TPS Beneficiary moving to Canada as PR from the US

[kynno]

Hey guys,

As stated in the title, I am a TPS recipient in the US and I recently got PPR. Seeing how the process is almost complete, I am now switching gears about my plans to my move to Canada permanently some time this year. With that said, I've been searching around looking for information on the things I need to consider when leaving the US. Most of those sources however, have been primarily aimed at US citizens or US PRs, basically people who will come back to the country and/or need to keep their presence in the country while they are away.

Obviously for me, that will not be the case since I do not have PR for the US. That being said though, I was here initially as an F1 student and later got TPS when my home country was designated for it. As such, I've been living here for almost 13 years now. That's a long time...enough for me (or anyone else I would assume) to build a life here.

Now that I have to move and leave the country, what are all the things that I need to consider or look into prior to leaving? I know I need to get rid of my car and/or any other stuff that I'm not going to move with. However, what should I do about my SSN#, my credit history, credit cards, 401K account etc?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[scylla]

Unfortunately your credit history will be left behind when you leave the US. You'll need to establish a credit history from scratch when you arrive in Canada.

Have you sorted out what will happen to your status on the US when you leave? I believe leaving while on TPS status can cause complications for returning to the US in the future (of course you might not care about ever returning there again). If you haven't looked into that - recommend you post to a good US immigration forum.

 

[kynno]

Unfortunately your credit history will be left behind when you leave the US. You'll need to establish a credit history from scratch when you arrive in Canada.

Have you sorted out what will happen to your status on the US when you leave? I believe leaving while on TPS status can cause complications for returning to the US in the future (of course you might not care about ever returning there again). If you haven't looked into that - recommend you post to a good US immigration forum.

The TPS designation for my home country is set to expire in 2019 anyway and all the recipients have been made aware that it will not be renewed again. With that in mind, I figured when I leave the US, it will be a one way trip and I probably won't be able to travel back to the states for a while. Primarily because even as a Canadian PR, I will still need a visitor visa to enter the US and after living here so long, I have a feeling that if I do put in a request for a visa it will be denied primarily because I would have too much history in the states and they might think I'm going to overstay the visa. Perhaps, that might change if I do become a Canadian citizen.

 

[canuck78]

For some reason Canada has been portrayed as a utopian paradise. It's not. Canada has problems too. The US and Canada are both similar but also very different. Canada is not just a more liberal version of the US. Cost of living can be a big shock for people. Seems like Canada is the desired immigration location of the moment but people should do a lot of research before resettling.

 

[kynno]

For some reason Canada has been portrayed as a utopian paradise. It's not. Canada has problems too. The US and Canada are both similar but also very different. Canada is not just a more liberal version of the US. Cost of living can be a big shock for people. Seems like Canada is the desired immigration location of the moment but people should do a lot of research before resettling.

Not once did I ever think of Canada as a utopian paradise....heck, I don't believe there is even one place on this earth that is. I don't know how other people made their decision to move to Canada, but for me, It wasn't like I woke up one day and said "let me move to Canada". Despite being single with no kids, it took me a long while to come to term with it because uprooting my life as a 30 yr old and go start at 0 in another country is no small tasks and very daunting. (Frankly, I don't even know how people who are much older with kids are doing it). So yeah, I did my research and have done so just about every day for the last 2 years (and continue to do so, otherwise I would not be on this forum). No matter how I looked at it, Canada was and is a much better option compared to the alternative which is to return to my home country as I will not be able to stay in the US after the TPS designation expires. I don't doubt that life will be very hard and perhaps even miserable but at least I have hope that with hard work, discipline, perseverance, dedication and a little bit of luck, there could be opportunities for me to make a living there...opportunities that are probably non-existent where I am from. Now, knowing that's likely not going to happen but given the choice, would I prefer to stay in the US if the opportunity presented itself? Of course, I would but that's ONLY because the US has been what I call HOME for the last 13 years and I've already built a life here.

In any case, I am fortunate to have already secured a job in Canada so I'd say it is a good start. Now whether or not what I'm offered will be good enough to support myself in Toronto, we'll see about that when I land and reality starts to kick in.

PS. Your comment may not have been personal but it felt that way to me so I felt I had to say something

 

[canuck78]

Not once did I ever think of Canada as a utopian paradise....heck, I don't believe there is even one place on this earth that is. I don't know how other people made their decision to move to Canada, but for me, It wasn't like I woke up one day and said "let me move to Canada". Despite being single with no kids, it took me a long while to come to term with it because uprooting my life as a 30 yr old and go start at 0 in another country is no small tasks and very daunting. (Frankly, I don't even know how people who are much older with kids are doing it). So yeah, I did my research and have done so just about every day for the last 2 years (and continue to do so, otherwise I would not be on this forum). No matter how I looked at it, Canada was and is a much better option compared to the alternative which is to return to my home country as I will not be able to stay in the US after the TPS designation expires. I don't doubt that life will be very hard and perhaps even miserable but at least I have hope that with hard work, discipline, perseverance, dedication and a little bit of luck, there could be opportunities for me to make a living there...opportunities that are probably non-existent where I am from. Now, knowing that's likely not going to happen but given the choice, would I prefer to stay in the US if the opportunity presented itself? Of course, I would but that's ONLY because the US has been what I call HOME for the last 13 years and I've already built a life here.

In any case, I am fortunate to have already secured a job in Canada so I'd say it is a good start. Now whether or not what I'm offered will be good enough to support myself in Toronto, we'll see about that when I land and reality starts to kick in.

PS. Your comment may not have been personal but it felt that way to me so I felt I had to say something

Not personal. More of a reaction that everyone who is supposed to lose their TPS status seems to think that Canada is the answer. You have planned your journey carefully but most Canadians fear the influx of people and hope that the US government might change their mind closer to the date and hope people will wait and see what will happen.

 

[nfa.97]

Hi Kynno,

You're the first person I come across that has the same exact status. I came to the US almost 10 years ago on an F-1 and just was on TPS for the past year due to an ongoing conflict in my home country. The decision for renewing the TPS for my country will be in 10 days and it's very likely that it gets terminated just like all previous countries. Therefore, I am looking for alternative options now and I started doing my research on moving to Canada as a PR. I would really appreciate if you have the time to share with me what your process was to obtaining a PR and how long it took. I realize your path might be completely different than mine (because of educational and work experience) but any information would be really helpful.

Thank you

 

[scylla]

Hi Kynno,

You're the first person I come across that has the same exact status. I came to the US almost 10 years ago on an F-1 and just was on TPS for the past year due to an ongoing conflict in my home country. The decision for renewing the TPS for my country will be in 10 days and it's very likely that it gets terminated just like all previous countries. Therefore, I am looking for alternative options now and I started doing my research on moving to Canada as a PR. I would really appreciate if you have the time to share with me what your process was to obtaining a PR and how long it took. I realize your path might be completely different than mine (because of educational and work experience) but any information would be really helpful.

Thank you

FYI in case you're not aware - the fact you are TPS doesn't in any way impact the process of immigrating to Canada. You'll follow the same process as anyone else from the US or any other country. Your status in the US is effectively irrelevant. What matters most (and impacts how long things will take) is which Canadian immigration program you qualify and apply under.

 

[nfa.97]

FYI in case you're not aware - the fact you are TPS doesn't in any way impact the process of immigrating to Canada. You'll follow the same process as anyone else from the US or any other country. Your status in the US is effectively irrelevant. What matters most (and impacts how long things will take) is which Canadian immigration program you qualify and apply under.

Thanks for the reply scylla. How do you determine the immigration program that suits you? Is it all through express entry?

 

[canuck78]

Thanks for the reply scylla. How do you determine the immigration program that suits you? Is it all through express entry?

Yes.

 

[kynno]

@nfa.97 In the time that I have been active on this forum, I never came across anyone else with TPS status so you are a first for me as well. Funny how we both started out as F-1 . In any case, as Scylla mentioned, the process is the same for everyone, regardless of current status. I started my research about a year or so before putting everything in motion around early Jun 2017. From the time I created my profile to receiving my COPR, it took about 8 months (see my signature for detailed timeline). I've seen people whose overall process took half that time. There are also those who have been waiting for almost 2 years and their application is still under review. That is to say, how long it takes, will vary depending on the program you under for and on a case by case basis. While most people apply under Express Entry (as did I), there are other programs available so do your research and go with whichever one you are eligible for.

There are a lot of people on this forum who are willing to help so if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask.

 

[nfa.97]

Thanks so much @kynno! I have started my research but I'm afraid I started late :s if tps expires I might have to leave the country by this coming sept (3 months!). I wish time allowed me to start earlier but regardless I will continue to do my research and I hope things work out. Best of luck in your new journey to Canada!

 

[scylla]

Thanks for the reply scylla. How do you determine the immigration program that suits you? Is it all through express entry?

You have two options. The first is to research Canada's immigration programs yourself. The second is to hire an immigration lawyer to assist you. One option is to apply for Express Entry directly. Another is to obtain a provincial nomination. Full details for all programs here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada.html

 

[scylla]

Thanks so much @kynno! I have started my research but I'm afraid I started late :s if tps expires I might have to leave the country by this coming sept (3 months!). I wish time allowed me to start earlier but regardless I will continue to do my research and I hope things work out. Best of luck in your new journey to Canada!

If you haven't done so already, look into taking the IELTS test immediately (English language test). This is required regardless of what program you're applying under (unless you know French and can take the French equivalent). Test are often booked months in advance and it may take a while for you to get a spot.

Also look into getting your ECA.

 

[nfa.97]

Thank you very much for the information @scylla! Yes, I've booked my CELPIP test which will be in 2 weeks!