The dream of packing up and starting anew in another country picked up steam among many Americans following the reelection of former President Donald Trump, with Google searches soaring in the 24 hours after polls closed.
But for many of the most popular destinations among prospective expats, the process of immigrating from the U.S. without a work visa — as well as a significant amount of cash on hand — can be quite difficult. Here are some of the costs associated with moving to a few of these locales, as well as other expenses associated with an international move.
For most, the way into Canada is through the Express Entry program. Applicants need to have a certain amount of cash savings — or what Canada calls “settlement funds” — to apply for Express Entry. A single person needs to demonstrate they have at least $14,690 CAD, or $10,548.08 in U.S. dollars, while a couple would need $13,131.61 USD. A family of four would need at least $19,600.47 USD to be considered.
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For those with enough cash, the first step is filling out the Express Entry application. Each applicant is assigned a point-based score, known as a Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS), based on factors including their age, work experience, education, proficiency in English or French, and how much money they have on hand. Most Express Entry applications are usually processed within six months. From there, the Canadian government ranks applicants and invites the........