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[bunny]

How hard is it to get an academic appointment in Canada? My impression is that they are not very open to US citizens.
I have applied for Canadian academic library positions and gotten no where. Most adverts say something about Canadian citizens and permanent residents being given priority. The last position I considered simply said that the ad was being directed toward Canadian citizens and permanent residents. When I emailed the head of the committee to ask if this absolutely excluded US citizens his/her reply was, in effect, "Thanks for interest. We expect to fill with a Canadian. There are more than enough Canadians applying."
My impression is that a teaching position in a university as opposed to an academic librarianship is actually easier to get. Does anyone have experience on all this?
Also, teaching summer or adjunct positions in Canadian universities. Does one have to jump through hoops to get permission from the Canadian government to do that?

[dvdrw]

I'm an American working in Canada and it was not terribly difficult to get a position. That being said, I am in a fairly narrow area of my discipline so I doubt there was fierce competition for my present job. I can say that if you are offered a position, certain NAFTA provisions really help with the transition (ex. they gave my spouse an open work permit).

I'm afraid I don't have any experience on a SC so I can't address your question from that end.

[normative_]

I take it you have a temporary work permit?

Canadian universities have to announce that Canadians will be given priority in the appointment process. Research 1 universities have the easiest time arguing that the best candidate should get the job for a professorship. It is probably harder to justify that as a librarian. just keep asking each university.

If you're already in Canada and working, you should consider applying for Canadian citizenship. You can do this after 3 years of residency.

[raoul]

Hi,

In part, the answer depends upon why you want to move to Canada and what your time frame is. You can apply for permanent residency as a skilled worker and get a PR visa in about 15 months. During this time, you can continue living and working in the US. Once you get your PR approved, you will have a much better chance of getting a job in Canada. Basically, you would be applying to immigrate there. Canada uses a point system for skilled worker applications and if you have a graduate degree, experience in your field, and speak either English or French fluently, then you should have no trouble getting approved. Once you get your PR visa you will be treated like any other Canadian on the job market.

On the other hand, if you want to first get a job offer and then move, it is rather difficult. Your employer will have to write a letter to the gov stating that you are more qualified than any Canadian applicants, and they have to have a credible reason for stating this. However, if you do get an offer then you can get what's called a "work permit" (technically, this is not a visa) and once in Canada you can apply for permanent residency through the same skilled worker process described above.

Before you make this decision, you should consider whether you have good reasons for making the move. There are a surprising number of financial complications that emerge in moving abroad, even if it's "just to Canada". For example, you will have to file taxes with both the US and Canadian governments, and they each have different rules regarding what kinds of income are taxable (i.e., they don't recognize all of the tax benefits for retirement, education savings, and so forth set up by the other government). You will stop contributing to US social security, so your eventual social security payments will be less; but it also takes 10 years to become vested in the Canadian retirement system. All of these things are complex and you should really pay for a consultation with an attorney or accountant with specialization in US-Canada tax and social security issues before you decide if this move makes sense for you.

Finally, although it is not that hard for university-educated folks to qualify to immigrate to Canada, you should be prepared to spend hours and hours filling out forms. Not just for your visa, but also to get enrolled in the health care system, get a social insurance number, etc. When you first move to Canada you will have no credit record so you will be in the same position as an unemployed 18 year old as far as banks, mortgage lenders, etc are concerned. There are a lot of hassles and you should have really good reasons for making the move before you decide to do it!

Hope that helps. Google "citizenship and immigration Canada" for the government website which has a lot of info.

[spork]

Once you are hired, you're expected to learn the Canadian national anthem, eat doughnuts, and watch ice hockey.

[castafiore]

Once you are hired, you're expected to learn the Canadian national anthem, eat doughnuts, and watch ice hockey.

Except they are called the "national anthem," "Timbits," and "hockey." (hee hee)

[normative_]

The Canada Revenue Agency, the Canadian equivalent to the American Internal Revenue Service, has experts on Canada-U.S. tax treaties and will give you information on the phone and possibly send written material for free. You can find out information from your local tax office. Call the enquiries hotline, tell them it's about Canada-US tax questions, and they'll forward you.

Website is here:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/menu-e.html

Good luck...

[normative_]

The only other consideration about citizenship long-term is whether you'd have to give up your US citizenship. Canada allows dual if the other country does as well. Don't know about that, but it's worth checking if you go down that route.

[raoul]

The only other consideration about citizenship long-term is whether you'd have to give up your US citizenship. Canada allows dual if the other country does as well. Don't know about that, but it's worth checking if you go down that route.

The US gov used to disallow dual citizenship, but they changed their policy and now allow it.

I should mention that there are a lot of great things about living in Canada as well. In regard to academia, most of the Canadian provincial governments are putting a lot of money into higher education these days. Enrollments are rising and the job market seems promising (in relative terms of course--it's still academia). In addition, Canada has a charter of rights that guarantees equality for same-sex couples, the current "Conservative" government has a platform that is in most respects somewhat to the left of the Democratic party in the US (whether they really believe in these positions or just think they're popular isn't clear yet), and Canada is not currently planning to invade any other countries (though we are rather bogged down in Afghanistan). I suppose not everyone would view these as positives but I think most academics probably do. Oh yeah, in most places the public schools are excellent, there is relatively little violent crime compared to the US, and we don't have half the population believing in Creationism. Come on up--but bring your parka!

[old_school]

The only other consideration about citizenship long-term is whether you'd have to give up your US citizenship. Canada allows dual if the other country does as well. Don't know about that, but it's worth checking if you go down that route.

I know a number of US-otherCountry dual citizens, so the US side either doesn't mind , or works well with a "don't ask, don't tell" approach.

[normative_]

I see it's developed in a favourable direction since I was last there (at the risk of dating myself): I remember being an undergrad in Canada where our Dean of Students, originally from South Carolina, had not become a Canadian citizen for about 30 years precisely because he couldn't bring himself to choose.

But like Raoul says, it's a fabulous place, as I'm sure bunny already knows.

For those of you not ready to move, don't worry. Canada is coming to you:

http://cwd.ptbcanadian.com/