both allow dual citizenship, so you keep your Canadian passport. The fastest routes (a TN work visa handled at the border) can be approved the same day; the slowest (certain family preference categories) run years. Choosing the right pathway before you file anything is the decision that shapes everything after it.
Pick the Pathway That Fits Your Situation
Your route into the U.S. depends on who you know there, what you do for a living, or what you can invest. Switching categories after you’ve filed generally means starting over, so this is the choice to get right.
Family Sponsorship
A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who is a close relative can sponsor you for a green card. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of adult U.S. citizens are “immediate relatives” with no annual cap, which means shorter waits. Married children and siblings of U.S. citizens, along with spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents, fall into preference categories with annual limits and can wait several years or more depending on demand.1U.S. Department of State. Family Immigration
Work Visas
Canadians have an option most other nationalities don’t: the TN visa, created under what is now the USMCA. It covers dozens of designated professional occupations (accountants, engineers, computer systems analysts, scientists, and others), grants status for up to three years at a time, and has no cap on renewals.2USCIS. Chapter 4 – Extension of Stay and Change of Status It does not lead directly to a green card, but it’s often the quickest way to start working in the U.S. while you pursue permanent residency separately.
Other work options include the H-1B for specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree and the L-1 for intra-company transfers from a Canadian office to a U.S. branch.3U.S. Department of Labor. H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Specialty (Professional) Workers New cap-subject H-1B petitions run through an annual lottery, which makes them less predictable than TN.
Study
The F-1 covers academic programs and the M-1 covers vocational training. You first need to be accepted by a school certified through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which issues a Form I-20 confirming your enrollment.4ICE. Students Student status doesn’t itself provide work authorization or permanent residency, but it can be a stepping stone to an employment-based visa later.
Investment
The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is open to Canadian citizens who put a “substantial” amount into a U.S. business. There is no fixed floor, but the investment must be large enough relative to the total cost of the business to show real commitment.5USCIS. E-2 Treaty Investors The E-2 is nonimmigrant and doesn’t lead directly to a green card. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program does lead to a green card, but requires $1,050,000 (or $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area) and the creation or preservation of at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs. Those thresholds are scheduled for inflation adjustment after January 2027.
The TN Visa Advantage for Canadian Professionals
Canadians applying for TN status can skip the usual visa application process. You present your documents directly to a Customs and Border Protection officer at a U.S. port of entry or pre-flight inspection station, and if approved you receive TN status on the spot and can begin work immediately.6U.S. Department of State. Visas for Canadian and Mexican USMCA Professional Workers
Bring a valid Canadian passport, an offer letter from your U.S. employer describing the TN profession, your duties, salary, and length of stay, plus original diplomas, transcripts, or professional licenses proving you meet the qualifications for one of the designated occupations. Your employer can also file Form I-129 through USCIS instead, and premium processing is available for $2,965 to guarantee a decision within 15 business days.7USCIS. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees
One catch: TN requires nonimmigrant intent, meaning you’re expected to plan to return to Canada. If you’re simultaneously pursuing a green card, that tension can create complications when you renew.
Documents to Assemble Before You File
Whatever pathway you choose, incomplete paperwork is the most common cause of delays. Have these in hand before you start.
Personal identification: a valid Canadian passport, birth certificate, and any marriage or divorce certificates. Civil documents generally need to be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Financial documents show you can support yourself, and vary by visa type: bank statements, a job offer with salary, or an Affidavit of Support from your U.S. sponsor. Educational and professional credentials matter especially for work-based visas; Canadian degrees are well-recognized, but some employers and categories require a formal evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.
Police Certificates
Immigrant visa applicants aged 16 and older must provide police certificates from every country where they’ve lived more than six months (country of nationality) or more than 12 months (other countries). For most Canadians that means an RCMP criminal record check. Certificates expire after two years.8U.S. Department of State. Step 7: Collect Civil Documents
Medical Exam
Most immigrant visa applicants need a medical exam covering vaccinations, a physical assessment, and specific screenings. If you adjust status from inside the U.S., a USCIS-designated civil surgeon performs it.9Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons If you process at the Montreal consulate, you’ll see an embassy-approved panel physician.10U.S. Department of State. Medical Examinations FAQs
How the Application Actually Runs
Family-based green cards start with the U.S. sponsor filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with USCIS.11USCIS. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative Employment-based green cards typically start with the employer filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker.12RegInfo.gov. Instructions for I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker Premium processing on the I-140 costs $2,965 and guarantees USCIS action within 15 days.13Federal Register. Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees Nonimmigrant applicants (students, most work visas) begin with the online DS-160.14U.S. Department of State. DS-160: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Canadian citizens applying for TN status skip DS-160 and apply at the border.
Fees add up. The State Department charges $325 per person for processing family-based immigrant visa applications and $345 for employment-based, on top of USCIS petition fees.15U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services Budget separately for biometrics, medical exams, credential evaluations, and translations.
After USCIS receives your petition, you’re typically scheduled for a biometrics appointment where fingerprints, a photograph, and your signature are collected for background checks. For immigrant visas, the interview is conducted at the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal, which is the only post in Canada that processes immigrant visas.16U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Canada. Immigrant Visa Process Bring your appointment letter, passport, DS-260 confirmation, and all supporting evidence. If approved, the visa is placed in your passport.17U.S. Department of State. U.S. Consulate General Montreal, Canada – MTL
What Leaving Canada Costs You
This is the part most people underestimate.
Departure Tax
When you stop being a Canadian tax resident, the CRA treats you as if you sold most of your property at fair market value on the day you left. This deemed disposition can trigger capital gains tax on investments and other assets even though nothing actually changed hands. You report it on Form T1243, and if the fair market value of all property you owned when you left exceeds $25,000, you must also file Form T1161 listing those properties. You can defer paying the departure tax by filing Form T1244 by April 30 of the year after you emigrate, though larger amounts require you to post security with the CRA. Missing the T1161 filing carries a penalty of $25 per day, minimum $100, maximum $2,500.18Government of Canada. Dispositions of Property for Emigrants of Canada
Provincial Health Coverage
Provincial insurance doesn’t end the moment you cross the border, but it lapses once you’ve been outside your province past its allowed absence period. Rules vary by province. Arrange U.S. coverage before there’s a gap.
What Arriving in the U.S. Costs You (Taxwise)
If you become a permanent resident, you owe U.S. income tax on your worldwide income starting the day you’re admitted. Non-immigrants can also become U.S. tax residents if they spend enough time in the country.
The Substantial Presence Test
You become a U.S. tax resident if you’re physically present at least 31 days in the current year and a weighted total of 183 days over three years: all days this year, one-third of last year’s days, and one-sixth of the year before that.19Internal Revenue Service. Substantial Presence Test Commuting days and transit days don’t count. If you meet the test but were present fewer than 183 days and kept a tax home in Canada all year, Form 8840 lets you claim a closer connection to Canada and avoid U.S. tax residency. That exception is not available if you’ve applied for a green card or taken steps toward one.20Internal Revenue Service. Closer Connection Exception to the Substantial Presence Test
Reporting Canadian Accounts (FBAR)
Once you’re a U.S. tax resident, you must report any foreign financial accounts (Canadian bank accounts, RRSPs, and TFSAs included) if the combined balance exceeds $10,000 at any point during the year. File the FBAR electronically through FinCEN’s BSA E-Filing System by April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15.21Internal Revenue Service. Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) The FBAR is separate from your tax return, and penalties for not filing include civil fines adjusted annually for inflation and potential criminal penalties.
The U.S.-Canada Tax Treaty
The treaty prevents most double taxation. Tax paid to Canada on the same income generally supports a foreign tax credit on your U.S. return, and vice versa. It also covers social security taxes, so you won’t pay into both systems simultaneously for the same work.22Government of Canada. Convention Between Canada and the United States of America A cross-border tax professional is worth the cost in your first year or two.
Moving Your Things and Your Car
Personal belongings and household goods come in duty-free if they were used abroad for at least a year and are for your personal use rather than for sale. You’ll file CBP Form 3299 either at the port of entry or when your shipment arrives.23U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Form 3299 – Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles
Bringing your car across permanently is possible but involves more steps than people expect. The vehicle must meet EPA emission standards and NHTSA safety standards. A Canadian vehicle carrying a label showing it was certified to U.S. EPA federal emission standards (or a manufacturer letter of compliance) is fine on emissions.24US EPA. Importing Canadian Vehicles Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards closely parallel the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and NHTSA has issued blanket import eligibility decisions covering most Canadian-certified vehicles; if yours doesn’t comply with a specific U.S. standard, you’ll import through a registered importer, post a bond, and bring the vehicle into compliance within 120 days.25NHTSA. Vehicle Importation Guidelines You’ll then register the vehicle in your new state and get a U.S. driver’s license, which usually involves a written and sometimes a road test.
At the Border and Your I-94
When you arrive, a CBP officer reviews your passport, visa, and supporting documents. If admitted, you get an electronic I-94 arrival/departure record documenting your entry date and how long you’re authorized to stay.26U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94 and I-94W Pull it up on the CBP website or the CBP One app soon after you land and confirm the dates. Errors are much easier to fix early.
First Steps After You Arrive
Social Security Number
If you’re authorized to work, applying for a Social Security Number is one of your first tasks: you’ll need it for employment, taxes, and most financial accounts. The Social Security Administration requires original immigration documents proving identity and work eligibility (I-94, unexpired foreign passport, and any Employment Authorization Document or I-551 green card).27Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card F-1 students also need their I-20 and a school letter confirming employment eligibility.
Address Changes
All non-citizens must report any change of address to USCIS within 10 days on Form AR-11.28eCFR. 8 CFR 265.1 – Reporting Change of Address This applies every move, not just your first one. Missing it is a violation that can affect later applications.
Health Insurance
The U.S. has no universal health system, and uninsured medical costs are extraordinarily high. Employer coverage is usually the best option. If that’s not available, lawfully present immigrants (green card holders and valid nonimmigrant visa holders) can buy coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace.29HealthCare.gov. Health Coverage for Lawfully Present Immigrants Don’t let provincial coverage lapse without U.S. coverage in place.
Building U.S. Credit
Your Canadian credit score doesn’t cross the border. You start close to zero, which makes renting, financing a car, or getting a credit card harder than it should be. Some U.S. banks partner with services that translate Canadian credit history into a U.S.-readable format, American Express runs a Global Card Transfer program letting existing Canadian cardholders apply for a U.S. card using their relationship history, and a secured credit card is a common starting point.
Staying in Status Once You’re There
Work visa holders can only work for the employer listed on the petition and only in the role described. Students must stay in full-time enrollment and can’t work off-campus without authorization. Green card holders have more freedom, but extended absences from the U.S. can raise questions about whether they’ve abandoned residency.
Travel While Adjusting Status
If you’ve filed Form I-485 to adjust to permanent resident and need to leave the U.S. before approval, you generally need Advance Parole (Form I-131) in hand before you go. Leaving without it is treated as abandoning your application.30USCIS. While Your Green Card Application Is Pending with USCIS Canadians trip on this more than most, because the border is close and short trips feel casual. They’re not.
Overstay Bars
Overstaying or working without authorization has steep consequences. More than 180 days of unlawful presence followed by leaving the U.S. triggers a three-year bar on re-entry. More than one year triggers a ten-year bar.31Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 9 FAM 302.11 – Ineligibility Based on Previous Removal and Unlawful Presence in the United States – INA 212(A)(9) These bars apply even when the overstay wasn’t intentional. Watching your I-94 expiration and filing extensions or changes of status before it runs is the single most important thing you can do to protect your ability to stay.