Stuck in the United States [SPLIT]

[frankfrank]

[STRIKE]I haven't tried counting, but I always wondered if he meant to say "states and territories."

I mean, I can see that mistake happening with Sarah Palin, but really nobody since...or not even George W. Bush.[/STRIKE]

Even if we get Trump, I think I'm stuck in the United States. I could "do" Canada if I wanted to spend entirely the rest of my life working, until I'm dying/dead, but I don't want to do that. Permanent residency there is virtually impossible WITHOUT WORKING; the amount of money that you need to bribe Canada with to make that happen is beyond belief, unless you don't mind winter...AT ALL. The "bribe" is much cheaper for New Brunswick or Manitoba than it is for Ontario or BC.

 

[rareboy]

Re: Trump Gets It Wrong....Again....

I haven't tried counting, but I always wondered if he meant to say "states and territories."

I mean, I can see that mistake happening with Sarah Palin, but really nobody since...or not even George W. Bush.

Even if we get Trump, I think I'm stuck in the United States. I could "do" Canada if I wanted to spend entirely the rest of my life working, until I'm dying/dead, but I don't want to do that. Permanent residency there is virtually impossible WITHOUT WORKING; the amount of money that you need to bribe Canada with to make that happen is beyond belief, unless you don't mind winter...AT ALL. The "bribe" is much cheaper for New Brunswick or Manitoba than it is for Ontario or BC.

I don't understand. There are lots of Americans who have retired to the north shore of Huron and Superior in Ontario?

But maybe it has tightened up over the years because of the people looking for universal health care?

 

[frankfrank]

Re: Trump Gets It Wrong....Again....

Yeah, they told me that if I want to permanently reside in Ontario, and I don't want to be stuck being required to WORK FOREVER with a work visa, I need to pony up with THREE MILLION DOLLARS to absolve myself of the duty of having to work forever...OR I need to create a business which will in turn create FIVE FULL-TIME JOBS (besides myself). There is no possible way that is happening - either of those.

I have a backlog of inventory which will support me, AND NOBODY ELSE, for probably another five years. When it's gone, it's gone. There would be no hope of replenishing it, because what I have is the result of a LIFETIME of replenishing and adding to it - most of it done when it was 30 to 500 times as easy to find the stuff. To replenish it, perhaps I could replenish by spending $150,000 on stuff that I would get perhaps $115,000 by selling (with probably thousands of hours of work) if I'm lucky. Clearly not an option. Canada may also charge $25,000 customs duty for me to bring it in. I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE to find such inventory in Canada. It could ONLY come from a foreign country (most likely the USA).

This is an immigration attorney who told me this. I'm fully aware that there are many, many people who have moved to Canada permanently, and I've never heard of such exceptional burdens to do so. Maybe they have some form of residency which has the Crown constantly paying attention to them, so that if they get caught doing some kind of misdemeanor, they are immediately expelled without any hope of remedy.

If I could permanently move to Canada and not have to completely mortgage the rest of my life hopelessly to do so (or be on the work visa and look forward to being kicked out when I'm 77 years old and probably cannot easily move), chances that I would try to move to Windsor are absolutely 100%...and I'd already be active looking.

Because of winter, something like "the north shore of Lake Superior" would be utter anathema to me, and I wouldn't move there if somebody PAID me $10 million to move there under the requirement that I stay. I have complete and unbridled hatred of their type of winter...and perhaps having to do a 750-mile round trip driving to do ANY "big city stuff" (which I thrive on) is unthinkable...

Winter in Windsor isn't "kind" either, but at least I can deal with it. BARELY. Stuff above "my do-not-cross line" (which may or may not rule out Hamilton, but does rule out Toronto) wouldn't even be considered...

I'm frustrated.

 

[frankfrank]

Re: Trump Gets It Wrong....Again....

Dang. I realized that I should have PM'ed this all to rareboy...and I was going back to REMOVE THE POST because it is so off topic. Now the 10-minute limit kicked in.

I should probably send the PM anyway, and report my own posts here to have these two removed...

 

[Kabluey]

Most of the middle of the USA has a much lower cost of living than places like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and England - healthcare excepted.

Everyday housing, food and private transport costs are definitely lower.
Is there an exemption if you pay for private health insurance and prove sufficient funds? Do you have a retirement scheme you can transfer?

Countries with public systems generally don't want the burden of new residents arriving after working age who haven't paid taxes previously, same goes for social security in the absence of reciprocal agreements between governments.

 

[frankfrank]

Re: Trump Gets It Wrong....Again....

I guess now that my post got a reply, I need to keep it in, because your post otherwise is entirely out of context.

Maybe the attorney was outlining the only available plans which, provided there's nothing in my background that would question my eligibility (such as crimes...and there IS none of that stuff), would give me an absolute 100% chance of being welcomed, no matter what.

I'd probably be OK trying something that "should" work, and maybe that wasn't told to me.

Kabluey, is it similarly crazy and restrictive getting into New Zealand?

Though, if the USA ends up with Donald Trump, there may be nowhere left to hide, as the complete global economy could see an apocalypse, and New Zealand wouldn't be exempt either.

But not the "killing fields" which could very easily happen here if Trump gets in, and he is actually able to forge a strong and effective bonding with the Republicans, and especially the evangelicals/Dominionists.

Or, to use an archaic word, those who are firmly committed to antidisestablishmentarianism.

I do have a sizable retirement scheme that I would transfer, a decent guaranteed income, and a willingness to pay for private health insurance if I had to. I didn't get any indication that any of that is at all helpful.

 

[frankfrank]

Re: Trump Gets It Wrong....Again....

Thankfully I've learned how to "quarantine" it from all other matters and activities of life that I do, as well as being entirely devoid of all that when I go to bed...I don't lie awake worrying about anything.

I'll occasionally (about once every 3 to 8 weeks) have insomnia with a constant rush of thoughts flashing by so quickly that it's entirely incoherent...and for just one night. There is no "sound" but I compare it to the incoherent sounds you get if you fast-rewind or wind a REEL TO REEL tape. (Most people here probably have no idea what that sounds like.)

I've realized that it may well be my own brain's version of "defragging."

However, this political stuff can get me upset when I start verbalizing it (in any form), but that's about all.

They there's the fact that I've ALWAYS liked Canada better than the United States, ever since I began becoming familiar with it more than forty years ago.

 

[rareboy]

Re: Trump Gets It Wrong....Again....

Yeah, they told me that if I want to permanently reside in Ontario, and I don't want to be stuck being required to WORK FOREVER with a work visa, I need to pony up with THREE MILLION DOLLARS to absolve myself of the duty of having to work forever...OR I need to create a business which will in turn create FIVE FULL-TIME JOBS (besides myself). There is no possible way that is happening - either of those.

I have a backlog of inventory which will support me, AND NOBODY ELSE, for probably another five years. When it's gone, it's gone. There would be no hope of replenishing it, because what I have is the result of a LIFETIME of replenishing and adding to it - most of it done when it was 30 to 500 times as easy to find the stuff. To replenish it, perhaps I could replenish by spending $150,000 on stuff that I would get perhaps $115,000 by selling (with probably thousands of hours of work) if I'm lucky. Clearly not an option. Canada may also charge $25,000 customs duty for me to bring it in. I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE to find such inventory in Canada. It could ONLY come from a foreign country (most likely the USA).

This is an immigration attorney who told me this. I'm fully aware that there are many, many people who have moved to Canada permanently, and I've never heard of such exceptional burdens to do so. Maybe they have some form of residency which has the Crown constantly paying attention to them, so that if they get caught doing some kind of misdemeanor, they are immediately expelled without any hope of remedy.

If I could permanently move to Canada and not have to completely mortgage the rest of my life hopelessly to do so (or be on the work visa and look forward to being kicked out when I'm 77 years old and probably cannot easily move), chances that I would try to move to Windsor are absolutely 100%...and I'd already be active looking.

Because of winter, something like "the north shore of Lake Superior" would be utter anathema to me, and I wouldn't move there if somebody PAID me $10 million to move there under the requirement that I stay. I have complete and unbridled hatred of their type of winter...and perhaps having to do a 750-mile round trip driving to do ANY "big city stuff" (which I thrive on) is unthinkable...

Winter in Windsor isn't "kind" either, but at least I can deal with it. BARELY. Stuff above "my do-not-cross line" (which may or may not rule out Hamilton, but does rule out Toronto) wouldn't even be considered...

I'm frustrated.

I suspect that during the Harper years, the requirements may have become more stringent...it is too bad that the US doesn't have universal health care because then there would be reciprocal coverage.

I also would have to assume, then that the folks who are moving up here over the last decade must have the 3 mil in equity to smooth the way. I also suspect that there are a number who now summer in Canada and then head to Costa Rica or somewhere warm for the winter.

Certainly, as you point out.....there comes an age when you don't want to put the effort into building a new business and creating employment. I know I've reached that point already.

All I can say is......if it gets really out of control if Trump wins...just come up for a 'visit' and then claim refugee status

Although I don't see him winning.

 

[Kabluey]

Kabluey, is it similarly crazy and restrictive getting into New Zealand?

...
I do have a sizable retirement scheme that I would transfer, a decent guaranteed income, and a willingness to pay for private health insurance if I had to. I didn't get any indication that any of that is at all helpful.

It's very similar between commonwealth countries. As there is for Canada, there are investment categories (the reserve of the relatively wealthy), study visas, work visas, partner visas.

In general, yes it is complicated, you need to pay for an immigration lawyer if you don't want to waste time and effort, there are no guaranteed outcomes and you have to think carefully about whether the upheaval is worth it.
If you choose to live in one of the main cities, houses cost an average of $US350-700,000, depending on city. Desirable towns cost the same.

Like Canada, New Zealand is experiencing high levels of immigration from mainland China and India, which increases backlogs and makes policy makers increasingly fussy about approvals.