Why Canada?

Urgent Warning!: As of February, 10 2025 there are likely no viable routes to gain Refugee/Asylum status for current U.S. Citizens.

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. Please, consult an immigration lawyer before making an asylum claim, there is a high bar for documentation required to make these claims and it should not be considered a viable option in most cases. 

Canada is a comparatively LGBTQ+-friendly country located in North America, north of the United States, with legal protections for trans people written into our Charter of Rights and Freedoms (equivalent to an amendment in the American Constitution).

Anti-trans rhetoric does exist here and the United Conservative Party (UCP) have begun pushing through ant-trans legislation, primarily targeting minors and particularly in Alberta under Premier Danielle Smith. (Danielle smith formerly ran the Wild rose Party of Alberta that fought against the criminalization of conversion therapy in 2007)

(Primary author's note: I am a trans woman living in Alberta, and even though I know anti-trans sentiment exists here, I have not experienced it personally)

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 parent 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
• Jordan Peterson is from here (sorry)

Political Situation for Trans People

Trans-identified 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.

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 Sex change operations. 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)}

Reports from trans people who have undergone the full process of MtF bottom surgery have reported the process taking approximately 5 years.

Immigration Policy

US citizens need a visa to move to Canada, unless the applicant applies for, and is eligible of, refugee status. The languages available for obtaining a visa are English and French. The methods of entry are listed below.

• Refugees: Available under eligibility guidelines regarding ones safety in their location of origin, their criminal record, and passing a medical exam. Neither refugee status nor asylum claims are viable for US citizens as of the 10th of February 2025.

• Student Visa: Available to …
• Family-Route: …
• Work Visa: A number of different work permits are available, full details of which - along with their application process - may be found on the work visa application information portal. They are typically conditional on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which your prospective employer must complete to prove that they genuinely need a foreign worker for the job, as opposed to a Canadian national. Most work visas of this kind are available via the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The International Mobility Program (IMP), does not require an LMIA be carried out.
  
  Employment positions eligible for IMP status are those which "provide broad economic, cultural or other competitive advantages for Canada, and provide reciprocal benefits for Canadian citizens and permanent residents."
  Workers eligible for the IMP include those entering Canada as part of trade treaties, such as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) or the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), those entering Canada on an open work permit (see below), and those entering Canada as intra-company transferees.This latter category has potential for US staff of companies with a significant presence in Canada, who may have the opportunity to request a transfer overseas.
  
  Open work permits are not tied to a specific employer, but are only available to people in a limited range of circumstances, including:
  • international students who have graduated from a designated learning institution and are eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program
  • student who can no longer able to meet the costs of their studies (destitute student)
  • workers with an employer-specific work permit who are being abused or at risk of being abused in relation to their job in Canada
  • those who have applied for permanent residence in Canada
  • dependent family members of someone who applied for permanent residence
  • the spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a low- or high-skilled worker
  • the spouse or common-law partner of an international student
  • the spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
  • refugees, refugee claimants, protected persons or their family members
  • personal under an unenforceable removal order
  • temporary resident permit holders
  • young workers participating in special programs
• Other business-related immigration options include:
  • The Start-Up Visa program for entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas, intended to boost innovation and growth in Canada. Applicants need a viable business plan, support from a designated organization, and intermediate language skills
  • The federal Self-Employed Visa Canada for individuals with relevant self-employment experience who wish to become permanent residents after setting up a business in Canada. Applicants must have two years of relevant experience within the past five and "must demonstrate both the intention and the ability to create their own employment, significantly contributing to Canada’s cultural, artistic, or athletic sectors."
  • For the wealthy, the Buy A Business and Move to Canada program.

Medical Inadmissibility

Canada requires some temporary residents and all permanent residents to complete an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) to determine whether they are medically admissible to Canada. You are required to complete a medical exam if you fall into one of the following situations.

• You plan to work in a field where public health must be protected (ie: a clinic, or a school). This is based on the employer and building you work in, not the job you do. So if you were a cleaner at a hospital for example, you would still need an IME.
• You want to stay in Canada more than 6 months or work in agriculture, and you have spent more than 6 months in a row in a listed country in the previous year. If you have not spent more than 6 months outside the USA in the last year, this does not apply to you.
• You are applying for a parent or grandparent super visa.
• You are applying for permanent residency (including refugee claimants).

If you need an exam it will likely be completed while you are still in the United States by a designated panel physician. You can find a listing at https://secure.cic.gc.ca/PanelPhysicianMedecinDesigne/en/Home. This exam will include blood testing and a chest X-Ray. People who are pregnant may be able to defer their chest X-Ray, but will be required to complete it later.

Canada reserves the right to refuse you entry to the country based on the results of this exam if they believe

• You are a danger to public health. For example if you have an active transmissible disease like Tuberculosis or Syphilis)
• You are a danger public safety. If you are determined to have a risk of unpredictable or violent behaviour or sudden incapacity.
• Your healthcare would cost the government more than $135,810 over five years. This does not apply to refugees, or sponsored dependant children, or partners.

If you are refused on medical grounds you may have the option to submit a mitigation plan.

Permanent Residency

What's the pathway if there is one?

Citizenship Pathway

How do you get to be a citizen if at all?

LGBTQ+ Friendly Cities

What are potentially good places to live in?

• Vancouver
• Calgary
• Toronto

Top Trans-Friendly Cities

• please add

Community & Support Resources

• There are several community Trans and LGBTQIA2S+ organizations depending on your location in Canada
• Skipping Stone in Calgary; offering free services and resources related to medical and social transition, community engagement, and mental health for trans people regardless of age.

National Organizations

• please add

Cost of Living

• The cost of living in COUNTRY is how comparable to the US/where in the US?
• Rent is high. Canada is currently considered to be suffering under a housing crisis
• Public transport is widely available and is generally affordable but differs between locations
• Healthcare is free for regular visits with your general practitioner, some procedures, and emergency services. Ambulance rides, prescription costs, mental health services, and some other exemptions are not covered by public healthcare.
• Grocery prices are high in comparison to living wages.
• Education widely available. Public education is free for minors. And various subsidies and scholarships are available for higher education, especially for minority groups.

Housing Access & Cost

• add details on discrimination in rentals if applicable
• Mortgage rates are high, housing availability is low, and rent is high

Law Enforcement ("How bad are the cops?")

• incidents of LGBTQ discrimination among the police force have been reported in many cities across Canada, particularly against trans women. But the police, on the whole, are not outwardly hostile to Trans people.

Censorship & Digital Privacy

• Beyond some legislation regarding the sharing of news outlets on social media, rights to free speech and right to gather are highly regarded as is digital security for Canadian residents and nationally as a whole.

Ease of Travel to Other Countries

• What about neighboring countries, visas for those, airports to travel etc.

Ease of Travel into Canada

• A NEXUS card allows entry into Canada from the U.S. without a passport. See www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus for more details.
• An Enhanced ID is available from five U.S. states, and allows entry into Canada at land or marine points of entry (it does not allow entry at airports). See www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they for more information.

Animal Policies

• Is COUNTRY is pet-friendly or not
• What do you need to do to bring a pet?
• Consider adding a section on the Traveling with pets page

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