If you’re considering moving to Canada from the United States — or even moving to the United States from Canada — you’ve come to the right place. The Moving Help® Marketplace understands how exciting and daunting this future move to a new country can be for some. Rest assured; we’ll help provide you with insights to make you feel more confident.
We’ll touch on key tips involving the immigration process, the different ways you could move your belongings, why choosing U-Haul and our Moving Help Marketplace Service Providers is the best choice for a cross-border move, and the different cultures and lifestyles between the two countries.
Let’s get started and dive into our expert Moving Help guide to make your international move as smooth as possible!
Immigration Options When Moving to Canada From the US
Before you begin moving, you’ll want to get your passports and visas in order. You may have several options for immigrating to Canada. Some options include:
- Express entry
- Family Sponsorship
- Quebec-selected skilled workers
- Caregivers
- Start-up visa
- Provincial nominees
We do know you’ll have plenty of paperwork to fill out, so you’ll want to make sure you get that done ahead of time and correctly. Nothing will be worse than realizing your official documents are incomplete or incorrect.
The process for receiving a visa can be long so expect a wait. You can apply online or possibly on paper. The steps will typically include the following:
- Apply for a work permit, study permit, or visitor visa
- Get your photo and fingerprints taken
- Wait for Canada to process and decide on your application
- Travel to Canada through a border security checkpoint
Learn more about immigrating to Canada on the official Canada.ca website or by visiting these other helpful resources. If needed, consult with an immigration lawyer for further questions.
Immigration Options When Moving to the US From Canada
Of course, you might be moving to the United States from Canada. In that case, you’ll need to get a visa when moving or working in the United States. Some cases might include certain exemptions. To figure out what you’ll need, visit: ca.usembassy.gov.
The visa process for entering the United States will be somewhat similar to what we outlined above for Canada.
Different Ways for Moving to Canada From the United States
You’ll have three main choices when it comes to moving to Canada from the U.S. You can choose to do:
- Full-service moving
- U-Haul and Moving Help
- DIY moving
Full-Service Moving
Full-service moving is when a team of movers comes to your home, packs everything, loads everything, drives your belongings to your destination, unloads, and unpacks. While this does sound nice, it’s by far the most expensive way to move.
Some full-service moving companies might have hidden fees as well — such as stair fees.
While you certainly won’t have to lift a finger, you’ll quickly burn a hole in your wallet.
U-Haul + Moving Help
The most convenient option is to use U-Haul and Moving Help, because you don’t have to do all the work on your own, and you won’t break your budget either. You can pair Moving Help with a U-Haul truck rental, or you can pair Moving Help with U-Box storage containers.
Moving Help has Service Providers in Canada and in the United States, so you’ll be sure to find one in your area.
DIY Moving
DIY moving stands for do-it-yourself moving. This is the most cost-effective option for customers, but it requires the most work. You’ll do all the packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking yourself. To save even more money, you’ll most likely use a U-Haul truck rental.
While you’ll save money, you’ll have to do all the work on your own unless you convince your family and friends to help you.
Moving to Canada From the United States With U-Haul + Moving Help
U-Haul and Moving Help can make your life easier when moving from Canada to the U.S. or even moving to the U.S. from Canada. You can pair Moving Help with U-Box storage containers or U-Haul truck rentals with Moving Help. You get to decide how much help you need with your move when you put the two together.
U-Haul Rental Truck + Moving Help
Moving Help has labor-only Service Providers who can offer loading and unloading, packing and unpacking, gun-safe moving, and other labor-only services.
This means you can drive the U-Haul truck rental to your first location, have Moving Helpers pack and/or load your belongings, drive to your second location, and have helpers load and/or unpack your belongings.
This option provides the convenience of having everything with you while you move without having to do all the work on your own.
U-Box Storage Containers + Moving Help
Some people don’t feel comfortable driving a truck rental, which is great because U-Haul has another option for customers: U-Box storage containers. U-Box containers are great for customers who don’t want to drive. U-Haul will ship U-Box containers internationally themselves.
When you pair U-Box storage containers and Moving Help, you have three options:
- U-Box delivery only: Moving Help providers will pick up the U-Box containers from the U-Haul location and deliver them to you. You load or unload the containers. Then, you’ll contact the provider to pick up the storage containers and bring them back to the U-Haul location. This is great for people who want to complete the loading or unloading themselves but avoid the driving part.
- U-Box load/unload only: Moving Help Service Providers will load or unload your U-Box containers for you. All you need to handle is the dropping off and picking up of the containers. U-Haul can deliver the storage containers, or if your vehicle can tow the storage containers, you can pick them up and drop them off yourself. This is a smart choice for people who want to handle the delivery aspect, but want experts to handle the loading and unloading.
- U-Box delivery and load/unload: Moving Helpers will pick up your U-Box storage containers from the U-Haul location, deliver them to your home, load or unload them, and deliver them back to the U-Haul location. This is an excellent choice for people who want someone else to handle the delivery and the loading and unloading while overseeing the move during moving day.
All these options are great for when you can ship your belongings, or you don’t want to drive a U-Haul truck rental. Additionally, the lock you’ll need to put onto the storage container will be your personal lock, which means you’ll be the only person who has the key to your locked box.
Use Moving Help Without U-Haul
If you’re moving your belongings but aren’t using a U-Haul truck rental or U-Box storage container, you can still hire labor providers from the Moving Help Marketplace.
That’s right. If you’re using pods, containers, or other truck rentals, you can still hire Moving Help for all your labor-only moving needs. Our expert Moving Helpers will be able to get you onto your new adventure quickly, safely, and efficiently.
Why Choose Moving Help When Moving to Canada from the United States?
If you’re planning on moving to Canada from the U.S. or vice versa, the Moving Help Marketplace is your go-to solution for several reasons.
The Moving Help Marketplace has Service Providers in all 50 U.S. states and all 10 Canadian provinces. This means you’ll be able to find help no matter where you move to and from.
Whether you move from New York to Toronto, or Seattle to Vancouver, or Calgary to Denver, Moving Help has you covered with our helpers.
Several other reasons to consider using Moving Help are:
- When booking with a provider, you’ll see the pricing in CAD for Canada and USD for the U.S.
- Moving Helpers are quick, efficient, reliable, and affordable.
- You pay for the services you need for your move.
- You can pair Moving Help with or without using U-Haul.
- You can see upfront pricing with no hidden fees, so the price you see is the price you pay.
- After booking a provider, you’ll receive a Payment Code. Your Service Provider doesn’t get paid until you release the code to them.
These benefits help you the customer and your moving timeline along with receiving reliable, affordable help that also fits your budget. You can get help tailored to your needs whether across town or across the border.
Canada and United States Culture and Lifestyle
When moving to a new country, you’ll need to adapt to the country’s culture and lifestyle. While Canada and the United States have some similarities, they also have some differences. Let’s take a look at both countries’ culture and lifestyles
Canada’s Culture and Lifestyle
Canada is known for its diversity and multiculturalism. Canada’s two primary languages are English and French, with French being the first language of the province of Quebec. Canadians also are known for their friendliness and welcoming attitude toward others.
Canada is also known for their recreational activities and attractions. You’ll never run out of breathtaking and gorgeous national parks — such as Banff National Park — and outdoor adventures to explore such as hiking, skiing, and kayaking.
United States Culture and Lifestyle
The United States also has a diverse and vibrant culture such as Los Angeles or New York. Americans place great value on freedom and individualism. The United States’ culture also focuses heavily on sports such as Super Bowl Sunday.
Americans love to spend more money on experiences such as visiting Disney World. The United States has many places with multiple cuisines from around the world for food enthusiasts. The cost of living in the United States varies by region and may differ compared to Canada, which is something to consider.
Create Your International Move Today
Moving to Canada from the United States or vice versa is entirely possible. Though it requires time and careful planning, an international move between both countries is manageable. When you use U-Haul and the Moving Help Marketplace, you can rest easy knowing the moving part will be handled with great care.
Find moving labor help today on the Moving Help Marketplace.
