Talk me out of moving to Canada from the US lol

[Nothing Loud]

I live in Seattle and will finish my PhD soon (in less than 2 years). I'm a computational biologist/biostatistician/bioengineer so my career is in demand (biotech). My husband and I would qualify for Canada express entry pretty much immediately and we own real estate in Seattle so we could sell it and get something decent in Vancouver if we were to move.

Given the US is floundering at anything competent on a completely consistent basis and has broken democracy, my husband and I don't intend to raise a kid here and we hate the idea of associating with this country much longer. In the same week Canada announced a handgun freeze and BC announced a decriminalization of street drugs, the US still has cannabis federally illegal and it held an NRA convention in my home state. I'm just so done with the embarrassment of being a USA resident so my husband and I are seriously considering a move to the Vancouver area in about 2-5 years.

So I know all the good reasons to move, try to warn me about the bad things. Why SHOULDNT I move to the Vancouver area? I have the means, the language, the career, and the interest in moving with my partner. What should make us hesitate or hold back?

How's the healthcare? Im a complex health case and I have a great healthcare support system here in the US and I pay almost nothing for it, including couples counseling monthly and individual psychotherapy 2x per week with a trauma psychologist, and monthly meetings with a personal addiction psychiatrist. I take lots of psych meds, I'm a congenital heart disorder patient, I have IBS and Im a dermatology patient. How easy is it to set up this kind of care in Canada?

Thanks for your advice :)

 

[Lightning Count]

Do it. Leave the US and never look back.

 

[julia crawford]

you can keep your exotic pets there i guess, if you feel like you've earned enough good karma for that

 

[Helix]

I have heard that living costs are high in Vancouver but that's pretty much all I can think of

 

[Skoje]

.......................can't really

 

[Deleted member 17990]

you wont get shot in canada

 

[bobeth]

Come, it's nice. High taxes all around, but a great social net as a result..

 

[BourbonJungle]

Can't comment too specifically on the health care situation, but there does tend to be long wait lists for many things which has been compounded by the pandemic.

Beyond potential issues there, come be a Canadian already!

 

[Randomly Generated]

If you have the financial means to move to Vancouver I can't think of a reason not to.

 

[RailWays]

BC is one of the nicer places in Canada, but the cost of living is very high, especially in Vancouver. I would definitely check whether you can get similar (or better) benefits coverage though.

 

[djplaeskool]

"Fly, you fools"

 

[The Albatross]

Usually the biggest issue is immigration, it's hard to immigrate to Canada. If you have the ability to, and the culture shock of Vancouver will probably not be much different than Seattle, worth trying out. Vancouver is expensive, although I haven't visted in over a decade, but it's probably not that much more than Seattle. Vancouver is one of the more expensive places that I've visited.

 

[zeroOman]

I would say good luck.

 

[Cerulean_skylark]

Being from Canada, it's much better there.
But living in the US now, I think that the solution to the U.S.'s problems is not for the good people to flee

 

[Alvaro]

Do it. Why are you even asking this question?

 

[AuthenticM]

I don't know the specifics of your healthcare situationn, but I've never encountered a situation where healthcare was better in the US compared to Canada, so I doubt you have to stress over this point.

If your husband and yourself qualify for immigration, then I say go for it. Not everyone has that privilege; seems like you do, so make use of it. Give your child a better future.

 

[Khanimus]

Come hang out. We got poutine.

 

[StreetsAhead]

My mom is originally from Canada and apparently that allows me to apply for citizenship. I should really do it before the next Republican lunatic takes office.

 

[Euler007]

Compare what 500k buys you for a house/condo in Seattle vs Vancouver (hint: it's a trick question).

 

[OSHAN]

My mom is originally from Canada and apparently that allows me to apply for citizenship. I should really do it before the next Republican lunatic takes office.

Click to shrink...

You should do it ASAP. It takes a while to secure it. It's also one of those things where they could put a freeze on citizenship by descent. Unlikely that would happen, but who knows. No reason to risk such things.

 

[Nothing Loud]

Compare what 500k buys you for a house/condo in Seattle vs Vancouver (hint: it's a trick question).

Click to shrink...

Our current home in Seattle costs more than that and gained $20k in equity in the last 2 months

 

[DyByHands]

I always heard it was quite hard to actually be able to get to live in canada, as an american. So if you qualify, and want to, then go for it.

 

[Euler007]

Our current home in Seattle costs more than that and gained $20k in equity in the last 2 months

Click to shrink...

A million dollar won't even buy you a lot with a house you need to tear down in Vancouver.

 

[Kard8p3]

No I don't think I will.

 

[BWoog]

Get the fuck out of here and don't look back.

 

[Lobster Roll]

Do it. I'm looking to get out of the country asap myself, but I realize I need to be wanted by another country in the first place. My company has offices around the world so I'm going to see what relocation opportunities exist.

 

[BasilZero]

Good luck with that

 

[Blader]

Gotta admit, this is the first time I've heard of someone wanting to move from the US to Canada but having a great healthcare situation here lol.

 

[TyrantII]

I'm of the belief that once SHTF from climate change America will annex Canada, by force if necessary. Rising temps and the American bread basket turning to dust and moving north is going to cause it, even if we don't become a fascist state by then.

You'll be fine, but your grandkids will have to deal with it.

New Zealand seem the most attractive to get far away from all problems as possible (high latitude, remote, away from America/Russia/China), but that's also why billionaires are building doomsday bunkers there and paying for citizenship. That will probably destabilize that country as well.

 

[808s & Villainy]

Do what you want

 

[Teusery]

I can't imagine a reason not to, besides the fact that if U.S. becomes a domino effect I can see canada following after it first

 

[Gitaroo]

You pay more tax, food and everything is more expensive here.

 

[Sensei]

no

 

[CJSeven]

I opened the thread assuming it'd be about someone living in a place like Dallas/Oklahoma City/Nashville/etc, ...but going from Seattle to Vancouver seems like you'd barely notice the differences, which may be a good or bad thing depending on what you'd want out of the move.

Although, you would have to start rooting for an NBA team 2,000 miles away.

 

[WolfeTone]

Your potential salary in Vancouver/Canada as a whole will be significantly lower than what you could possibly earn in the US. There are some biotech/chem firms in Vancouver, Stemcell is the biggest example, but these firms have problems attracting talent because the cost of living in Vancouver is so so high. Many of these firms have considered relocating.

I'm not sure how much you could sell your home for but it's possible you would still be priced out of the housing market in Vancouver. It has one of the most over-priced markets in the world.

That being said, I wouldn't want to live in the US. Even in a 'progressive' city like Seattle. But hey, you asked for reasons why Canada might be tough.

 

[Deleted member 70788]

If you have the ability to immigrate and a job that pays you well enough to live there, I'd do it. I wish something like that made sense for us. My job is good, but nothing amazing enough to qualify to immigrate over. My wife's job is VERY in demand and high paying, but it's a medical position that doesn't exist in most other countries, especially not like the pay and opportunities here are. So... here we are.

 

[famicorpse]

Gotta admit, this is the first time I've heard of someone wanting to move from the US to Canada but having a great healthcare situation here lol.

Click to shrink...

I'm in this situation myself. I really wan't to leave the country but my healthcare is really good and I have all sorts of issues.

 

[Sordid Plebeian]

Well according to right wing people on social media, Trudeau is no different from Hitler or Chavez for wanting to ban handguns, so know what you're signing up for I guess...

But in reality, check what opportunities you have in the US compared to Canada. If you feel private insurance in the US has been a good fit for your medical needs and worry you may not be able to get a better service in Canada, it may not be worth risking for such a big move. If that ends up not being an issue at all, and there is no real difference in the job market, I suppose think of how it will impact you socially.

As for the political side of things, you never know what will happen in Canada. These pressures have not been unique to the United States alone, and just like how we never expected something like Trumpism here, it could spring up somehow in Canada. I suppose the big concern right now is abortion rights and school safety, though being in a state as Blue as Washington, things should be alright. However, depending on how this gun violence epidemic goes, your children in the future may find public schools a stressful place to learn.

 

[BringBackSonics]

Being from Canada, it's much better there.
But living in the US now, I think that the solution to the U.S.'s problems is not for the good people to flee

Click to shrink...

This is my thought on that. But OP, as someone with the capability to leave the country, it's a difficult decision to leave the millions behind that don't have that say (namely the poor/minorities). We've decided to stay, but that is a personal decision.

In the end, OP. You need to do what makes sense for you, good luck

 

[Hollywood Duo]

Moving from Seattle to Vancouver you'll feel right at home with shitty public transit

 

[Top NHST Product]

This may change by the time you're looking to come but is important as a complex health case. Vancouver itself as a municipality doesn't really have a good system for finding a family doctor so it might be better to look at areas still in the metro near the metro area. Richmond, Burnaby, or even simply West or North Vancouver where you can more easily find someone taking new patients and not have to rely on a rotating stream of different practitioners.

 

[Foot]

I'm sorry, but it's actually very loud in Canada

 

[RastaMentality]

My company's been hiring a lot more Canadians so they can pay lower salaries while retaining North American talent. Up to you how much that matters.

 

[BringBackSonics]

Gotta admit, this is the first time I've heard of someone wanting to move from the US to Canada but having a great healthcare situation here lol.

Click to shrink...

I'll admit my healthcare benefits likely fall In The top 5-10% of all Americans, moving to plan B country likely means worse healthcare options/costs. If we ever left, that wouldn't be the reason.

 

[Evoker]

I've been thinking of doing the same thing, but taking the route of getting a master's in Canada. It would give me some time to look for a job and adjust to the culture. But I need to save more money first.

 

[Randomly Generated]

New Zealand seem the most attractive to get far away from all problems as possible (high latitude, remote, away from America/Russia/China), but that's also why billionaires are building doomsday bunkers there and paying for citizenship. That will probably destabilize that country as well.

Click to shrink...

…Is this actually a thing that's happening?

 

[master15]

This may change by the time you're looking to come but is important as a complex health case. Vancouver itself as a municipality doesn't really have a good system for finding a family doctor so it might be better to look at areas still in the metro near the metro area. Richmond, Burnaby, or even simply West or North Vancouver where you can more easily find someone taking new patients and not have to rely on a rotating stream of different practitioners.

Click to shrink...

I don't think that's going away anytime soon. Moved from downtown Vancouver to New West almost 9 months ago and am still on a waiting list to get a family GP. Only a few are even taking new patients and it often takes 6 months to a year and a half I am told.

 

[Dyle]

When the US goes down we're taking Canada with us so you may as well save yourself the trouble of moving between very similar places in the PNW

 

[Rowsdower]

Easy.

Our housing market is horrific, your looking at 1mil+ for any home in any big city. Transit doesn't exist outside the big cities (long wait times) and the transit inside the cities also sucks. Almost all our provinces are run by conservatives (similar to republicans in the States) and are all doing major cuts to healthcare, eductation, and the enviroment. Ontario for example is gonna give the Cons a majority (4 years) after a terrible Covid response, letting thousands of people die, and promising to privitize healthcare (make you pay out of pocket of it). An increasing number of people are getting Americanzed/MAGAized and it's dividing us terribly.

We also get a lot lower wages and pay a lot more for stuff then in the States.

For example, video games are 89.99 here before tax; so it's about $101 in total..

So from someone from Toronto whose lived here her whole life, don't move here. Go to the Nordic countries or New Zealand if you can.

 

[GameAddict411]

My understanding that you would still need to pay federal income taxes to the US government if you are a US citizen. Coupled with Canada higher on average income tax compared to the US, you will be losing a big chunk out of your income. Also jobs in the STEM field pay significantly better in the US and the cost of living is not cheaper in Canada either especially in Vancouver BC. From the way I see it, if you are low income you are much better off living in Canada. But you if you are in the STEM field(which you are), it's not cut and dry. It's not all positive. As for the discussion about Politics and Gun control, those are important issues but leaving will certainly not help the people who already here.