Moving from Canada to Florida usually involves doing your homework to find out about a host of things before actually embarking on the move. There are a number of immigration, financial, lifestyle, estate, and tax planning issues that you need to take into consideration. Below is a rundown of the few most important things anybody needs to know before hitting the road:
How to Live and Work in Florida
Now that you have decided to live and work in the Sunshine State you need to know what to do in order to qualify to live and work there.
The first and most effective way to go about it is to acquire a TN Status. And to acquire a TN status you only need to get to the border with a job offer letter from your American employer. They’ll require you to pay a fee, they stamp your passport, and without much ado, you now have permission to stay and work in the united states of America for up to three years.
You can also organize with your current or prospective employer to pay for your H1-B visa which can allow you to stay for up to three years in Florida as a Canadian. Afterwards, the employer can process a green card for you which is not cheap. The good news is that if your employer accepts you from the beginning, the H1-B visa can be extended severally thereafter until the green card is ready.
The third way you can wiggle your way to Florida is marrying a US citizen. However, they need to make over a certain income to marry you. In addition, they need to be at least 21 years of age.
Medical Insurance
You’ll have your Canadian medical insurance for about six months after receiving a visa and moving from Canada to Florida. After the six months you’ll start using the private American insurance. Therefore, it is prudent you start organizing for medical cover right from the moment you step into Florida so that upon the expiry of your Canadian medical insurance, you have another cover that protects you.
What you need if you move with your car
If you are moving with your car to Florida, you need the following documents as prerequisites to getting the driver’s license:
- Change of name
- Canadian citizenship
- Original driver’s license or ID
- Replacements or renewals
Taxation
You need to be aware of both Canadian Departure Tax as well as the US Income Tax and how to file them. Upon leaving Canada, a person is presumed to have disposed of his property for proceeds equal to the current market value of the property at that time. If the fair market value is more than its cost base, the person should report a capital gain that is taxable in Canada as they exit the country. On the United States end, they tax individuals who sold appreciated property in Canada before entering the US. Problem is that both these taxes can result in double taxation.
Fun & Sun
One of the most popular reasons Canadian’s move to Florida is because of the weather. The Florida lifestyle evolves around the sun, beach and enjoying the outdoors which is a far cry from the cabin fever Canadian’s get from the long winters there. If you enjoy golf and tennis then you should check out The Preserve at Ironhorse located in West Palm Beach, Florida. This membership only country club features a beautiful golf course, lit tennis courts, swimming pool, brand new gym and plenty of social events to meet new people.