Canadian-Born Boomer Says It’s Not Easy Becoming a Dual Citizen

[ad_1]

Dual citizen Michael Stiege was raised in Canada but spent many years working in the US.The darkness and cold climate of Canada pushed him to sunny California.For Americans thinking they can simply move up north, it's not that easy, he said. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Stiege, 75, a dual citizen of the US and Canada. Stiege was raised in Canada and spent roughly 30 years working in California before moving back to Canada 15 years ago. He soon plans to split his time between the US and Canada. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

Because I'm a dual citizen of America and Canada, traveling between the two countries is virtually a non-issue.

If you're an American coming to Canada, you can travel visa-free. Still, if you're planning to move here and be able to work here, that's another story.

You can visit for six months as long as you leave before the end of the six-month period. You can do that back and forth all the time — but you won't get access to the social system and healthcare.

My friends, who used to live in Chicago, moved to California and said, "We're going to move up to Canada when we retire," but they couldn't get a visa.

This fellow's a Ph.D. and a really smart technical guy — and his wife is pretty bright, too. They couldn't get a visa because they were simply too old. Once you're — let's say 50 — the immigration system disadvantages you. They have a merit-based point system and start worrying about things like age. That's the thinking. Once you reach a certain age, or if you don't have certain other legs up, the criteria by which you can get a working visa is stacked against you.

[In Canada's Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) — which rates potential immigrants based on age, language fluency, education, professional expertise, and if you have a Canadian partner — applicants 45 years old or older receive 0 points.]

Whereas if you're a young guy just out of college, you have some reasonable skills, and you even know a few words of French, you probably wouldn't have a problem.

There are ways around it, but if the expectation is, "I'm just going to go up there and apply for a visa and get a visa," it may not happen like that.

I needed a change from the cold and long nights in Canada I was born in Stuttgart, Germany. When my parents and I moved to Canada, I was about 3 and written into my parents' passports.

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Canadian-Born Boomer Says It’s Not Easy Becoming a Dual Citizen

DARAG exits North America to strengthen European legacy business

DAVID MARCUS: Saving America from bad spending bills is exactly why Trump tapped Musk.

DAVID MARCUS: Saving America from bad spending bills is exactly why Trump tapped Musk.

Suriname Celebrates Milestone: Officially Declared Malaria-Free!

Heartbreaking Drone Strike: Were Two Trinidadians Victims of a U.S. Attack Near Venezuela?

Don’t Miss a Moment: Stream the Thrilling Uruguay vs. Peru Showdown in the Copa America Femenina Today!

Discovering the Untold Story: The 50-Year Quest for the U.S. Purchase of the Virgin Islands

Lawmakers Demand War Powers Vote as Tensions Rise Over Trump’s Venezuela Threat

Alabama’s Automakers Prepare for Trump’s Tariffs: A Bold New Strategy Unfolds!

Heartbreaking Tragedy Exposes Critical Failures in America’s Pedestrian Safety

Uncover the Caribbean’s Best-Kept Secret: The Island Everyone is Talking About for Its Safety!

Antigua and Barbuda Poised to Shine as the Caribbean’s Second Fastest Growing Economy!

Exciting News: Aruba Reopens Its Borders to Latin America on December 1!

Categories

Archives