Nicely Said...

Someone needed to say it aloud.

Advice - General #2

Provincial Health Care Eligibility - If you are relocating to Canada, you, and possibly your family, will need to be covered by your provincial health insurance plan. In Ontario one must be issued a work permit valid for at least six months to be eligible for OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). The employer's intent to hire the main applicant must be for three years for an accompanying spouse and/or children to be eligible. Note the difference. The intent to hire can be stated easily in a job offer letter (signed on letterhead). An employer unfamiliar with hiring a non-Canadian may be hesitant to put such a statement in writing. You may reassure them that by doing so, they do not waive their future right to terminate a lousy employee. The advice here is that communicating all this beforehand avoids possible long delays re-writing or amending offer letters to include the appropriate statements or dates. You will need the original, signed offer letter when applying for OHIP at Service Ontario.

Health Care Benefits Waiting Period - Depending on the province, you may have a waiting period to use the health care insurance plan. In Ontario for example, the wait is three months beginning on the first day of your residence. To get an OHIP card and take advantage of the benefits you must apply with Service Ontario during that three month period. Apply earlier rather than later as it may take several weeks to receive the card(s).

Oh, and...

If you, like Eric and I, make the decision to risk not having any health insurance during the waiting period, please note that in case of an unexpected sniffle, there are walk-in health clinics where one can pay cash for services at very reasonable rates.

Legal Canadian Work Status for Families - Your spouse or children may also be eligible for Canadian work permits if yours is valid for six months or longer. Other restrictions apply but, if HRSDC has issued an LMO, chances are those requirements already are covered. Work permit applications are processed and issued at the appropriate Canadian Consulate or by Immigration at a border crossing. All can apply together initially on one application, or the family can wait and do so individually after landing. As the main applicant, your work permit will be tied to a specific employer. Your spouse (common law partner) and children may apply for an "open" permit that will allow them to work anywhere.

In our case...

Eric's employer applied for a three year LMO. HRSDC issued the LMO for two years stating that the job market was too uncertain for a longer period. We applied for our work permits with Canadian Immigration at the Queenston/Lewiston Bridge at the border crossing near Niagara Falls, NY. Eric's work permit was issued for two years. I obtained an "open" work permit as his "common law" partner. In regard to provincial health insurance, we both qualified; Eric based on the length of his work permit and I based on his employer's intent to hire him for three or more years. As mentioned above, the intent was stated on the original, signed job offer letter (on letterhead) which we submitted to Service Ontario along with our residential lease (as proof of residency) and my own two year work permit. 

Leaves Turning Already?

In Eglinton Park, just up the street from the house

With barely a hint of autumn in the air and a lovely chill in the morning, I have to admit I was not prepared to see the leaves on trees turn color this early in the season. 

More Kensington Market

A continuation of my post on our walk through the Kensington Market area of Toronto. You can find the first post (with pictures) here.

Oh, how can one ignore the vivid colors of Kensington Market...?

...Green Culture Festival, anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

My second thought was to look for a massive number of parking tickets. None.

A bush grows atop the car. Does anyone mow the grass?

An example of one of the blocks of colorful houses and shops.

Across from the yellow clothes shop were a group of girls singing karaoke.

Late July at the PIL

Eric waiting for everyone to arrive

A couple of friends of ours from the Bay Area were thinking of us and sent us an email today. I thought I'd post a couple of pictures of some of our clan in San Francisco having a last drink with us on the patio of one of my favorite pubs, The Pilsner Inn.

We miss you guys!

Kensington Market Artwork...Err, Walk

Eric and I decided to take a Sunday afternoon stroll through a neighborhood of Toronto called Kensington Market.

It's unpretentious and Bohemian-esque...including several blocks of bazaar-like shops and ethic food cafes and restaurants.

It is definitely one of the more colorful areas of town. Click on the pix for more detail.

Included here are some of the larger of the many examples of "wall art" or murals to be found on the buildings in the area. There were smaller pieces, too.

Food, cafes and restaurants are everywhere as are used clothing, produce and knickknack shops.

And crowds of people.

Incredibly casual and relaxed, Kensington Market doesn't give the impression that it is trying to remain something it once was or even trying to be something it isn't, it just is.

It was kind of cool to see so many specialty food shops and ethnic eateries. Where is there a cheese shop in the Yonge/Eglinton area where I live? I couldn't tell you.

Anyway, the murals were everywhere...

...on every building and in every alley.

Aren't the birds sthuper?

Advice - General #1

OK, in no particular order, here is some general advice for anyone considering U.S. to Canada immigration.

• Research - It can't be stated too many times that immigration regulations and policies change constantly. Any information may be out-of-date. Or maybe not. Folks planning to move across the border should comprehensively answer all their own questions and confirm all second-hand information on official websites such as Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
  
• In my opinion, Canadian immigration procedures, rules and regulations are, for the most part, presented in a straight forward manner by the CIC, HRSDC, and other agencies. Unless your particular situation is unusual or complicated you will not need an immigration lawyer. You will, however, need to be serious and thorough. Read everything - every article, document, application, instruction packet - every word. Then Read it all again. Become an expert. This takes time but is not difficult. If possible, do this before you meet the employer, get the job offer or the positive LMO. Your remaining time-line may become incredibly short once you find your dream position with an interested Canadian employer willing to apply for an LMO. The more knowledgeable you are about the immigration process prior to this moment the better.
  
• Relax - If it isn't taking "too long" then it is happening too quickly. Don't rush it. This is a huge endeavor. Not having enough time to properly prepare is not the way to go. 
  
• Plan - For me, it all really boils down to these three categories; pre-landing; landing/border crossing; and post-landing. Make "To-do" lists for each including tasks and required documents. 
  
• Organize - We bought an inexpensive expandable multiple pocket accordion-style files folder. Each pocket was dedicated to a different aspect of the immigration process and contained the required paperwork. "Where is the (name of critical document)...?" "Well, it's in the file folder in the appropriate pocket." For example, all of our vehicle import docs and info were in one pocket and easily retrievable for the customs agent at the border during our landing. Nice. In the file folder your critical paperwork will be together, organized and will travel well. Just don't lose it. Remember, Canadian agencies almost always require original documents but make and bring copies of everything.
  
• Money - Best advice given; determine how much you'll need and then double it. You simply can not have too much available cash. Expect to need more than you think and bring more than you expect to need. "Extra" money translates into reduced frustration at best and actual sanity at worst.
  
• Leave your current U.S. bank checking account open indefinitely with available funds to pay any remaining U.S. bills. We know U.S. immigrants living in Canada several years who are just now closing their U.S. bank accounts. Acclimate yourself to the Canadian banking system until you are familiar with how both country's systems interact (and don't). Overdraft and return check fees add up. So does the cost of international phone calls to banks, credit card companies, and other creditors. With money in your U.S. checking account there will be no need to worry about the timely payment of bills, or the bruising or ruining of a great U.S. credit history (see below). When the time comes to close the U.S. account, any remaining funds can be transferred to Canada by simply depositing a U.S. check written to oneself into one's Canadian U.S. Dollars Account. How easy is that? More on banking in both countries, here.
• U.S. Credit History - Your U.S. credit history will not follow you across the border. While largely irrelevant in Canada one should endeavor to remain in good standing with their U.S. creditors. A U.S. credit history can be used to obtain a Canadian mortgage. Again, more on banking, here.
  
• U.S. Elections and Living "Over Seas" - Unless you are immigrating to Canada with PR status, your move is considered a temporary one. A U.S. citizen who moves "over seas" temporarily can vote in both local and Federal elections. Local elections would be in the last district in which one lived. Those who retain their citizenship and move permanently are eligible to vote only in a Federal election. To obtain an absentee ballot in either case, one simply completes and returns the U.S. Federal Post Card Application to their former voting district election board. It's easy.
• Expat/Travel "abroad" Registration - Every expat or persons traveling abroad should register with the U.S. Dept. of State and the U.S. consulate located at their destination. There are a dozen reasons to do so. Visit the website and register. Passport information will be required