Help with my understanding of what it means to bring a parent to the US

[Going through 5,671]

56 minutes ago, eckoin said:

1. She seems to think that she can maintain residency in Canada (Ontario specifically) if she lives there for 6 months. In order to be considered a resident, you need to reside in Ontario for 6 months + 1 day. But in order to maintain the green card requirement, you need to do the same in the US, right? So she can either maintain residency in the US but not Canada, or vice versa, but not both. Is that correct? 

For the most part on the Canadian side, and in its entirety on the American side, this is correct. 

 

To retain LPR status in the USA, she needs to make her permanent residence in the US (generally more time inside of the US than abroad).

To retain PR status in Canada, she needs to spend a  minimum of 730 days in Canada over each 5-year period, assessed on a rolling basis.

If she is employed by a Canadian company outside of Canada, those work days count as residency in Canada.

 

Is she trying to "maintain residency in Canada" because she believes she would be giving up her Canadian citizenship should she move to (and eventually become, if she wishes) a US citizen?  If so, Canada/America allows dual citizenship.

[eckoin 211]

1 minute ago, Going through said:

For the most part on the Canadian side, and in its entirety on the American side, this is correct. 

 

To retain LPR status in the USA, she needs to make her permanent residence in the US (generally more time inside of the US than abroad).

To retain PR status in Canada, she needs to spend a  minimum of 730 days in Canada over each 5-year period, assessed on a rolling basis.

If she is employed by a Canadian company outside of Canada, those work days count as residency in Canada.

 

Is she trying to "maintain residency in Canada" because she believes she would be giving up her Canadian citizenship should she move to (and eventually become, if she wishes) a US citizen?  If so, Canada/America allows dual citizenship.

Nope, she just thinks she can keep the healthcare benefits. Which I don't believe she can "living" in both countries at the same time 

[Going through 5,671]

3 minutes ago, eckoin said:

Nope, she just thinks she can keep the healthcare benefits. Which I don't believe she can "living" in both countries at the same time 

She's going to have to make a choice, then.

Giving up OHIP is one of the "hardships" for most Canadians when moving to the US  

 

On the plus side, she can still collect OAP and CPP if living abroad if/when eligible.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Going through

[Ontarkie 14,223]

The minute she crosses the border with her visa she will no longer be a Canadian resident for OHIP or any other tax related benefits. The 6 months 1 day is actually wrong it came to be because of the Snowbirds. Snowbirds can actually be away for a total of 8 months and keep OHIP (they can only be in the USA 6 months straight though) Snowbirds do not move, they do not give up their home, their residency. They are just traveling to get away from the cold. 

 

Canada is also cracking down big time on Canadians that abuse the health care system. So being a US green card holder and going back to Canada to use OHIP will catch up to her.

 

Now on to the Visa interview part. When the time comes to her interview they can ask for more proof you can handle your mothers medical costs and ask for proof. That is on top of the AOS you will submit. 

So in about 5 yrs time because how slow it is to get citizenship and how slow Montreal is, she may get to the US. 

[Going through 5,671]

2 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

The 6 months 1 day is actually wrong it came to be because of the Snowbirds. Snowbirds can actually be away for a total of 8 months and keep OHIP (they can only be in the USA 6 months straight though) Snowbirds do not move, they do not give up their home, their residency. They are just traveling to get away from the cold. 

I've always loved how the Snowbirds get this exception---no snark, just one of the nice things.  

[eckoin 211]

1 minute ago, Going through said:

She's going to have to make a choice, then.

Giving up OHIP is one of the "hardships" for most Canadians when moving to the US  

Yeah, I think she just severely underestimates her out of pocket expenses. 

 

I mentioned earlier, but she has these friends in Philly who came in on a tourist visa and never left. The epitome of obnoxious illegal immigrant. Every time they go to the hospital, they declare that they're homeless and "never get a bill". However that works--what an annoying thing to do. My mother doesn't want to come illegally. Illegal stipulations don't apply. Every time she brings this example up I cringe. Screw these guys. Someone had to pay for it. 

 

I'll see if I can pull up some quotes for medical insurance to put things in perspective. She may well be fine with the cost, but it's a lot higher than she's expecting. Is there anything else that I should consider? 

 

If she comes over stateside, I want her to be aware of all pitfalls. 

[Unlockable 7,314]

4 minutes ago, eckoin said:

Is there anything else that I should consider? 

If she wants to live in Florida she should be aware of Florida Man.

[Going through 5,671]

8 minutes ago, eckoin said:

If she comes over stateside, I want her to be aware of all pitfalls. 

On a personal level---you would be the best one to relate to her how different Canada and the US are on many levels, not just healthcare concerns.....you made the move yourself.   

 

Seriously think back to how out-of-place and different things were (and still may be in some ways) since you left Canada....tell her about them.  Mention stuff she (and you--- heck, and I, when I left) probably never even thought of---just small things like giving up favourite brands of foods, familiarity of simple things, differences in lifestyle, etc.  Might open up her eyes a bit more if she thinks US and Canada are mostly similar.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Going through

[eckoin 211]

3 minutes ago, Going through said:

On a personal level---you would be the best one to relate to her how different Canada and the US are on many levels, not just healthcare concerns.....you made the move yourself.   

 

Seriously think back to how out-of-place and different things were (and still may be in some ways) since you left Canada....tell her about them.  Mention stuff she (and you--- heck, and I, when I left) probably never even thought of---just small things like giving up favourite brands of foods, familiarity of simple things, differences in lifestyle, etc.  Might open up her eyes a bit more if she thinks US and Canada are mostly similar.

I really didn't feel a difference. I will mention that we both naturalized in Canada, from Russia. That was different. I was a child and I felt it. Canada was way different from Russia. Granted, I traveled extensively before moving to the US, and maybe that's why it didn't seem like much of a change living in the US. Besides political (including healthcare, I consider that political) differences, it's on par in my view. 

 

She and I stayed in Florida, at her request, for five months to check it out. We rented a little house with a mango tree. It was different, but not much--"normal" life if the same. Except medical. WAAAAAY different. She can't grasp that. 

[Going through 5,671]

Well...all else fails, you can mention that it's not in the best interests for a semi-newly married couple starting out a new life together and/or starting a family to share a home with their parent/in-law...surely she'd understand that?

Edited December 28, 2018 by Going through

[eckoin 211]

15 minutes ago, Going through said:

Well...all else fails, you can mention that it's not in the best interests for a semi-newly married couple starting out a new life together and/or starting a family to share a home with their parent/in-law...surely she'd understand that?

We're not in Florida, she doesn't want to live where we live (SC) 

 

She really just wants a beach, a mango tree, and year round summer, so Florida. Also other Russian speakers, of which there are plenty in Florida, not so much in South Carolina. Being slightly closer to us is a perk, but it's not like it's that much closer. 

 

Basically, she always wanted to move to Florida, ended up moving to Canada to give me a better life, and here I am with a window to Florida like she always dreamed of, with all my "negativity". But my negavitivity is justified. 

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

So from what I've read so far, the only difference between your mother's plan and being an annual snowbird on a tourist visa, as one of the Canadian commenters mentioned, is that in her plan she would like to work in the US as a hair stylist, thus necessitating a green card. Do I have that right?

 

Considering the health costs involved, seems like being a snowbird and not working on her winter visits is the way to go.

 

EDIT: Of course she would still need to consider health costs while she is in the US, but if her condition is such that she can make it back to Canada should something happen, then she could probably get cheaper traveler's health insurance to deal with other conditions that might arise.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Russ&Caro

[eckoin 211]

1 hour ago, NuestraUnion said:

If she wants to live in Florida she should be aware of Florida Man.

I have so much to say on Florida Man! 

[Love To Teach 161]

When I looked at the cost of medical insurance for my husband a year or so ago (Obamacare), the cost was right at $1,000.00 a month for a decent (not top) plan. That would not include co-pays and out-of-pocket. She would have to make quite a bit at work to cover that.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Love To Teach

[eckoin 211]

Just now, Russ&Caro said:

So from what I've read so far, the only difference between your mother's plan and being an annual snowbird on a tourist visa, as one of the Canadian commenters mentioned, is that in her plan she would like to work in the US as a hair stylist, thus necessitating a green card. Do I have that right?

 

Considering the health costs involved, seems like being a snowbird and not working on her winter visits is the way to go.

She's in her early 50s and not in the financial position to live in the US without working. So yep, you got that right.

 

She wants to legally work in the US while she's here (and I think, if she got herself established right away, she'd gladly forego the Canadian residency requirement and wouldn't look back--but back to the original point, she's way over her head on medical costs considering her health status. If she told me she accepts $1,000+ per month, I wouldn't be here.)

 

I'm trying to be pragmatic here. I can help her pay for her medical costs, but I have children too, and we're not really in the position to drop $12k a year, and that's assuming that we're not dealing with deductibles and additional co-pays. 

 

She wants to work, doesn't work to work illegally (and I wholeheartedly support that), and she has friends who offered her jobs at their salons but with work authorization.