Does anyone have a link to a good site explaining what happens to an American's

Social Security benefits and State Pension money if they move to Canada? One of us is able to work and one is retired. Or maybe someone could just explain it to me. Thanks.

It looks pretty sweet to me. Whatever benefits you qualify for can and will be sent to you whenever you are out of the U.S. for 30 or more consecutive days. You just have to ask. One catch is that not all countries are approved places where the U.S. will send cheques, though Canada is. Another is that it works best if you were born in the U.S., rather than having taken up U.S. citizenship, because of complexities that happen if other governments assert jurisdiction over you as a citizen. But if your clear of such encumbrances, it appears that the U.S. Federal Government will happily put a Canadian address label on your cheque each month, no problem. And why not, it's yours, you earned it!

I see there's info here:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html

You can collect SS and your pension, along with Canadian OAS/SS if/when you qualify, plus any Canadian pension you qualify for as well. You have to report it all as income to both the IRS and Canada, but IIRC, the first 80k (per person) is excluded from US taxes if you reside in Canada. There's also some sort of "windfall" exclusion for US SS & pension recipients that can reduce SS benefits, but most folks aren't affected by that.

On a related note, our immigration attorney told us today that the CIC wants us to send in our passports to get the visas inserted so we can "land" as legal residents! Only took 18 mos. from filing the application to approval (plus 6 mos. prep before that). Now the waiting ends and the hard work starts: inventorying all our stuff, getting our house ready to sell, selling our house (in CA, in a crappy RE market), and finding jobs in BC. I still think it'll be late 2010, early 2011 before we move there for good.

Though you can "land" and go back, but additional paperwork may be required. You may want to forget about 2011. If your visa expires without action, you are SOL.

We had to pack up our car and just go because we were running out of time. We finally took our home in the States off the market and turned it into a rental (who knows the final tax implications).

Congrats on getting your approval! I just moved to Vancouver Island last year

We are emigrating on a skilled worker permanant resident Visa, not a work permit. A tourist visa only allows you to remain in the country for 6 mos before you have to have either a work permit or permanent resident status.

Everyone I've talked to, and everything I've read, says you have to "land" before your medical exam expires (a year after the exam), but you are only required to reside within Canada for 24 out of the 60 months following landing in order to maintain permanent resident status.

Where did you hear about the 6 month rule?

Edited to add:
We may have misunderstood each other- I may not have been clear that we are "landing" soon, then moving later.
We plan on landing at (US) Thanksgiving time; our medical exams expire in January. Thanksgiving is the only time both our kids will be on break from College at the same time before January. Excited and nervous at the same time. Oregone, I may contact you later for some tips on adjusting to Canadian life... :)

On my visa (in my passport), there was an expiration date. Try:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Canada+skilled+workers+visa+expiration

Yes, we also got skilled worker (PR) visas, just like you. Once you get the gray envelope and send in your passports, just check the sticker visa that gets applied. You must land before that date, as far as I am aware.


"I may not have been clear that we are "landing" soon, then moving later."

Ok. Then you are good to go as long as the visa is still valid *when you land*, and you respect the time rule *after you land*. But, I thought on www.britishexpats.com there was some mention of filling out some form when you land, but don't intend to reside there until later (don't quote me on this! :) ).

Unforts, you aren't really eligible for medical until you reside there (BC took 6 weeks to cover us).

When you "land", make sure you go to Service Canada and get your SIN numbers (takes 15 minutes), and open a bank account while you are at it (Coast Capital is a decent CU). While you are at the bank, get a Desjardins Visa (for each of you) and try and get a security backed loan (they put a few thousand into a fund you borrow, you make monthly automatic payments, then after the term, the money is yours--costs next to nothing in interest and boosts your credit rating). You may also want a PO Box, so they have some place to send your PR card in a few weeks.

BTW, any purchases you make with American funds there, well, you may want to get a US Capital One credit card before you leave. They waive the transactions fees and give you air miles. It allows you to do a straight conversion if you pay it off from your US bank account. If you need cash, go to a low-overhead exchanger (if you are in Victoria, try FX Connectors--Ive found no one that beats their rates and the guy there is real nice).

Don't buy a house. BC is a massive bubble. Half a million for a buy in, in the greater Victoria area. Rent out you home in the states for two years, wait out the market, and rent in BC (you need two years of tax returns anyway to get decent rates on mortgages). Be patient. The Liberals have really put BC in a jam, and the economy will go through the shitter and things will readjust

Oh yeah...on the financial stuff....your life just got a little more complicated! Just try and adjust and save some money. :)

I can tell you what we know. We are still learning the ropes too! I definitely love the experience so far and wouldn't change a thing. Im so happy to be able to raise my children here (one was just born here!).