From www.immigration.ca:
You mean, you need to be able to speak the language and be informed of the political system, and you must’ve lived there for three years on a visa to boot? Wow, what a concept! I think I’m in love.
Who else is planning on moving up north within the next few years?
Adam
Not a visa: landed immigrant status (like being a “permanent resident” in the US), which is quite hard to get. After that, getting citizenship is more or less a doddle.
Here is information on the different ways you can become a landed immigrant.
Read the fine print carefully–you do indeed have to live here for three years.
When my wife, who is originally from the US, started the process of becoming a Canadian citizen, we had to document every time she had not been physically in Canada over the past three years. Every trip to see her mother in the US, every holiday we had taken outside Canada, every business trip or conference in the United States or overseas had to be reported, right down to the reasons and places and dates. (“Honey, I know I was at a conference in Chicago in March of 2000, but what were the dates? Do you remember?”)
If I recall correctly, there was a certain number of days that she was allowed to be outside Canada during that period, but if she had exceeded that number (which she didn’t), she would have had to wait longer, until the “number during the past three years” had been met.
Of course, the first step (as matt correctly points out) is landed immigrant status. That can be more of a challenge than citizenship. My wife came to Canada before we met so I can’t offer much in the way of her particular experience, but based on what she has told me, it was a somewhat long and tedious process full of forms, interviews, and suchlike; in addition to just having the qualifications.
It’s not quite as easy as you might believe, Agent Foxtrot, and I’d advise a careful reading and complete understanding of all information before you decide on a whim to head north to live.
I should also point out that once you become a landed immigrant, you have most of the rights of a citizen (the main exception being the right to vote); i.e. you can get health care, drivers’ licence, etc., etc. My mom lived in Canada for over twenty years before she decided to become a citizen.
Don’t get me wrong – I never said that this would be easy. I haven’t even 100% decided that Canada is where I’m going yet. But 99% of the Canucks I’ve spoken to say they’re happy overall with their country. How many Americans can say that?
Indeed, much more research would need to be done on my part. Other possibilities include Norway, Iceland, France, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia. Expatriation ain’t easy.
But I know I’m moving somewhere else at some point in the future. And the fact that Spoons’ wife had to go through so much trouble to get in only makes me feel more strongly about it. I come from the United States, where we take pretty much everything with a pulse. :rolleyes:
Any more information you two could provide would certainly be appreciated. Matt, I appreciate your link on landed immigration. Thanks. 
Adam
Pssst… it’s the Tim Hortons mind-control coffee.
“You love Canada.
You enjoy shoveling snow.
The beaver is a noble animal. Really.
You want to start a curling league.
Hockey is everything.
You love Canada.” [/coffee]
Japan’s pretty tough. Permanent Residency requires living here for ten years (or five years married to a Japanese citizen living in Japan), plus a number of other requirements (but nothing about language, as I far as I know). Citizenship is stricter, unless you have some family connection.
To be quite honest I don’t think Canadians love their country any more than Americans do. I’m Canadian and I feel I’m unbelievably lucky to have been born here, but this country is not perfect. We have racial underclasses, especially aboriginals. We are in terrible debt. We have serious and unresolved problems with regional mistrust and rivalry. Our structure of government is horribly antiquated and in desperate need of change that it prevents by virtue of the way change has to be effected. Our economy, even at a strong point, features higher unemployment, higher taxes, and lower average and median incomes than yours. And let’s be honest; the weather is notoriously bad.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I welcome you with open arms if you choose to live here, but please don’t think it’s paradise. You’ll be disappointed.
I don’t know why that’s a bad thing. I would be proud of a country with open borders. Personally I think Canada is far too restrictive on immigrants. We should let more in.
What, you mean you didn’t know about my ties with the yakuza? 
That’s some family connection! 
It needn’t be paradise, only better.
Adam
Oh, and allow me to quickly address the meaning of “better”: Better means that the nation isn’t a becoming a conservative lovefest of bigotry, ignorance, and hypocrisy. I’d just like to live in a place where the ideas are a bit more liberal and open-minded, that’s all.
Adam
Immigration enquiries to NZ have apparently tripled since the US election…
I’m planning on it. I’m a Canadian Studies major (yes, there is actually a program for it) and I’m doing everything I can to be up there in two years at the latest.
No place is perfect but I do like the idea of not dying if I get cancer or some other unpleasent thing and don’t have the cash or insurance to pay. The feeling of nationalism isn’t a “We’re going to go kick everyone else’s ass”, they’re a bit, ok, a lot more liberal on a lot of issues, Quebec speaks french, and they have poutine . Oh, and the not starting wars thing is cool too.
I get the distinct impression from the other provinces that Quebec is not very well liked.
Any Canadians who can clarify or correct that?
Yeah, there’s a certain amount of prejudice towards and incomprehension of Quebec and French-Canadians in general in English Canada, and vice-versa.
Well, 50% isn’t bad I guess. Given our last election, conservative isn’t a problem. I’d like to think bigotry isn’t either.
Ignorance and hypocracy are quite real here though. This is as well based on our recent election. Ie: “Don’t throw the corrupt regime out, just slap them on the wrist and maybe they’ll learn.”
Was your study focus in “wood” or “snow”?
I disagree.
*WAY * more people hate Toronto than hate Quebec
Ask someone who’s been through the US immigration process how easy it is. You might be surprised.
–ruadh, former US immigration paralegal
Montreal (in the Summer, at least) is great. And I come from the Frenchie hating West.
I’m from the Maritimes. We pretty much keep to ourselves and don’t hate anyone… though Quebec tends to look down their noses at our acadienne french. We fish a lot. We have the world’s largest sardine factory (oxymoron, innit?).
Many small towns where I’m from - look out for small minds. The small cities aren’t too bad, though. I enjoyed my time in Halifax/Dartmouth, but no likes to drive there…
Fredericton, NB is a nice, clean, “quaint” little city. Saint John (NOT St. John, or St John’s!!) is another nice little city, with many older buildings. That’s very near where I’m from. For people with a little cash St. Andrews “by-the-sea” is a beautiful place. I think it’s a town, not a city. Housing is much cheaper there than here in the Pacific Northwest, at least. My ex’s mother sold their very large 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, 80 year old two story house (with wood floors, beautiful porch, den, dining room, kitchen, living room, gigantic basement, over an acre of land, garage, shed, etc etc) for $76,000 CAD. That’s what, $50 USD?
There’s good and bad wherever you go, naturally. I only moved to the US because I got married; I’ve got no beef with Canada. My husband has even talked about (pre-election!) moving to NB someday, since he found it so peaceful and relaxing, though we’d still move to a city there, not the small town I came from. Good luck, whatever your decisions may be.