Can I just move to Canada? (lease, to live, moving to)

[Needaplace]

I always thought about moving to Canada, but now I am seriously considering it, my lease is up in a few days here and I am debating where in the US I will move to, but in the back of my head I am thinking about giving Canada a shot, what happens If I just show up and try to live and work in Canada? I know to be a Canadian Citizen you have to live there for at least 3 years, but in the meantime how would I go about getting (legal) residency and job status, Can I just show up at the Canadian border with my dog and a whole bunch of crap in my car and say "I am thinking of moving here"

Also how are Canadians on people like myself, are we seen as unwanted(like how the illegal immigrants are seen here)

[mefeelinfroggy]

Contrary to popular belief amongst some Canadians, emigrating to Canada is a little more complex than showing up at the border with suitcase in hand. Usually.


There are various ways of emigrating: through employment, family reunification, etc., and the requirements for each avenue are quite different.

Immigration to Canada is controlled by a government branch called Citizenship and Immigration Canada. CIC has an extensive website explaining requirements and procedures. It is available in English or French and can be found at:

Welcome Page | Page d'acceuil

Or you could try calling them in Canada at 1-888-242-2100

For an animal coming to Canada you have to get a note from the Vet that says your pet has all its shots and a clean bill of health. The letter is only good for 10 days.

It's well worth a look for anyone giving serious or semi-serious consideration to applying to immigarte to Canada.