Thread: Canada the top pick of U.S. immigrants

Canada the top pick of U.S. immigrants
By Norma Greenaway
CanWest News Service

Sunday, July 29, 2007

OTTAWA • The number of Americans admitted to Canada last year hit a 30-year high, fuelling a pattern that suggests the drain of Canadian brains south of the border may be a shrinking phenomenon.

The number of Americans accepted into Canada reached 10,942 in 2006, almost double the number admitted in 2000. By contrast, the number of Canadians admitted to the United States in 2006 dropped sharply from the previous year, falling to 23,913 from 29,930.

The data were gathered and analyzed by the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies. Executive director Jack Jedwab said an analysis of the numbers shows Canada is enjoying an upswing as a preferred destination for Americans, many of whom are increasingly well educated.

That has not happened since the early 1970s, when the United States was experiencing political turmoil. From 1970 through 1974, Canada was admitting between 22,000 and 26,000 Americans a year, many of them draft dodgers from the Vietnam war.

Although the data did not offer reasons for the renewed American interest in Canada, Jedwab pointed to the economic downturn in the United States as a top possibility, followed by social and political considerations.

Mr. Jedwab also cited a recent Gallup poll that said a whopping 92% of Americans had a favourable view of Canada, making it the top pick among 25 foreign countries listed.

American Laurie McLaughlin puts love at the top of her list of reasons for moving to Canada. She fell for her husband, an academic, while he was doing research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. The couple have been living in Montreal with their young son since 2003, and Ms. McLaughlin is on the verge of becoming a Canadian citizen.

"We're settled," the self-employed editor said in an interview. "It feels very comfortable in Montreal."

Ms. McLaughlin, 47, said she is not surprised more Americans are choosing to live in Canada. She said many are fed up with an increasing tax burden south of the border and a piling up of debt because of the U.S. military adventures in Iraq and elsewhere in the world.

"I have friends in the U.S. who keep saying, "Boy, I'd like to come up there,' " she said, adding that her sister and brother-in-law have explored the possibility.

Ditto for American Pamela Chaloult, now vice-president of Vancouver-based Renewal Partners, a seed capital company that invests in socially responsible businesses and organizations.

Lured by excellent jobs, Ms. Chaloult and her architect husband moved a year ago to Vancouver from San Francisco where, she said, they could not even dream of being able to buy a house. The one they were renting was on the market for $2.1-million.

Mr. Jedwab said the data, taken from statistics collected by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration, show that Americans settling in Canada increasingly boast better education credentials. In 2006, 49.5% of American immigrants held a bachelor's degree or better, up from 46% in 2000.

In 2006, 4,498 people were admitted as economic immigrants, which means they need to collect sufficient points to gain entry. This narrowly outpaced the 4,468 immigrants brought in under family-reunification rules.

"Canada is undoubtedly narrowing the brain drain," Mr. Jedwab said. "The most educated class of immigrants we're getting right now is coming from the United States."

Ontario continued to be the principal destination for American immigrants in 2006 (5,705), followed by British Columbia (2,435) and Quebec (1,006). Alberta was fourth with 980.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news ... 29ac66&k=0

I remember how the rich and intelligent moved out of Cuba before the reign of Castro started there. Hmmm...

I remember how the rich and intelligent moved out of Cuba before the reign of Castro started there. Hmmm...

I also remember that during the Mariel Boat Lift from Cuba Castro opened the insane asylums and prisons and allowed the inmates from both to leave Cuba for the U.S. Did other countries learn from him? Hmmmm..........

I think this is going to be a growing trend as more and more people realize what will happen to the US economy as the 'War on Terror' drains our coffers, and the taxes begin to rise and rise and rise. It has been called the 'Pauperization of America'.

The American people do not agree with the direction this country is going in, a fascist take over as near as anyone can tell. We are frightened by the massive immigration, trashing of our Constitution, Real ID, dramatic rise in crime & drugs, and illegality at all levels of government.

Maybe it is something to consider, and soon.

Yes, the people behind the gates are living large, reaping the benefits of NAFTA etc. but many middle class Americans are anxious about deteriorating schools, high cost of health care, excessive multicultural pandering, outsourcing/insourcing, underfunded pensions (if they are lucky enough to have a defined benefit pension plan), higher property taxes/more and more bond schemes -- the list goes on.

If only the elites would put as much effort into helping middle class citizens of our country as they into kowtowing to their corporate masters who salivate over illegal immigration for cheap labor, we'd ALL be living large.

"Canada is undoubtedly narrowing the brain drain," Mr. Jedwab said. "The most educated class of immigrants we're getting right now is coming from the United States."

How can that be? Isn't that why we NEED all this foreign labor because Americans are stupid and we just don't have smart citizens anymore? (being sarcastic)

I sure don't like seeing what's happening.......I'd go but they don't want old people....

I can certainly understand why Americans are getting out, but then aren't they doing the same thing all the people from Mexico and below are doing, leaving instead of fighting for their country!! Same as jumping ship when times get rough!



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For the first time in my life people have told me they are thinking of leaving this country. Use to be people may complain about this or that but still felt this was the best place in the world to be.

The only thing separating me from Canada is a lake. And let me tell you, if the illegals invade Wisconsin, I'll swim that damned lake if I have to and move to Canada!! (LEGALLY, of course).

What's this about "points?" I'd like to apply. How do I go about applying to be a Canadian citizen? Or Irish? Or ANYWHERE? (And no I don't want to "jump ship" but I may have more influence from abroad with a good job than while destitute within the borders....)