Considering Moving From Canada to California - Thoughts and Advice Appreciated

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by wac_432

If you have a spare $250,000 you can buy your way in through the "investor visa" program, by investing that money in a "small" US business.

This is incorrect. The minimum investment is $500,000 and that's only for a "high unemployment" or "rural" area. To set up anywhere else in the US, the investment is $1,000,000.

"To qualify as an immigrant investor, a foreign national must invest, without borrowing, the following minimum qualifying capital dollar amounts in a qualifying commercial enterprise:

$1,000,000 (U.S.); or
$500,000 (U.S.) in a high-unemployment or rural area, considered a targeted employment area.
A qualifying investment must, within two years, create full-time jobs for at least 10 U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or other immigrants authorized to work in the United States, not including the investor and the investor’s spouse, sons, or daughters."

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...tor-visas.html

[wac_432]

Thanks for the correction.

What's really INSANE, is that we cap the number of investor visas. There's currently a backlog of some 50,000 Chinese millionairs who would like to buy the visa. That's 50 BILLION dollars of Chinese money we could be taking. Pretty much for free. Screw tarrifs! Let's just take their rich people and the money they're begging to give us!!!!

https://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...dress-Pressing

[nightlysparrow]

Want another amazing visa statistic? The US Diversity Visa (AKA the "Visa Lottery") had in 2017 a stunning 22.4 MILLION applicants from around the world. In some countries huge percentages of the entire population applied---like in Liberia, where 15% of its citizens tried for the lottery!

US diversity visa lottery saw near-record number of applicants in 2017

[wac_432]

Since only 50K are issued each year, each applicant has a 0.22% chance of winning. I'm all for converting those DV visas to investor visas. Rather than roll the dice on random immigrants making something of themselves--I'm sure most will, but I'm also sure very few of them are going to generate over $1M in economic activity--let's bring in 50 BILLION dollars of Chinese and Indian money with those same visas!!!!

Or drop the cap on investor visas and keep the DV lottery. I don't really care.

[kaybeepoole]

Hi questforgreatness,
I realize this thread is now dated but wanted to reach out. Like you I live in Toronto (midtown, Ynge & Eg) with my husband and two kids. (we are in our 40's and our kids are 7 & 11). We have been wanting to move to California for the last little while, and has been a lengthy process (b/c of green card). Like you we don't love the grey, cold 7 months of living here. Prior to kids it was okay, because our live was spent going to clubs, bars and sleeping in, but that changes as you have a family. Luckily my husband is a US citizen ( I just rec'd my spousal green card).
We did a lot of research in So Cal, b/c like living in Toronto, we wanted a nice urban feel (great restaurants, cool neighbourhoods to check out, good bakeries, etc). After 3+ visits in a year, from San Diego to Santa Monica we decided on the area around Manhattan Beach down to Redondo Beach, b/c of the proximity to the ocean but also because of the vibe, restaurants and outdoor spaces..I hope this helps and good luck to you! Maybe something to check out?

[Cecilia Denmark]

Hi,
Interesting reading about moving from Canada to California.
I moved from Denmark to Santa Barbara last year, it’s exactly as great as expected.
We bought a house on top of the Mesa, overlooking the mountain, Santa Barbara and the ocean, just beautiful.
It’s a very exclusive area, with great neighbors in the best school district.
Mesa is secured area, also when talking about fire and mudslides, regarded no risk.
If you would like to come out, we have friends who have a guest house you can stay in, why exploring.
Feel free to ask any questions, Mark and Cecilia

[skygazer1]

Originally Posted by Cecilia Denmark

Hi,
Interesting reading about moving from Canada to California.
I moved from Denmark to Santa Barbara last year, it’s exactly as great as expected.
We bought a house on top of the Mesa, overlooking the mountain, Santa Barbara and the ocean, just beautiful.
It’s a very exclusive area, with great neighbors in the best school district.
Mesa is secured area, also when talking about fire and mudslides, regarded no risk.
If you would like to come out, we have friends who have a guest house you can stay in, why exploring.
Feel free to ask any questions, Mark and Cecilia

Yes, you need to be careful just where in SB you settle down. There are many areas very dangerous historically due to severe firestorms and mudslides. The worst are up along the steep mountainsides, canyons, where the ground can be unstable in heavy rains and collapse. And the forest areas on the outskirts due to rapidly spreading fires.

[quest4greatness]

Originally Posted by kaybeepoole

Hi questforgreatness,
I realize this thread is now dated but wanted to reach out. Like you I live in Toronto (midtown, Ynge & Eg) with my husband and two kids. (we are in our 40's and our kids are 7 & 11). We have been wanting to move to California for the last little while, and has been a lengthy process (b/c of green card). Like you we don't love the grey, cold 7 months of living here. Prior to kids it was okay, because our live was spent going to clubs, bars and sleeping in, but that changes as you have a family. Luckily my husband is a US citizen ( I just rec'd my spousal green card).
We did a lot of research in So Cal, b/c like living in Toronto, we wanted a nice urban feel (great restaurants, cool neighbourhoods to check out, good bakeries, etc). After 3+ visits in a year, from San Diego to Santa Monica we decided on the area around Manhattan Beach down to Redondo Beach, b/c of the proximity to the ocean but also because of the vibe, restaurants and outdoor spaces..I hope this helps and good luck to you! Maybe something to check out?

Still on this quest! Thank you for the information. We went to SoCal for a week this summer, and plan to go again this spring or summer. Funny what you suggested, that is exactly what is on my radar now for further investigation, we only drove through briefly. House prices seem pretty higher there, but the mix or urban and outdoor spaces.

How are you handling the shift in location in terms of making new friends, and distance from family?

Why did you not choose San Diego? (We were there only briefly but found it a lot smaller a city than we expected)

I am thinking of making my US business a US entity, this I am hoping may help with any Visa's if need be.

[qazz12]

Originally Posted by quest4greatness

Winter's we get shut in for months here in Canada.

Spring for polar bears.