U.S. Citizen wants to live in Montreal but keep working in New York? (insurance, vacation home) - City-Data Forum

upstateknewyork · 09-10-2007, 11:04 PM

Hello. I have been reading many of your posts for months, and have decided to join the ranks and post one of my own. I have been googling and researching the Quebec Immigration website, and can't find any answers to my question. Therefore, I'm reaching out to you members who may hopefully be able to offer me any insight. I currently live and work in Upstate New York [Plattsburgh]. I am an American citizen and have ALWAYS loved Montreal, and have been lucky to live a little over an hour away. I was able to stay in Montreal for a month when I took a seminar at Concordia University, and loved it. Ok, here is my question: I work for my family's business located in Plattsburgh, NY. I am NOT looking to work in Montreal, but I would like to secure housing in Montreal and commute to my job in New York each day. I want to keep my professional life in the U.S., but pursue my personal life in Quebec. I can't seem to find this setup on the immigration website, and am desperately trying to find what/any visas I may need to make this a reality. Again, I'm not looking to obtain healthcare or goverment rights in Quebec. I just really would like to rejoin the vibrant cosmopolitan life that accompanies residing in Montreal. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much.

Cornerguy1 · 09-11-2007, 06:24 PM

From a technical point of view, people who are not either Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents, or specialized visa holders are not supposed to reside in Canada on a permanent basis.

While it might be practical to commute back and forth across the border for a short time, I would think it would only be a matter of time before some enquiring Canada Border Services agent asked the dreaded question:

"Why are you coming into Canada everyday, (every few days,etc)?"

Telling CBS that you are living in Montreal might result in you not being admitted to the country because your crossing wouldn't be for visiting purposes.

Telling a fib that you're visiting a sick friend might get you in for a short while, but if you got caught in the lie, CBS might get a tad irrate.

Before you proceed with your plan, you might want to contact Canada Border services and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

It would really suck if you went to the effort of moving everything to Montreal and then were later denied entry.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has an 800 # on their web site

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dweller · 09-11-2007, 06:58 PM

I lived in Montreal for two years as a student and my fiance under a temporary work permit. We learned the ins and outs of immigration. You can immigrate either
1. on a temporary work permit, which doesn't apply in your case. You need to have a job offer first, unless you have an offer in a job class coverd under nafta.
2. Quebec immigration process Immigration-Québec - Permanent workers This does not require you to have a job offer first, but you must have some command of the french language and score a certain number of points under a point system.
3. Canadian federal skilled worker program. Here what you could do is apply to immigrate to Ontario. You don't need to have a job first, and you need 67 points on their test to be able to immigrate. once your application is processed in buffalo, which takes about 2 years, you can then go to a an ontario/u.s. border station a such as buffalo or thousand islands in upstate new york and tell them you are immigrating to ontario. once you get into ontario, then at some point in the future you can just move to quebec.

all this is a pain but i dont' think its possible just to live in canada and keep driving to upstate NY everyday. I would ask a border person they may have some extra tips. We had all sorts of trouble with her temp work permit as there are restricted and nonrestricted work permits and the border people were much more helpful than anyone we talked to on the phone in immigration Quebec. Also, if you are ever in Canada, call the immigration canada hotline 18882422100 and they are also extremely helpful and will offer you anyway possible you can make your wish happen.
we live din montreal for 2 years and it was the best ever. great food, great people, great nightlife, low cost of living. We are quite homesick for it now, especially after moving to cleveland

upstateknewyork · 09-12-2007, 09:26 PM

Thanks for taking the time to voice your opinions and insights on my plan. It's literally a case of "so close, yet so far away", just living an hour from Montreal and not really being able to move there. I guess I will get in touch with border services and see if they can provide any information. And if it's not a realistic possibility, then I guess I'll just have to enjoy the city on weekend trips.

Windex · 09-15-2007, 04:29 AM

Could you not just get a visitor's visa? I know that Quebec has some extra loops that need to be jumped through as opposed to any other province, but I know some people who've done that sort of thing living in Windsor and working in Detroit. As long as you're not going to be working in Canada and have some solid proof on that (letter from your employer or some such) I can't see it being too much of a problem. Then again, definitely check with Immigrations Canada before trying it out.

leccrn · 09-20-2007, 01:13 PM

I would also like to know how to make this happen. We have a cottage in Ontario that we commute to from Detroit. If possible, we would like to become permanent residents but continue to work in the states. I can't find any info about this on the Canadian immigration website. Any ideas?

AsymptoticFaery · 01-17-2008, 12:55 AM

I am curious about this too.

I am looking into the -possibility- of visiting Montreal for about 3-4 months. I'd be working remotely for a company here in the US (that I work for now) since they'd most likely allow that option. My fiance is Canadian and he might get his internship in Montreal now that he's gotten more info on where it might be situated. It will be in May or June that the internship starts and the span of it is as aforementioned...3-4 months.

I'd be looking to take my dog for this period of time while I stay with him and I'd look into getting traveler's insurance. I'd also need reliable internet connection to work remotely and I don't know much about the available ISP's in Canada period.

However, again I am curious about how long I could stay as a visitor in Canada without breaking the law and what my options would be in this context given my tentative plans above.

Anyone have any advice, tips or info?

Robynator · 01-17-2008, 04:22 PM

My grandparents owned a vacation home in Washington state where they lived for months at a time. As a Canadian you can own property/homes in the USA and stay there for a certain amount of time, and the same goes for Americans in Canada. The deal is, for how long?

I don't think you need a visitor's visa if you're an American - you automatically are allowed to visit Canada for 6 months maximum. And that's 6 months in a row before having to go back to the USA. But if you're going back and forth every day, I think that actually resets your 6 month limit. It doesn't make you a permanent resident in Canada - you won't be able to work or go to school in Canada. You won't be able to vote. But I think you're able to reside in the property you own in Canada under the assumption that you can support yourself.

However, this is something I wouldn't even ask border guards (they're often busy and just want to get you through the border ASAP)... but instead, I'd seek out Canadian Immigration and phone them up. They'd have all the answers to your questions, especially regarding the legalities of your situation.

chrismpv · 01-18-2008, 09:25 AM

I know that a Canadian can go live in Florida for 6 months minus 1 day...
I would check the amount of time you would be allowed to be in Canada (such as 6 months) and live there during that period of them. (may to Oct) and return to the US for the rest of the time.
As usual, the best is to check all governement website and FOLLOW THE RULES!

clsny678 · 05-12-2009, 05:29 PM

I am also wondering if it is possible to keep my job in the states and be able to live in cananda. My husband is a canadian and i would like to be able to live in canada and keep my job. Where we live i am about 15 min away from canada to my job in the States. If anyone knows if this is possible and the type of paperwork that would need to be filed please let me know. Thanks.