Brazilian, living in the US, and planning Canada?
Plan your move to Canada from the USA
You can absolutely plan your move to Canada from the US. But there's one thing many people don't realize at first: your US address doesn't change your passport. When you apply, Canada looks at you as a Brazilian citizen, not an American one.
Your time in the US still matters. Skilled, paid work you did there can count as foreign work experience, as long as it meets the rules. It won't count as Canadian work experience, though, and your US work visa doesn't carry over to Canada.
You may also have seen pages about the CUSMA work permit for people moving from the US. That permit is only for US and Mexican citizens, so living in the US on a Brazilian passport doesn't qualify you for it.
These are exactly the details I help you sort out. I'm Fabiana Colen, and I made my own move from Brazil to Canada in 2018, so I know what it's like to plan a life change across borders. Today I'm a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC 1041330, RCIC-IRB) and a member of CAPIC. Before opening my practice, I spent more than ten years in HR, recruitment, and talent acquisition, so reading career histories and job duties closely is second nature to me.
I consult in English and Portuguese, and everything happens online. You don't need to be in Canada or in Brazil to get started.
What I look at
We start with the full picture: your education, job duties, salary, language test results, and the province where you'd like to live. Your US work experience is part of that review. So is anything else that could open a door, like a Canadian job offer, a study plan, or a spouse or partner who is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Your time in the US also includes your status history. If you've had periods out of status, we look at those carefully. IRCC asks about your full immigration and personal history, so these periods need to be disclosed accurately and planned around, never left out.
I also look at your career path. That means how your experience carries over to the Canadian job market, which occupation (NOC) matches your duties, and whether an intra-company transfer could be an option if your employer has an office in Canada.
If you're moving with children, each child's situation gets its own attention. Children under 22 can usually come with you as dependants, but timing matters, because their age is locked in when IRCC receives your complete application. Adult children who no longer qualify as dependants often need a plan of their own, such as studying or working in Canada, and it's much easier to think about that from the start.
With all of that on the table, I compare Express Entry with provincial programs, including the OINP. Which path is realistic depends on your profile, not on the fact that you live in the US right now.
And if a Canadian employer wants to hire you, that's a separate question from permanent residence. We look at both together, so your plan makes sense as a whole.
Who this is for
This is for you if you're Brazilian, living in the US, and want permanent residence in Canada, whether you're moving on your own or with your family. You have skilled work experience, including work in the US, and you'd like a clear written plan before you invest in a full application.
How to start
The Immigration Roadmap is CAD 350. It includes a review of your questionnaire, a 60-minute online consultation, a written plan, and 30 days of email support for your follow-up questions.
If this sounds like where you are right now, I'd be glad to help you map out your next step.
To confirm my licence, search the College public register for Fabiana Colen da Silva Moutte or 1041330 and check that the status is Active: college-ic.ca