Episode•July 21, 2021•27 min

How To Move To Canada with Brandon Miller | Ep. 63

About Our Guest Brandon is a certified Immigration Consultant with ICCRC and is the founder of Maple Immigration Services. Brandon approaches immigration differently by taking a holistic approach to immigration & settlement. The very unique approach led to The Immigration Success System™ and a published book "Second Passport" that outlines this system and introduces the idea and benefits of a Second Passport in Canada. Brandon is a proud Canadian who sees himself as a nation builder responsible for shaping the Canada of tomorrow with its true asset-the people who call Canada their home. Brandon is passionate about everything immigration and enjoys not only helping people to come to Canada but seeing that they get integrated into the country. Although Brandon’s main focus is to provide immigration legal services, he has worked as a settlement counselor, a volunteer to the regulatory body and a teacher at a local college where he enjoys teaching and mentoring new immigration students. Brandon has firm family roots in Canada, but he has traveled and worked extensively overseas extensively for over a decade, which allows him to identify and service clientele from many different countries. Brandon is married and lives in Toronto with his wife and 2 young daughters. Connect with Brandon LinkedIn Website: https://www.mysecondpassport.ca Email: Brandon@mysecondpassport.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2ndpassport.ca Connect with Tiffany on Social Media Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Channel Pinterest: Money Talk With Tiff This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Canada actively recruits younger immigrants with skills, education, and language ability to sustain its social programs amid declining birth rates.
Canada offers record-high immigration spots due to demographic needs (worker-to-retiree ratio dropping from 6:1 in 1970s to projected 2:1 by 2035).
Ideal profile: younger applicants with skilled work experience, education, and language skills.
Canada views immigration as essential for economic sustainability and is more open than many Western nations.
2
Dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship provides significant advantages including healthcare access, education savings, and economic resilience.
U.S. citizens can attend Canadian schools at lower cost than domestic U.S. rates, avoiding massive student debt.
Canadian healthcare is rated among the world's best (Toronto General Hospital ranked #4 globally) and is free at point of service.
Tax treaties prevent double taxation; having both passports offers mobility and economic diversification during downturns.
3
The immigration timeline is predictable: 8-10 months to permanent residency, then 3 out of 5 years residency for citizenship.
Permanent residency requires only 2 out of 5 years physical presence to maintain status.
Citizenship grants full mobility with no residency requirements thereafter.
Applicants can complete much of the process from abroad before arriving at the border.
4
Immigration consultants provide strategic guidance to avoid common pitfalls in a complex legal process.
Only licensed lawyers (provincial bar) or ICCRC consultants can legally represent applicants for a fee.
Brandon Miller offers both full-service and self-guided options via his "Second Passport" system.
Consultants help navigate worker mobility agreements (CETA, USMCA) that allow seamless work permits across borders.

Intro

Tiffany Grant interviews Brandon Miller, a Canadian immigration consultant, about the practical realities of moving to Canada as a U.S. citizen seeking healthcare, education, and long-term security.
Brandon Miller is a certified Immigration Consultant (ICCRC) and founder of Maple Immigration Services. He created The Immigration Success System™ and authored "Second Passport." With over a decade of experience in immigration and settlement, he helps clients achieve Canadian permanent residency and citizenship.

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– How Easy Is It to Immigrate to Canada?

Brandon explains Canada targets younger applicants with skills, education, and language ability. The process is straightforward if you fit the profile; otherwise it becomes more challenging.

It's easy if you plan for it and you fit a certain profile... younger people... skilled work experience... some education and some language skills.
– Brandon Miller

– Why Canada Needs Immigrants: The Demographic Reality

Canada faces declining birth rates and needs younger workers to sustain healthcare, pensions, and social programs. Brandon calls it "a bit of a Ponzi scheme" that requires continuous immigration to fund benefits.

By 2035, it'll be two to one [workers to retirees]... we need the younger people to be able to come in and do that.
– Brandon Miller

– Benefits of Moving to Canada for Americans

Key advantages include universal healthcare (free at point of service and high quality), lower education costs, and proximity to the U.S. Brandon notes many Americans inquire in their mid-to-late 30s when thinking about long-term security.

Health care... I remember... a lady in Denver... her health care costs are going to be about twenty six thousand. I'm like, that's a lot of money.
– Brandon Miller

– Dual Citizenship: Tax Treaties and Economic Resilience

Americans and Canadians can hold both passports. Tax treaties prevent double taxation. Brandon notes Canada often feels U.S. economic downturns later and less severely, offering a hedge.

You can literally take that passport and then you can... retire in just north of Toronto... no problem.
– Brandon Miller

– The Immigration Timeline: PR to Citizenship

Permanent residency takes 8-10 months. You only need to be physically present 2 out of 5 years to maintain PR status. Citizenship requires 3 out of 5 years and then allows unrestricted travel.

Once you become a citizen, you can come and go as you please... There are no residency requirements once you become a citizen.
– Brandon Miller

– Role of an Immigration Consultant

Brandon positions himself as a guide helping clients avoid "the pit of snakes." He offers both full-service and self-guided options through his book and system, giving clients choice based on how involved they want to be.