When it became clear on election night that Donald Trump would be the next US president, Google searches for “Move to Canada“ increased by 400%. Joel Guberman's work has also increased significantly since the election. He has a law firm in Toronto that helps people immigrate to Canada. He told German public broadcaster ARD:
“It started at 3 a.m. the night after the election. And it's still like that today. There's definitely a lot of interest.“
For Guberman, it's a bit like déjà vu - and after Trump's victory in 2016 the phone at his law firm has been ringing non-stop. However, the Canadian immigration expert has no illusions: based on his experience from eight years ago, he knows that only a small percentage of those who apply actually end up leaving.
„It's definitely not a cakewalk"
Many Americans underestimate how difficult it is to immigrate to Canada, says Guberman: „If you don't have special qualifications or letters of recommendation, you're definitely going to have a hard time – it's not going to be a cakewalk.–
There are basically several ways for Americans to immigrate to Canada. The one through Canada's points system is the most difficult and the procedure can take two years, ARD points out. To accumulate enough points, immigrants must not only have a sought-after professional qualification, but also not be too old or financially dependent on the state, that is, they must have enough money. In addition, they must have at least one year of work experience in Canada.
They mainly emigrate for family reasons
It happens faster if you invest at least $100,000 in Canada. “And in an actively operating company. It is not enough to invest the money in Canadian stocks or real estate. This must be a real company, not a passive investment“, Guberman explains to ARD.
So anyone who establishes a company in Canada and creates jobs is welcome. But among the US citizens who now want to escape Trump to Canada, not many can afford it.
Therefore, "I'm immigrating to Canada because of Trump" is easier said than done. Of the approximately 10,000 Americans who immigrate to Canada each year, at most 10 percent are driven by political reasons, the Toronto immigration lawyer estimates. Most of them come for family reasons, he adds.
Expression of despair
Rather, the immigration flow is in the opposite direction: more than 100,000 Canadians immigrate to the US every year - mainly for economic reasons. Because taxes in the US are lower and the larger market also offers better earning opportunities. “Those fleeing from Canada to the US for political reasons are also more numerous than those who, for the same reasons, go in the opposite direction - from the US to Canada. “They think that Canada has become too left-wing and too socialist”, says Gubermann, quoted by the German publication.
Hence the conclusion he draws: “The apparently increased searches for the topic on Google are probably more an expression of despair among left-liberal Americans than a genuine interest in emigrating to Canada, ARD also points out.
Author: Martin Ganzelmeier (ARD)