Why US Foreign Workers Must Consider Immigrating To Canada?
If you are a skilled foreign worker in the US considering new opportunities, Canada offers compelling reasons to make the move up north. In addition, the US consistently ranks as one of the top nations of residence for applicants invited to apply for permanent residency, as per the Express Entry year-end report 2023. Well, this blog covers why US foreign workers must consider immigrating to Canada. So, without further ado, let us begin!
Faster Pathways To Permanent Residency
Canada offers numerous pathways to permanent residency, equivalent to a green card in the US. One of the most popular routes is the Express Entry system, which scores applicants based on factors like age, language proficiency, education, work experience, etc.
Many skilled foreign workers in the US are likely to be eligible for Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program, which enables them to create an Express Entry profile and enter the Express Entry pool.
The highest-ranking individuals in the pool might obtain an invitation to apply within a few weeks of entering the pool. After responding to their ITA, a successful applicant could obtain permanent residency within only a few months.
On the contrary, obtaining a US employment-based green card can be a lengthy and uncertain process. It often depends upon the employer’s sponsorship and can take many years, specifically for applicants from nations with high demand, like India and China. Processing times for these applicants can exceed a decade.
Faster Pathways To Citizenship
Canadian permanent residents who have resided within the nation 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
Another reason why US foreign workers must consider immigrating to Canada is because of its work-life balance.
Canada values work-life balance and has implemented laws in some provinces restricting after-work communication, giving employees the right to disconnect.
Statutory holidays 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, Labor Day, and Christmas Day – while others are specific to individual provinces.
On average, Canadians obtain 10 – 13 such paid holidays per year, depending on the province where they reside.
In contrast, the United States recognizes 11 federal holidays, but private employers don’t have to observe them.
All Canadian jurisdictions mandate that employers provide employees with a minimum of two weeks off 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 offer 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, the legislation offers a minimum requirement of one week for notice of termination/ pay in lieu of notice when laying off an employee. This implies that if you do not have a job 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.
Moreover, if your employment agreement in Canada lacks a termination clause or has an illegal or unenforceable termination clause, you can have common-law severance for months or years, depending on the situation.
On the contrary, many US states follow ‘at-will’ employment, implying that an employer can terminate an employee at any time, for any reason, without needing to provide notice or pay in lieu of notice.
Publicly Funded Universal Healthcare
Another reason why US foreign workers must consider immigrating to Canada is because of its publicly funded universal healthcare.
Unlike the United States, Canada has a universal healthcare 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 not get group health insurance coverage through your Canadian employer, then you can expect to pay over 75-140 CAD per month out of pocket for it.
On the contrary, losing your job in the United States often means losing the health insurance required for critical medical care. While you have a job in the US, you will pay much more out of pocket for your portion of the premiums – an average of 978 CAD per month, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation 25th Employer Health Benefits Survey.
Paid Parental Leave
In Canada, new parents can take up to 76 weeks of paid time off by obtaining 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 and leave for either parent.
- Maternity Leave In Canada
The birthing parent gets up to 15 weeks off, during which time they can obtain 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 get 69 weeks off, which can be split between the two (with no one parent getting more than 61 weeks).
There are two options, i.e., standard parental and external parental – with the amount of pay depending on the option chosen.
- Parent Leave In The US
US law for parental leave enables 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 obtain a monthly pension of up to 989.63 CAD by claiming Old Age Security (OAS) benefits.
On top of this, low-income retirees can obtain an additional $1,086.88 CAD in the form of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).
Both payments are provided based on the retirement age and how long the person has resided in Canada. They are funded out of tax revenue and not based on retirees’ 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’ employment history: the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Social Security, respectively.
If you move to Canada, you can still collect any Social Security benefits once you retire, based on earlier earnings and contributions in the United States.
Note that assuming delay receiving OAS to age 70, so as to maximize the monthly benefit.
Welcoming Culture
The last reason why US foreign workers must consider immigrating to Canada is because of its welcoming culture.
Canada is has 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 sixth.
The Canadian government recognizes the contributions of newcomers and actively supports their integration.
Newcomers to the nation can benefit from free government-funded settlement organizations, language classes, and other systems designed to ease the transition.
If you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our NavaImmigration experts at 1800-918-8490, or you can drop us an email at [email protected].
