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I am a US citizen living in Michigan, and I am thinking about immigrating to Canada. I absolutely LOVE Toronto. The city that comes closest in the US that I'd consider would be Portland, OR, and I'm trying to decide between the two. Things I love about Toronto (and Canada): excellent public transit, friendly and happy people, DIVERSITY, universal healthcare, safety, lower tuition, better quality of life, etc. Toronto is like no other city I've seen in the US. People compare it to Chicago but there's no comparison. I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to immigrate to Canada. I'm a 27 year old female with a bachelor's from MSU. I'm thinking about going back to school for dental assisting, and I believe after being a student and spending a year working in Canada, I'd be eligible to apply for permanent residency. Are my reasons to move to Canada worthy of making this change? Your feedback is very much appreciated.
I am a US citizen living in Michigan, and I am thinking about immigrating to Canada. I absolutely LOVE Toronto. The city that comes closest in the US that I'd consider would be Portland, OR, and I'm trying to decide between the two. Things I love about Toronto (and Canada): excellent public transit, friendly and happy people, DIVERSITY, universal healthcare, safety, lower tuition, better quality of life, etc. Toronto is like no other city I've seen in the US. People compare it to Chicago but there's no comparison. I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to immigrate to Canada. I'm a 27 year old female with a bachelor's from MSU. I'm thinking about going back to school for dental assisting, and I believe after being a student and spending a year working in Canada, I'd be eligible to apply for permanent residency. Are my reasons to move to Canada worthy of making this change? Your feedback is very much appreciated.
Your best chance of securing Permanent Residence is to 1) find a job in Canada that is willing to sponsor you for a temporary work permit (which then you can apply for PR while on work visa) or 2) go to a degree program in Canada which automatically comes with a 2-3 year open work visa post-graduation (allowing you to look for work unhindered while applying for PR).
Actually, a third (and much less cumbersome) way is to find an eligible job in Canada that falls under one of the many job categories under the TN program - which grants you 1-3 year work visas, unlimited renewals, and is probably the easiest and fastest way to obtain Canadian work permit IF you find a job in the covered job category. This program is part of the NAFTA treaty between Canada and the U.S., and is very popular among residents in both countries due to its expediency.
Before moving to Toronto I would consider the HUGE difference between the cost of living in the city compared to Michigan, namely house prices or rent.
Before moving to Toronto I would consider the HUGE difference between the cost of living in the city compared to Michigan, namely house prices or rent.
Its a factor but you also have to consider emploment opportunities and pay.. If you can land a job that pays more in T.O than Michigan than that is certainly a factor - plus some will make some sacrifices to additional disposable income for lifestyle. Its all a matter of budgeting.
It isn't too hard to find a one bdrm apartment in Toronto for about 900-1100 bucks a month.. You can even go cheaper but it wouldn't be a great nabe or building.. You can also get a roomie as well.. There are a billion ads for them on Craigslist and Kijiji.. etc.. This is a way of trimming down expenses. I you take PT in Toronto again much cheaper than a car.. Shop at No Frills for groceries and again - food costs very reasonable.. Its not as expensive as some people make it out to be, you just have to be smart! Heck you can get some decent clothing at thrift shops for next to nothing and if you aren't obsessed with labelled American brands than there's even better deals.. Also, if you actually live in Toronto - I highly recommend you check out the Dixie Value Mall... Its worth looking at if you haven't.. Prices on a lot of the goods are as good or better than many Premium Outlet Stores I've been to in the U.S.. Instead of eating fast food at McD's - try going to a local mom and pop for ethnic type cuisine... Cheaper than a McD's combo and FAR better food!
A single person making over 50K a year in T.O could live absolutely fine.. Someone making less could do it as well but would only be able to cover essentials with less in the way of extra disposable to enjoy life. Having said that, regardless of where you live - being smart and budgeting can cut costs down considerably!
I am a US citizen living in Michigan, and I am thinking about immigrating to Canada. I absolutely LOVE Toronto. The city that comes closest in the US that I'd consider would be Portland, OR, and I'm trying to decide between the two. Things I love about Toronto (and Canada): excellent public transit, friendly and happy people, DIVERSITY, universal healthcare, safety, lower tuition, better quality of life, etc. Toronto is like no other city I've seen in the US. People compare it to Chicago but there's no comparison. I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to immigrate to Canada. I'm a 27 year old female with a bachelor's from MSU. I'm thinking about going back to school for dental assisting, and I believe after being a student and spending a year working in Canada, I'd be eligible to apply for permanent residency. Are my reasons to move to Canada worthy of making this change? Your feedback is very much appreciated.
Absolutely - it sounds like you really like the city and are familiar with it! T.O has a way of growing on people the more they become familiar with it.. Its bigger than people expect so it takes a bit of digging to get to all the gold but there's much to be found..
BTW is there any chance you could consider Dental Hygienist instead of Dental Assistant? They make quite a bit more money
If you read her OP - it looks like she's already familiar with T.O... Since she's from Michigan - she's probably also familiar wiith Ann Arbor..
Not necessarily, I went to school in Ann arbor, and never been to / known anything about places like Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo. Toronto is great, but if I can find a job in Ann arbor I would be back there in a heart beat
When it comes to your happiness, money shouldn't be a big part of the equation. I'm aware that Toronto is expensive and I can manage. I live in Michigan and it's dirt cheap where I live, but I am SO unhappy, so is it worth it? No.
How the hell can you compare Toronto with Ann Arbor? There's absolutely NO comparison here. I do not care for Ann Arbor. It's overrated.
I thought about Dental Hygiene but am afraid I might get bored with the job since it's the same thing over and over again. Dental Assistants, although they make less, do a variety of things and work. I'll need to dig into it more to find out if it's really what I want. Thank you all so much for your feedback. Your time is appreciated
When it comes to your happiness, money shouldn't be a big part of the equation. I'm aware that Toronto is expensive and I can manage. I live in Michigan and it's dirt cheap where I live, but I am SO unhappy, so is it worth it? No.
How the hell can you compare Toronto with Ann Arbor? There's absolutely NO comparison here. I do not care for Ann Arbor. It's overrated.
I thought about Dental Hygiene but am afraid I might get bored with the job since it's the same thing over and over again. Dental Assistants, although they make less, do a variety of things and work. I'll need to dig into it more to find out if it's really what I want. Thank you all so much for your feedback. Your time is appreciated
Obviously rent is going to be more expensive in Toronto than most places in Michigan.. General day to day costs may not be as much as some may think.. T.O is a big city so there are lots of cheap dining options as well... I lived DT for 5 years and I know the core well.. Plus, as I've mentioned in other posts there is always the option of getting a roomie.. A small 1 bdrm or bachelor apartment in an Ok apartment building - nothing really nice but OK and acceptable building in the DT core of T.O - possible to get for around 800-900 bucks.. I know friends who rent a 2 bdrm apartment on Jarvis street near Wellesley (heart of DT T.O) for 1200 bucks a month and they split the rent 600 bucks each..
The cost of rent in any place is going to be strongly linked to how desirable the place is but T.O makes a good cost/value proposition in terms of rental costs because it is possible to get a rental DT for the same as most large Canamerican cities and cheaper than many, but T.O is one of the most urban cities on the continent... Is it going to be cheaper to rent an apartment in Detroit or smaller U.S cities - well yes but as you said, lifestyle and things to do are a big part of a happy life. Besides you seem to know the city and I wish you the best of luck in your career and possible relocation
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