Buffalonians know that the United States' northern neighbor is always within driving distance here at UB. But whether or not students have realistically considered living there permanently is a different question.
Martha Hassenfratz, client service coordinator of the consulate general in Buffalo, recently presented an International Student and Scholar Services workshop about visiting, working in and moving to Canada. She believes that the country offers a lot to young people and says that the Canadian government is always looking to attract young graduates into the country.
Margaret Scott, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said she has been considering moving to Canada for nearly a year.
"I want to move there because I like the idea of socialized health care and I hear Canada is less polluted than the states," Scott said. "Also there is better gun control so I would feel safer on the streets."
According to Lindsay Herko, a graduate student studying English, Canada offers a wide variety of landscapes and experiences that are at the same time both similar and very different to those found in the U.S.
"Their small towns feel like they are on the true fringe of society, larger cities like Toronto seem exotic, clean, roomy and full of art," Herko said.
Talia Rhodes, a freshman computer science major, thinks studying or pursuing a career in Canada would be an interesting experience.
"I have friends up there, I like the idea of socialized health care and I've not liked the political climate in America since Bush got re-elected," Rhodes said.
One way of obtaining a residency visa is to find a job opportunity in Canada and then get a work permit, Hassenfratz said.
"There is a national labor shortage in certain occupations, notably in seven software development occupations, and if a student is skilled in one of these areas then their application for a permanent visa will be easier," Hassenfratz said.
To apply for a work permit, an applicant must not only secure a job but also have the offer confirmed by Service Canada, and then the application can be submitted to the visa office.
Once a person has a work permit, they can then apply for permanent residence while working in Canada, but it is worth noting that not all temporary jobs require a work permit and this should be consider when applying, Hassenfratz said.
"Education, language and experience requirements exist for work permit applications, even in the jobs for which there is a current labor shortage, but American students who have a degree will nearly always meet these standards," Hassenfratz said.
There is also a brand new application category especially for skilled and educated young people to help make their application easier as well, Hassenfratz said.
"The new Canadian Experience Class application category only came into existence very recently, but people who apply through this category will become part of a prescribed class of persons who may become permanent residence based on their Canadian experience," Hassenfratz said.
A person must intend to reside in a Canadian province or territory, except Quebec, which has a separate application process, according to Hassenfratz. Applicants also must maintain temporary resident status throughout their qualifying period of work or training in Canada.
Hassenfratz also said that UB students thinking of applying for a Canadian residency visa should do so now, in part due to the long wait period but also because the Buffalo Regional Processing center has the fastest turn around on visa applications.
The costs of a successfully acquired visa come to around $1,040, split between an application fee of $550 and a right of permanent residence fee of $490 and then some on-document postage and the like, Hassenfratz said.
"Living in the states is quite expensive, and although moving to Canada costs a lot, I think it would be cheaper to live there afterwards. Even though I have no family there I can always come back to the states to visit people here," Scott said.
Many students appreciate the idea of experiencing life in a different country for a few years without going too far away.
"I would miss my family and friends here in the states, but it's not like I would be moving to somewhere difficult to get to like Europe as I could always drive or get a plane back to visit people I had left behind in the states," Rhodes said.
Jobs are not the only prospects inspiring students to move north, according to Herko.
"I'd really like to live in Toronto, or maybe Prince Edward Island," Herko said "I have friends there and I find that in Canada one can truly experience the fusion of the beauty of the land, which has an American familiarity, with a grander European echo."
While the Canada government is enthusiastic about having students apply for residency, there are some exceptional circumstances in which a person will be refused a residency visa into Canada, Hassenfratz said.
"If you are a criminal, you have a serious and/or contagious medical condition or you have misrepresented yourself in your application documents then your application will be dismissed," Hassenfratz said.
Those looking for more information can log on to www.cic.gc.ca to find out how to apply for a permanent residency visa.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
