Moving to Toronto as an American: visa routes

You can drive to Canada on a passport and a smile, but living in Toronto takes a real permit, and the right one depends on your job, your partner and your plans.

The short version

US citizens don't need a visa or an eTA to visit Canada. A valid passport is recommended [1].
Visiting isn't moving. As a visitor you can't work for a Canadian employer, though IRCC lets "digital nomads" work remotely for a foreign employer for up to six months at a time [2].
The fastest work route for many professionals is a CUSMA professional work permit: no labor market test, covering about 60 professions, typically valid up to three years and renewable [3].
Permanent residence usually comes through Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trades) or sponsorship by a Canadian spouse or partner [4][5].
Canada has no retirement visa. Retirees without a Canadian family tie are generally limited to long visits.

Start here: visiting vs. living

Back in the States, people often say "I'll just move to Canada" like it's a few hours up I-90. Getting there is easy. Staying legally is the part with fine print.

US citizens are visa-exempt and don't need an Electronic Travel Authorization, even when flying into Pearson [1]. The border officer decides how long you can stay. Most visitors get up to six months, and IRCC's guidance for remote workers uses that same six-month frame [2].

The big rule: as a visitor you can't take a job with a Canadian employer. You also won't qualify for OHIP, Ontario's public health insurance, which requires permanent residence, a qualifying work permit or another eligible status, plus at least 153 days a year in the province [6].

The main routes for Americans

Route	Who it fits	Leads to permanent residence?	Key detail
Visitor (remote worker)	People employed by, or invoicing, clients outside Canada	No	Up to 6 months at a time; no Canadian employer [2]
CUSMA professional	Degreed professionals with a Canadian job offer	Indirectly, via Canadian work experience	About 60 listed professions; up to 3 years, renewable [3]
Employer-sponsored work permit	Workers outside the CUSMA list	Indirectly	The employer usually needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
Study permit	Students at a designated learning institution	Indirectly	CAD 150 fee (about USD 107 in 2026); apply before you go [7]
Express Entry	Skilled workers, especially with Canadian experience	Yes	Points-based draws; three federal programs [4]
Spousal or partner sponsorship	Partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents	Yes	Covers spouses, common-law and conjugal partners [5]

CUSMA professionals: the "TN" of the north

If you've heard of the TN visa that brings Canadians to the US, this is the mirror image. Under the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA, the trade deal Americans call the USMCA), US citizens in listed professions can get a work permit without the employer needing an LMIA [3]. The list includes accountants, engineers, lawyers, pharmacists, registered nurses, scientists and university instructors, among others.

What you'll need, in general:

A job offer from a Canadian employer in a listed profession.
Proof of your qualifications, usually a degree, and a professional license if the job requires one in Ontario.
A detailed offer letter describing the role, pay and duration.

Because US citizens are visa-exempt, they may apply at a port of entry, but approval is up to the officer, and many applicants apply online first, especially in regulated professions [3]. Permits are typically valid for up to three years, and extensions are common [3]. Spouses may qualify for an open work permit, depending on the job's skill level and how long the permit runs [3].

Remote work as a visitor

IRCC's own guidance says digital nomads need only visitor status if they work remotely for a foreign employer, or serve clients outside Canada if self-employed. That work "does not constitute entering the Canadian labour market" [2]. You must show you have enough money, your income is earned outside Canada, and you'll leave at the end of your stay. To stay longer than you were first allowed, you apply for a visitor record [2].

It's a handy way to test-drive Toronto for a season. It isn't a long-term plan: there's no OHIP, and you can't rent long-term forever on visitor status without questions at the border.

Express Entry and permanent residence

Express Entry is the online system that manages three programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program [4]. Candidates are ranked by points for age, education, language and work experience, and Canada invites the top scorers in regular draws. IRCC changed the points for Canadian work experience and job offers in 2026 [4], so check the current rules before you count your points.

The common American path: come on a CUSMA permit, work in Toronto for a year, then apply through the Canadian Experience Class. Canadian work experience in a skilled job is a big boost, and an Ontario provincial nomination adds even more points [3].

Family: a Canadian spouse or partner

If you're married to, or in a common-law relationship with, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, they can sponsor you for permanent residence [5]. Processing times vary, and an incomplete application is the classic way to slow things down [5]. Many couples apply while the American partner is already in Toronto on another status.

Students

A study permit costs CAD 150 (about USD 107 in 2026), and IRCC says to apply before you travel [7]. USD conversions use the Bank of Canada rate of 1.3989 CAD per USD (November 5, 2026) [8]. You'll need an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution. Canada has capped and tightened student permits in recent years, so read IRCC's current requirements carefully. Our guide to university in Canada for American students covers fees and using US federal aid.

Retirees

Canada doesn't offer a retiree visa like Mexico or Portugal do. Unless you have a family route, retirement in Toronto usually means long visits rather than residence. Snowbirds, take note: Canada is where you go in the summer.

What to do first

Once you know your route, the order matters:

Lock in your status. Don't sign a lease or ship furniture until you know which permit you're getting.
Check your passport. Make sure it has plenty of validity left. See renewing a US passport abroad.
Plan the health gap. OHIP has no waiting period anymore, but you must qualify and apply in person at ServiceOntario with three original documents [6]. Visitors and some permit holders need private coverage.
Sort your US paperwork. Keep a US bank account and address, enroll in STEP, and plan for your US tax return, which you still file every year.
Get a Social Insurance Number once you arrive with a work or study permit. Our guide to your first weeks in Toronto walks through it.

Weather, distance and life next door

Toronto is about 160 km (100 miles) from Buffalo and about 370 km (230 miles) from Detroit, so a drive home for Thanksgiving is doable. Winters are long. January days often stay below 0°C (32°F), and cold snaps can drop well below -10°C (14°F). Summers are warm and humid, a lot like Chicago's.

The culture will feel familiar, which can be a trap. Canadian rules on taxes, health care, tenancy and banking are genuinely different, and assuming "it's basically like home" is how Americans get surprised. Ask questions early. Our community group for Americans in Canada is full of people who've been through the same permits.

Moving to Toronto as an American: the visa routes that actually work