Where are Canadians migrating to in the United States?

As of about 2012, Canadians made up approximately 2 per cent of the immigrants flowing into the United States, a decline from the 10 per cent figure of 1960. Statistics indicate that most Canadian immigrants achieve visas through an immediate relation to a U.S. citizen or via their employment. With as many as 800,000 Canadians entering the U.S. each year — many of them for work — where are they finding jobs?

California and Florida were the states with the highest number of Canadian immigrants from 2008 through 2012, with New York, Texas, Washington, Michigan and Arizona following suit. The metro areas where the most immigrants seem to find their way match up to those states, for the most part. The Los Angeles metro area had the highest concentration of Canadian immigrants in the 2008 through 2012 time period, with the New York City and Miami metro areas following closely behind.

Other areas with higher-than-average Canadian immigration concentrations include Seattle, Phoenix, Detroit and Boston. Statistics seem to indicate that younger Canadian citizens are more likely to immigrate to industrial or business hubs such as New York City, while older immigrants end up in retirement states such as Arizona or Florida.

Canadian citizens migrating to the United States tend to represent a different demographic than citizens migrating from other countries, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Canadian immigrants usually speak proficient English and typically have higher than average educational attainment, for example. Often, they are moving to the United States to take on management, service, sales and production jobs.

Canadian movement into the United States ebbs and flows with economic pressures in both nations. If you are looking to make a move into the United States soon, it’s important to comply with citizenship and green card requirements. An immigration lawyer can help you overcome any challenges to moving across the border.

Source: Migration Policy Institute, “Canadian Immigrants in the United States,” accessed Sep. 09, 2016