LIVING IN THE US
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If all has gone according to plan so far, you will have been granted TN or H-1B status, and now it is time to consider planning your move! This includes tasks such as: finding housing, importing your car, obtaining a driver's license, and opening a bank account.
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Note: Your Canadian credit score does not follow you to the United States. You should expect to pay deposits on any utilities or services until you establish credit in the US.
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The To-Do List​
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There are a number of important tasks that, once completed, will make your move easier. Some tasks should be completed before you begin your move, while other cannot be completed until after you begin living in the United States.
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Make a list of all tasks to be completed before your move
Here are several topics that will be covered to help make your transition relatively smooth:
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Find Housing​
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As a Canadian citizen, you are authorized to rent or purchase a home in the United States. However, as an individual moving to the US on with temporary work status, you may find it difficult to obtain a mortgage from a lender. Another option you have is to rent. This gives you the flexibility to live in different neighborhoods over the course of your time in the US, and you will have an easier time finding an apartment to rent than finding a mortgage lender who will loan you money to purchase a home.
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Here are a few websites that contain listings for homes available to rent or buy:
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Note: Be cautious of potential rental scams when looking for housing online or signing a lease before seeing the unit.
Tip: Some cities place limits on how many pets and what species/breeds are allowed to live in a household at any given time. Call the owner of the listing and confirm your pet will be approved. Be prepared to pay a pet deposit and monthly pet rent, as well.
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When finding a rental property, be prepared to have to pay first and last month's rent, a damage deposit, a pet deposit, an application fee, and a background check fee. If you're lucky, your landlord may be willing to conduct a Canadian credit check in lieu of an American one (since you have no American credit history yet). A landlord may be hesitant to rent to you if you don't have the funds upfront to cover the deposits prior to moving in. Hopefully you will connect with a landlord who will hold the unit for you until you arrive to the US, and will only require the rental fees once you move into the unit.
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Renting gives you more flexibility than buying when you move
Get Health Care​
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Being a Canadian citizen comes with the benefit of provincial health care coverage. In the United States, citizens are not afforded the same luxury. So, you need to prepare a few things before you move to make sure you have health coverage when you move, and maintain it while you're out of the country so that it is immediately available to use when you move back to Canada.
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Your US employer will likely offer a health care plan for which you will pay a monthly premium. Until then, you want to make sure you have health care coverage from the day you leave your Canadian home to the day you are covered by your employer's health insurance in the US.
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Maintaining Provincial Health Coverage
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Provincial health coverage during a temporary absence differs between provinces. Click on a link below to see what your province requires to apply for an extension of your coverage.
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Note: Most provinces will only cover emergency services outside of the country, and only for the amount they would cover within your province. Sign up for private medical coverage to fill in the coverage gaps.
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Your extended provincial health care plan should not be your only form of coverage while you wait for your employee medical benefits to cover you. It is strongly recommended that you purchase some type of private or travel medical insurance that will cover you until your employer's plan covers you.
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Travel medical insurance can be purchased from:
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Bank
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Private provider
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Roadside assistance provider
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Credit card provider
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Learn how to maintain your provincial health care coverage while in the US
Prepare to Move
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You'll have a long road ahead of you, and one of the most important things to do is to make sure you find a reputable moving company to transport your belongings from Canada to the US. Some employers will provide this service for you, and in some cases, even provide packers to pack your items before shipping. You have a few options when it comes to moving your items long-distance. You can hire a moving company that transports all your belongings across both countries in a truck, a moving company that lets you pack a truck that you then unpack at your destination, or a moving company that provides you with a storage bin that you fill and they transport for you. A shipping container moving company is often the cheapest option but requires you to pack your own shipping container and ensure there is somewhere to deliver the container (some cities require special permits for this), and you must unpack it yourself. While it is the cheaper option, it can be more stressful than using a full-service moving company.
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Here are some storage container moving companies to look into:
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Regardless of what type of company you use for your move, you will need to make sure to have the proper forms filled out to ensure proper entry of your belongings. Your personal effects are entitled to duty-free exemption upon entry, but you will need to have the proper paperwork and an inventory list to start the process. Hiring a long-distance moving company with experience moving from Canada to the US will make this a much smoother process and they should handle the majority of the paperwork for you.
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Forward Your Mail
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While you are living in the United States, it is important to forward your Canadian mail to your US address. Some companies will not allow you to change your mailing address to a US address, but luckily, Canada Post allows forwarding of mail internationally. Sign up here to make sure you never miss a letter.
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Find a reliable moving company to make your move easier
Drive in the US​
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Driver's License
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The length of time you can use your Canadian license to drive in the US differs between states. Familiarize yourself with the requirements of your state so you can be prepared with any necessary paperwork before you leave Canada. In some states, converting your Canadian provincial license to a United States license may be easy, or you may be required to re-take the written and/or driving test in your state.
Import Your Car
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If you have a car and are planning to bring it with you, you need to import the car at a port of entry. This does not need to be done immediately upon entry, but it will be easiest if you can import it then. Your car must be lien-free and comply with US requirements. It will need to be cleaned prior to importation. Many state laws differ regarding how long after establishing residency you need to get a new driver's license and import your car. Take a look at your state's Department of Licensing (DoL) website to see what the laws are for your state.
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Note: Before a Canadian car can be imported to the US, it must meet specific requirements. Not all Canadian cars are easily importable.
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Car Insurance
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If you are planning to drive your car in the US, you should inform your Canadian auto insurance provider to maintain coverage until you import your car. As soon as you import your car and get new license plates, your Canadian auto insurance becomes invalid. To prevent a lapse in coverage, get some auto insurance quotes online from a few US-based insurance companies. As soon as you import your car, sign up for a US auto policy. If you choose to not import your car at the port of entry, your state may require you to obtain a driver's license before you can import your car and get auto insurance. Familiarize yourself with your state's laws regarding the timeline for importing your car, obtaining a license, and insuring your vehicle.
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You must import your car to the US before you register it in your state
Get an ID​
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Get a Social Security Number (SSN)
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As soon after your move as possible, you need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). This SSN will follow you for life, authorize you to work in the US, pay taxes, prove your identity, and develop credit. After applying for your SSN, it may take up to two weeks to get your card.
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Check out the Social Security Administration website to see what paperwork you need to begin your application and to find an office near you.
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Get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
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Any dependents you bring with you to the US would benefit from having their own identification number. Without working status in the US, your dependent cannot obtain their own SSN. However, your dependents are eligible for an ITIN, a 9-digit identification number that will not allow them to gain employment, but will allow them to pay taxes, prove their identity, and develop credit. If your status in the US changes to permanent residency, your dependent may be authorized to apply for their own SSN at that time. Until then, applying for an ITIN will suffice.
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Take a look at the IRS website to see what is required to apply for an ITIN.
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Get a Bank Account​
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Before You Go
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Several Canadian banking institutions will allow you to open a cross-border bank account and apply for a US-dollar credit card before you leave. This is beneficial because it will prevent you from being charged foreign transaction fees as you would if you were to use your Canadian credit card in the US.
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Below are some of the Canadian banks that offer US banking solutions.
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TD Canada Trust and TD Bank
TD Canada Trust and its US counterpart, TD Bank, make it easy to open a US bank account before you even cross the border. What's great about TD Bank is that you can apply for a US credit card once you have your SSN, and TD Bank will pull your Canadian credit report when they process your application. TD Canada Trust and TD Bank make it fairly simple to transfer money between accounts, but this must be done over the phone with a TD representative.
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RBC Royal Bank and RBC Bank
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RBC Royal Bank aims to make it easy for Canadians to access their money across the border. Their US counterpart, RBC Bank, will also pull your Canadian credit report when you submit your application for a US credit card. You can easily transfer money across the border any time of day with a cross-border account using their mobile app.
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American Express​
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If you are an American Express card holder, you can actually convert your Canadian account to a US one.
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When You Arrive​
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Open a Bank Account​
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When you arrive to the US, find a bank or credit union you like to set up an account. This will not only allow you to begin to develop a business relationship with your bank (helpful if you ever want to apply for credit), but it will also allow you to have a safe place to deposit your paycheck and withdraw money for the services you will be setting up when you first arrive. Some banks will require you to have an SSN before opening a checking account. In my experience, Wells Fargo will allow you to open an account without an SSN. Ask around at a few banks you are interested in joining to see which works best for your situation.
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Get a Credit Card
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Even though you are a Canadian Citizen who likely has developed a substantial credit history in Canada, your credit history will be left at the border. With your new US SSN, you will need to begin to develop credit from scratch, as though you are opening a credit account for the first time. If you haven't opened any US credit cards with the Canadian banking institutions listed above, consider opening a secured credit card at your US bank or credit union of choice. Add your SSN and ITINs to the credit account to begin building your credit. A secured credit card allows you to put down a deposit on a credit card, which then becomes your card's credit limit. Over time, your bank will evaluate the risk associated with your secured credit card and may offer you an unsecured credit card later on. Inquire with your bank to check how often they evaluate credit accounts.
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Dependents
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Your dependents without SSNs will not be authorized to open credit accounts in their name, even if they have hold an ITIN. You can help your dependents get a jump-start on their credit accounts by adding them as an authorized user on your credit account. This would provide the dependent access to your credit account via a card of their own, but any activity of theirs will directly influence your credit. While this can be beneficial for your dependent to help build their credit, it can be detrimental to your credit history if your dependent abuses the privilege of your card.
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Maintain Canadian Credit
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If you ever intend to return to Canada, it may be a good idea to maintain your Canadian credit while abroad. This can be as simple as using your Canadian credit cards once a year and paying them off in-full as soon as you use them. Your credit score is affected by many different factors, one of which is inactivity. If you don't use your Canadian credit cards for years at a time, it is possible the Canadian financial institution that owns the card can close your dormant account - something that is less than ideal if you ever decide to move back to Canada.
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Summary
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Setting up your US credit (or at least a cross-border banking account) before you move to the US will be one of the best things you can do for yourself before your move. This will set you up for success when you begin to develop your credit score once you received your SSN.
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Create a banking plan before you move
Begin working on your credit as soon as you can
Live Your Life!​
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Now that you've gone through a list of important tasks to complete before you move, you should feel fairly prepared for your new move! Hopefully this guide was helpful and will help make the process feel less overwhelming.
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When you arrive to your new home, take some time to explore your neighborhood. Try the local cuisine, join a local hobby group to make some friends, and lastly, do whatever you can to make your new house feel like a home.​
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Enjoy life in your new city!