Canada
Canada is a comparatively LGBTQ+-friendly country located in North America, north of the United States, with legal protections for trans people written into the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, part of the Canadian constitution.
Urgent Warning: As of October 16, 2025, TWE does not recommend applying to asylum from the physical border due to the likelihood of immediate rejection. If you attempt to make a refugee/asylum claim at the border and you don't qualify for any of these exceptions to the satisfaction of a border official, you will lose your ability to make a claim PERMANENTLY. The current recommended route to asylum is to ARRIVE FIRST - DO NOT MENTIONING INTENT TO CLAIM ASYLUM and THEN make a claim with the IRCC ONCE INSIDE THE COUNTRY. The risk of a legal ruling against your claim and the removal of your ability to make a claim in the future must be weighed against the benefits of residing in Canada for 2-3 years to wait out a change in conditions within the US. - All current methods for asylum claimants come with risks. Make sure you are fully informed. READ ON for more information.
Why Canada?
- Legal gender recognition: Yes; gender transition and non-binary classification on official documents is available and recognized.
- Anti-discrimination laws: Yes; Federal Protections for "gender identity or expression" as prohibited grounds for discrimination were added to section 318 of the Canadian Human Rights Act in 2017. (citation needed)
- Public healthcare: Yes, public healthcare covers the cost of regular GP visits and most procedures, including emergency procedures. It doesn't cover prescriptions and ambulance rides.
- LGBTQ+ rights and community: Very Yes; The community here is strong and we are fighting HARD to bring any one of you into safety. It’s not perfect here, but our pride and advocacy communities are tight-knit and are working closely to fight against Anti LGBTQ policies that are plaguing at-risk populations globally.
- Immigration pathways: A variety of work and family visas are available, and people with a Canadian ancestor are automatically eligible for Canadian citizenship. Asylum claims are not a viable approach for US citizens at this time.
Why not Canada
- Provincial-level Anti-trans laws have been put into affect in many provinces including Alberta, Saskatchewan, PEI and others. Even though advocacy groups are fighting legal battles to stall and overturn these violations of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a pending federal election in October that may put the an ant-trans legislator as head of the federal government as Prime-Minister
- Housing crisis shortage
- The federal government has recently limited the number of potential immigration, work, and study visas available to foreign parties. The lottery draws for permanent residence have also become more competitive (if they happen at all).
- Jordan Peterson is from here (sorry)
Political Situation for Trans People
Trans people enjoy federal protections as a protected class of people under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (equivalent to the United States Constitution)
Despite this, many provincial governments have attempted or begun passing anti-trans legislation aimed at excluding or eliminating trans-individuals from public life. This has been seen in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and PEI, particularly aimed at trans minors while talks occur about tabling more severe legislation.
Anti-trans rhetoric does exist here. Different provinces have different levels of transphobia in their governments, though every province does still provide trans care to at least an extent, including bottom surgery and some top surgeries.
In Alberta, the United Conservative Party (UCP) under Premier Danielle Smith have begun pushing through anti-trans legislation, primarily targeting minors. (Danielle Smith formerly ran the Wild rose Party of Alberta that fought against the criminalization of conversion therapy in 2007.)
Saskatchewan also has a an anti-trans government in the form of the right wing Saskatchewan Party government of Premier Scott Moe, similarly bringing anti-trans legislation into law.
These policies are not popular nationwide; in New Brunswick, Blaine Higgs's right wing Progressive Conservatives lost a recent election in a landslide in part due to their efforts to push similar anti trans legislation. British Columbia's center left NDP government, supported by the Green Party, under leadership of Premier David Eby ,is generally supportive of trans rights.
Access to Trans Healthcare
Access to gender affirming healthcare is available. In Alberta, for example, the wait time to see a gender specialist is about 6 months.
Obtaining HRT as an adult is as simple as travelling to any pharmacy with a prescription. But provincial healthcare doesn't cover the full cost of HRT and many other necessary medications. Likewise, healthcare does not cover the cost of mental health resources or visits.
Surgeries require the signature of two (2) separate and independent psychiatrists and the wait times are two (2) years on average.
There are only 2 clinics approved for performing gender confirmation. One (1) in British Colombia and one (1) in Ontario. Despite this, the one in British Columbia doesn't take patients from specific provinces, like Alberta.(citation needed) Trans femme people have reported that the full gender confirmation process has taken approximately 5 years.
Immigration Policy
In general, you must have a work or study permit to reside in Canada for longer than 180 days.
Canada offers the following types of visas:
- Student Visa
- Remote Work / Digital Nomad (simply enter Canada and work remotely up to 180 days)
- CUSMA Professional Work Permit for in-demand professions, such as tech and nursing.
- Work Permit under LMIA for all other job categories
- Intra-company Transfer Permit if your employer relocates you
- Open Work Permit for students and family members of those on other permits
- Start-up Visa for entrepreneurs
- Self-employed Visa
- Family Reunification Visa for those who can be sponsored by family members
- Super Visa for parents joining their children who are Canadian residents
You can see all detailed visa options at Canada/Visa.
Info on crossing the border here.
Refugee Status
How you apply as an asylum claimant is vital!
Application to refugee status or asylum claims at the physical border are not viable for US citizens as of August 24th, 2025.[1]
Instead, refugee lawyers that have been in-contact with TWE have recommended arriving as a visitor first, and only then applying for asylum via. the online IRCC portal. This should be considered an EMERGENCY measure and has its risks.
The application process is fairly swift (1-2 weeks) and the legal process guarantees you a prolonged stay (2-3 years) wherein you'll be assigned a UCI number to qualify for public health care, financial assistance, etc. You can also apply for Legal Aid, on financial merit. (Our source has stated that Legal Aid has significantly reduced fees by half ($1,134.00 per family/individual claimant) for LGBTQ+ individuals.) The risk of a legal ruling against your claim and the removal of your ability to make a claim in the future must be weighed against the benefits of residing in Canada for 2-3 years to wait out a change in conditions within the US.
Available under eligibility guidelines regarding ones safety in their location of origin, their criminal record, and passing a medical exam. Asylum applications from U.S. citizens are unprecedented and border officers have significant discretion on determining when a claim is and isn't viable.
Non-U.S. citizens (including Green Card holders/permanent residents) are subject to the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), must settle in the country they landed, and can not cross the American/ Canadian border to settle in the other instead. The agreement's policy on refugees does not apply to US citizens directly[2], but provides legal precedent for the United States having legal status as a "safe" country, thereby burdening applicants efforts to justify why they cannot safely be returned to the US[3].
Human rights advocates and organizations such as Rainbow Railroad[4] and the UNHCR have appealed the Canadian federal government to make an emergency exemption for trans US citizen to protect them from persecution. This would remove barriers to asylum status that prevent claimants from applying successfully at the border. At this time, no decision has been made on the appeal. In addition, there are a few high profile cases of transgender US citizens testing the waters and seeking asylum in Canada.[5][6] This route should generally be considered risky at the moment, and anyone seriously considering it should consider all other options first, including other potentially viable countries, discuss with an immigration lawyer specializing in refugee claims before proceeding, and be prepared for a long and expensive legal battle, which may end in your refoulement[7] to the U.S. Anyone who claims asylum and is not immediately denied at the border will not be able to return to the U.S. without forfeiting their claim until it is processed, they receive permanent residence, and they become a citizen -- a process which can take many years.[8]
Permanent Residency
As soon as you get a temporary work or residence permit, you can apply for several federal and provincial nominee programs, which essentially put you into a drawing to gain PR.
There is also the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, which fast-tracks PR for those living in certain rural communities.
More details in Canada/Visa
Citizenship Pathways
You can qualify via family descent or by being a permanent resident for 3 years. More details at Canada/Visa#Naturlization
Banking
The key to getting access to all of Canada's banking possibilities is getting a SIN (Social Insurance Number). You will get a SIN if you can get a work or study permit.
Without a SIN
Those who are without SIN... can at least get a checking account.[9] All you need to do is make an appointment at a bank physically located within Canada and show up with your passport. If they ask for an address, you can give them your old US address or wherever you're staying now.
You WILL NOT be able to get a credit card but your bank account will have a debit card you can use. You can use this card in many card readers, but some card readers won't accept it because they only execute credit transactions.
With a SIN
You will then be able to get all banking services, including a credit card. Many banks have "newcomer" plans that give you better credit limits off the bat without having a credit history established.
Cross-Border Accounts
All of Canada's major banks offer some variation of a cross-border or "borderless" account. It's a soup of product names that boils down to 2 types of accounts:
- You can open a US-dollar (USD) account in your Canadian bank. You can freely transfer money between this account and your Canadian dollar (CAD) account and you get better exchange rates. This can be a good place to stash cash if you think that the USD will remain strong vs the CAD so you can hold USDs and transfer out to CAD as needed.
- Many Canadian banks have branches in the US. If you open an account at a US branch and link it to your Canadian account, these banks offer seamless transfers between your accounts without having to do expensive wire transfers.
Transferring Money from the US
Normally, you can initiate an international wire transfer from your US bank to your Canadian bank but they can be expensive (can be $50 at some banks) and can take a few days. N.B. Canadian banks do not use ABA routing numbers for wire transfers. You'll need your account's SWIFT code, branch ID, transit number, and account number.
The best path is to have a USD account with a US branch of BMO Harris or TD. Once you set up a Canadian bank account with the same parent company, you can call customer support to enable an international transfer option. This gives you free transfers between your US and Canadian accounts that usually only take a day or two to process. When you execute the transfer you specify your USD "cross-border" account as the target. You can then transfer from your Candian USD to the CAD account at a cheap exchange rate.
Interac e-Transfer
You will see many businesses accepting payments via Inetrac. It is very similar to Zelle in the US. You associate an email address with it and you send folks money from your banking app by specifying their email as the recipient. There are no transaction fees and it's instantaneous. If you get a checking account/debit card without a SIN, you can still use Interac.
Community Resources
- Canadian Government Database for Newcomer Resources
Alberta
Calgary
- Immigrant Services Calgary Society - Center for Newcomers
- Immigrant Arrival Centre
Edmonton
- Edmonton Immigrant Services Association
- Assist Community Services Centre
- Alberta Immigrant Women & Children Centre (AIWCC)
- Central Alberta Refugee Effort (CARE) Committee
British Columbia
Vancouver
- Immigrant Services Society of BC
- Action Commitment Transformation (ACT)
Greater Victoria Area
- Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA)
- DIVERSEcity
- Chimo Community Services
- Options Community Services
Prince George
- Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society (IMSS)
Kamloops
- Kamloops Immigrant Services
Kelowna
- Kelowna Community Resources
Saskatchewan
Saskatoon
Global Gathering Place
https://globalgatheringplace.com/
Saskatoon Open Door Society
Prince Albert
YWCA: Prince Albert
https://www.ywcaprincealbert.ca/community-connection-centre
North & South Battleford
Battlefords Immigration Resource Center
https://www.battlefordsimmigration.ca/
Regina
Regina Open Door Society Inc.
1855 Smith Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P 2N5
306-352-4600
Humbolt
The Humbolt Regional Newcomer Centre (HRNC)
Manitoba
Winnipeg
Spence Neighbourhood Association
https://spenceneighbourhood.org/
430 Langside Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 2T5
431-444-3907
Ontario
Toronto
YMCA of Greater Toronto - Toronto Lansing Square YMCA - Newcomer Information Centre (North York East)
2 Lansing Square, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 4P8
416-502-2484
Centre for Immigant and Community Services (CICS) - North York
https://www.cicscanada.com/en/
1761 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 1F, North York, Ontario, M2J 0A5
416-292-7510
The 519
https://www.the519.org/programs/category/new-to-canada/
519 Church St, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 2C9
416-392-6874
Ottawa
Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization - Orleans Cumberland Community Resources Centre (OCCRC)
240 Centrum Boulevard, Ottawa, Ontario, K1E 3J4
613-830-4357
Quebec
Montreal
Centre D'Appui Aux Communautes Immigrantes (Immigrant and Reffugee Assistance Centre in Montreal)
12049, boul. Laurentien, Montréal, H4K 1M8
514-856-3511
Grand Montreal Gatineau - 211
https://www.211qc.ca/en/immigration-and-cultural-communities
Agence Ometz
https://www.ometz.ca/gethelp/immigrants/immigration+resources/
1 Cummings Square, 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1M6
514-342-0000
Quebec City
French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII)
Newfoundland & Labrador
Labrador City
Association for New Canadians
43 Tamarack Drive, Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador, A2V 0C5
709-944-7775
Prince Edwards Island (PEI)
Charlottetown
Immigrant & Refugee Services Association PEI inc.
49 Water Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, C1A 1A3
902-628-6009
- ↑ https://www.unhcr.ca/in-canada/seeking-asylum-in-canada/who-can-claim-asylum-at-the-border/
- ↑ https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/I-2.5/FullText.html
- ↑ https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/agreements/safe-third-country-agreement/final-text.html
- ↑ https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/the-latest/canada-must-act-exempt-trans-non-binary-intersex-asylum-seekers-from-stca
- ↑ https://www.thecut.com/article/trans-woman-seeks-asylum-in-canada-due-to-trump-policies.html
- ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/non-binary-deportation-ruling-1.7588820
- ↑ the forcible return of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:2 - ↑ https://www.internations.org/canada-expats/guide/banks-taxes