When U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration coincided with Martin Luther King Day in January, it felt particularly bitter for Jacquelin Lynott.
The Maryland-based therapist, married to a transgender man, saw the executive orders Trump signed on his first day in office as a direct threat to civil rights.
As Trump declared “there are only two genders” and vowed to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Lynott and her partner reached a conclusion: the United States was no longer safe for them.
“They all smell quite a bit like fascism,” Lynott told CBC.
Since then, she has been researching how to move to Ontario, joining what immigration lawyers describe as a surge of Americans exploring Canadian immigration. However, as many disillusioned voters are finding out, leaving Trump’s America is far easier said than done.
Back in 2016, celebrities like Amy Schumer, Lena Dunham, Snoop Dogg, and Bryan Cranston vowed to flee north if Trump won. Few actually did, largely due to Canada’s strict immigration policies.
“‘What do you mean I can’t move to Canada next week?'” is how immigration lawyer Ryan Rosenberg describes the surprised reaction of Americans learning about the process.
Rosenberg, managing partner at Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver, launched trumpugees.ca last year with the tagline: “Tired of Trump? Thinking about Canada? We can help.”
“We’ve been inundated with Americans looking to move to Canada,” he told CBC.
But fewer than five percent of inquiries turn into actual applications, he estimates. Many Americans assume they can relocate without a job offer, only to be met with disappointment.
“It’s often met with frustration and confusion from Americans who have what I would call a sense of entitlement about these things,” he said. “They’re calling with their heart, not with their mind.”
At a time when Canada is looking to reduce immigration, options are even more limited. Unless an applicant speaks French or has a high-demand skillset, permanent residency remains out of reach, Ottawa immigration lawyer Betsy Kane explained.
“There’s certainly a lot of inquiries, but not necessarily a lot of actionable plans,” she said.
British Columbia is recruiting doctors and nurses from the U.S., but other professions are in lower demand.
“For somebody living in the States and looking at opportunities in Canada, it’s pretty difficult right now unless they have a job offer in a specific field,” Kane said.
Lynott and her partner are not alone in feeling unsafe in the U.S. Many in the 2SLGBTQ+ community are eager to leave.
“Looking at history, when things became particularly precarious for certain groups, the erasing of history is always a massive red flag,” Lynott said, referring to Trump’s removal of transgender references from the Stonewall National Monument website.
However, Canada has not accepted 2SLGBTQ+ Americans as asylum seekers.
“Discrimination is not a basis for an asylum claim,” Ottawa immigration lawyer Julie Taub explained.
But for some Americans, there is a simpler path. Those with Canadian heritage—whether born in Canada or with a Canadian parent or grandparent—can often establish citizenship through paperwork.
“This is a new phenomenon for me,” Taub told CBC. “They’re well-established in the States with excellent careers, but they just want to come here now because of what’s happening.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s presidency has also triggered a reverse effect. Toronto-based immigration lawyer David Garson has seen more Americans seeking to move north—but also a growing number of Canadians eager to leave.
“People are paying a lot for a little, their salaries are capped,” he said. “And don’t shoot the messenger, but a lot of people are fed up with the ‘DEI wokeness’ of Canada.”
Licensed to practice in both the U.S. and Canada, Garson says widespread discontent has clients looking for greener grass on both sides of the border.
“I’ve been practicing for many years,” he said. “I’ve never seen times like these. I have never seen this much disarray.”
For now, Lynott and her partner are seeking job offers in Ontario, hoping to apply through Canada’s Express Entry system.
“But as of right now, it is mostly a waiting game,” she said.
Source: Swifteradio.com
