New Job in Surrey, Canada - live in USA (Vancouver: car registration, health insurance)

[dvdg12]

I am a US citizen, currently work and live North of Dallas, Texas. I have been offered a 3 year contract assignment for a company located in Surrey, BC, Canada. I am not sure that should I move my family (wife and two young kids) to Surrey or to some US city like Blaine or Bellingham and commute daily. One advantage of living in the US is that I don't have to worry about Canadian car insurance, Canadian car registration, Canadian driving license, Canadian cell phone contracts, Canadian Social Security card, Canadian Banking systems and Canadian health insurance system, etc. Before anyone suggests, I already checked and we won't be able to get on Canadian / BC government health insurance as it is only for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, not for people on TN visa or visitors. Obviously disadvantage is that I would have to commute for about 45 mins one way (with Nexus card) and missout on good metropolitan life of Surrey / Vancouver BC. What do you guys suggest about living in the US or Canada and what US city? Also how is the elementary school system?

[Hemlock140]

I think when you have the opportunity to work in another country it's an experience that you might want to share with your family. Not many of us get that chance. We really like Chilliwack and Abbotsford, having spent time there visiting but don't know about the schools. You could still shop and get medical care in Bellingham, only about 30 miles away from Surrey. If you do decide to stay in the US I would suggest Bellingham, a lot more to do and services than Blaine. You can get a Nexus pass to speed up the daily border crossing which can take an hour or more in summer, when tourists join the others like you that commute across the border.


www.getnexus.com

[amaiunmei]

Have you looked into the tax implications of living in the US and working in Canada?

[dvdg12]

Originally Posted by amaiunmei

Have you looked into the tax implications of living in the US and working in Canada?

Thanks I'll look into it.

[mortpes]

Beware of conditions in Canada. In todays paper there is a mention of factories closing and a increase in unemployment. They will stop post office deliveries and these people will also be looking for jobs.

[NorthWetter]

Lots of people live on the American side and commute up to Canada - specifically Blaine, Lynden, Ferndale and Bellingham. Surrey is known to be the "low-rent" area of British Columbia. Culturally, living closer to Vancouver B.C. would be much more exciting.

Whatcom County is more of a laid back place, with Bellingham being a liberal college town and the rest of the county being more rural and conservative. There's good golf in Whatcom County if you're into that.

[509]

Here is my experience in the 1970's. I did live in Canada.

I kept my American health insurance. I knew I was going to need surgery sometime during my stay in Canada. However, the waiting list for my surgery was as long as my probably stay!! I got a stern lecture on how I was NOT going to be a burden to Canada and if I needed health care and could not pay for it they were going to kick my sorry butt right out of the country!!!

My American health insurance said they would pay for any care in Canada, but I would have to pay for it first and then they would reimburse. The only care I needed in Canada was some post-operative care.....when I went in and told the receptionist I did NOT have Canadian health insurance a great look of horror crossed her face. The charge for $5. At that time the same as my American co-pay.

I think Canadian health insurance is considered a tax, but since John Roberts law does not apply up there I was allowed to opt-out.

The Canadian auto insurance was a bit more difficult. They just nationalized ( Provincialized?? is that a word) theauto insurance companies. My insurance agent in the states told me they would cover me as long as I kept my American registration on the vehicle. I also kept my American drivers license. Not sure if this was a promise by the company or the agent. But I never did file a claim.

The downside was that I kept my American plates and as a result my vehicle was vandalized on a fairly regular basis. I think I lost four car antenna's plus. I am not sure how the anti-American feelings are in Canada these days among Canadian yahoo's. Your experience may vary. I did make me tempted to snap aerials off every car with Canadian plates when I saw them in the states.

Canadian banking was fine. I did not have a credit card, but the banking system is all set up to cross borders. You just write the amount on the check and state payable in US funds and the bank processed it without fee. Not sure if that is true today. I did like have a checking account with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Made me feel like a big shot colonial exploiter!!

I would keep an American credit card and bank account. These days it is probably easier having stuff to all adds up. That is your drivers license matches your credit card info, etc. etc. In the 70's fraud was less of an issue and nobody ever asked why I lived in Canada with a bank account and a California drivers license. These days I would get an American passport now.

I understand that Canadian cell phones are much easier to get than US cell phones. Also cell phones in Canada are expensive to use in the US and US cell phones are expensive for data in Canada. So check this out and ask what people use in Canada that travel a lot to the states. This might be your biggest headache.

The social insurance number is no big deal. I did get a RESIDENT social insurance number since I moved to Canada the day they finally passed a immigration law. The US Social Security administration did say that they accepted Canadian earnings for eligibility, but NOT for computation of benefit. So if you only live there a few years that will affect your social security amount in the states.

The Canadians want to renig on my RESIDENT social insurance number. I asked about returning to Canada under it one time at the border. I was told that they passed a retroactive law prohibiting people like me from returning. It was a rural crossing and I think he considered impounding my vehicle until I returned the social insurance card. I suspect your getting a non-resident card.

Hope this covers your questions? The info is very dated, but it gives you an indication of how things were in the past.

I did hate living in Canada. The good side is that it made me realize that I was an American, in spite of not being born here or raised in the American culture. That said, Vancouver is a world class city. On the west coast only San Francisco comes close and having lived in both cities I think Vancouver is more cosmopolitan.

So as others have mentioned living in Canada would be an interesting experience. It would make your stay in Canada more enjoyable. If you live in the states and commute you end up with the worst of both worlds.

[dvdg12]

Originally Posted by 509

Here is my experience in the 1970's. I did live in Canada.

I kept my American health insurance. I knew I was going to need surgery sometime during my stay in Canada. However, the waiting list for my surgery was as long as my probably stay!! I got a stern lecture on how I was NOT going to be a burden to Canada and if I needed health care and could not pay for it they were going to kick my sorry butt right out of the country!!!

My American health insurance said they would pay for any care in Canada, but I would have to pay for it first and then they would reimburse. The only care I needed in Canada was some post-operative care.....when I went in and told the receptionist I did NOT have Canadian health insurance a great look of horror crossed her face. The charge for $5. At that time the same as my American co-pay.

I think Canadian health insurance is considered a tax, but since John Roberts law does not apply up there I was allowed to opt-out.

The Canadian auto insurance was a bit more difficult. They just nationalized ( Provincialized?? is that a word) theauto insurance companies. My insurance agent in the states told me they would cover me as long as I kept my American registration on the vehicle. I also kept my American drivers license. Not sure if this was a promise by the company or the agent. But I never did file a claim.

The downside was that I kept my American plates and as a result my vehicle was vandalized on a fairly regular basis. I think I lost four car antenna's plus. I am not sure how the anti-American feelings are in Canada these days among Canadian yahoo's. Your experience may vary. I did make me tempted to snap aerials off every car with Canadian plates when I saw them in the states.

Canadian banking was fine. I did not have a credit card, but the banking system is all set up to cross borders. You just write the amount on the check and state payable in US funds and the bank processed it without fee. Not sure if that is true today. I did like have a checking account with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Made me feel like a big shot colonial exploiter!!

I would keep an American credit card and bank account. These days it is probably easier having stuff to all adds up. That is your drivers license matches your credit card info, etc. etc. In the 70's fraud was less of an issue and nobody ever asked why I lived in Canada with a bank account and a California drivers license. These days I would get an American passport now.

I understand that Canadian cell phones are much easier to get than US cell phones. Also cell phones in Canada are expensive to use in the US and US cell phones are expensive for data in Canada. So check this out and ask what people use in Canada that travel a lot to the states. This might be your biggest headache.

The social insurance number is no big deal. I did get a RESIDENT social insurance number since I moved to Canada the day they finally passed a immigration law. The US Social Security administration did say that they accepted Canadian earnings for eligibility, but NOT for computation of benefit. So if you only live there a few years that will affect your social security amount in the states.

The Canadians want to renig on my RESIDENT social insurance number. I asked about returning to Canada under it one time at the border. I was told that they passed a retroactive law prohibiting people like me from returning. It was a rural crossing and I think he considered impounding my vehicle until I returned the social insurance card. I suspect your getting a non-resident card.

Hope this covers your questions? The info is very dated, but it gives you an indication of how things were in the past.

I did hate living in Canada. The good side is that it made me realize that I was an American, in spite of not being born here or raised in the American culture. That said, Vancouver is a world class city. On the west coast only San Francisco comes close and having lived in both cities I think Vancouver is more cosmopolitan.

So as others have mentioned living in Canada would be an interesting experience. It would make your stay in Canada more enjoyable. If you live in the states and commute you end up with the worst of both worlds.

Thanks for the detailed reply. It did help a lot. Cellphone, cars, insurance seems like are expensive there along with groceries and everything else.

[kanhawk]

Originally Posted by dvdg12

Obviously disadvantage is that I would have to commute for about 45 mins one way (with Nexus card)

I have a nexus card and it is a definite plus. Most of the time I am able to breeze right through with a thank you or a welcome to Canada greeting and that's about it.

[dvdg12]

Originally Posted by kanhawk

I have a nexus card and it is a definite plus. Most of the time I am able to breeze right through with a thank you or a welcome to Canada greeting and that's about it.

Any tips for getting the Nexus card? Also do you commute daily from US to Canada for work?