Define the life you want to build
Start with the decisions that shape the move: where you want to live, who will relocate, whether either spouse needs to work, and how often you expect to return to Canada. Include school transitions, care for relatives and any business you will continue to own.
Put the family’s priorities in writing. A plan for full-time US residence is different from a plan for winter visits. Ask immigration counsel whether your intended pattern fits the status you are considering. Permanent residence carries ongoing responsibilities and is not simply an unrestricted snowbird pass.
Choose a residency route before committing
Have a licensed US attorney compare pathways that could genuinely fit your circumstances. Employment, qualifying family relationships and investment are different bases for residence. Purchasing a US home or spending more time there does not create a green-card entitlement.
If EB-5 is appropriate, evaluate the proposed investment alongside your family’s immigration needs. An attractive location is not sufficient evidence that a project is sound. Our EB-5 for Canadians guide explains the core route, and our due-diligence checklist helps organize investment questions.
Get cross-border tax advice before moving assets
Canadian tax residence depends on your circumstances and residential ties; leaving can trigger reporting and departure-tax consequences for some property. US tax residents generally report worldwide income. Review both systems before selling investments, transferring a company interest or changing your home arrangements. CRA’s emigrant guidance and IRS resident-tax guidance explain why citizenship alone does not settle the tax position.
Prepare a list of accounts, pensions, trusts, businesses and properties for your cross-border advisers. Ask which transactions should be completed before the move and which should wait. Coordination is especially important when the same assets will fund the EB-5 investment.
Map the practical transition
- Housing: allow flexibility if the immigration schedule changes.
- Healthcare: confirm coverage dates, premiums and access to existing care.
- Schools: check admissions, records and academic-year timing directly.
- Work and business: identify who needs authorization and what arrangements must change.
- Documents: organize identity and relationship records through counsel.
- Liquidity: keep the relocation reserve separate from invested capital.
A staged move can be practical, but family members may need different travel or processing arrangements. Obtain advice before assuming everyone can relocate on the same day.
Keep citizenship and residence distinct
A US green card is permanent-resident status, not US citizenship. Canada permits dual citizenship, so qualifying for another citizenship does not automatically require surrendering Canadian citizenship. Future US naturalization is a separate process with its own requirements. Read Canada’s dual-citizenship guidance.
The first consultation is most useful when you can describe your family, available funding, preferred location and timing. We can help identify the investment questions to resolve and the specialists who should be involved.
