The Blubber

Tens of thousands of Canadians are emigrating from Canada to the United States, and the number of people packing up and moving south has reached a level not seen in a decade or more, according to data compiled by CBC News.

There's nothing new about Canadians moving south of the 49th parallel for love, work, or warmer weather, but the latest figures from the American Community Survey (ACS) suggest it's now happening at a much higher rate than the historical average.

The ACS, which is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, says the number of people moving from Canada to the U.S. hit 126,340 in 2022. That's an increase of nearly 70% over the 75,752 people who made the move in 2012.

Of the 126,340 who emigrated from Canada to the U.S. that year, 53,311 were born in Canada, 42,595 were Americans who returned to their native land, and 30,434 were foreign-born immigrants to Canada who decided to move to the U.S. instead.

The Canadian-born figure is notably higher now than it has been in the past. It's up roughly 50% over the average number of Canadians born in Canada who left for the U.S. in the pre-COVID period.

United Nations data compiled by Statistics Canada and shared with CBC News shows the U.S. is by far the most common destination for Canadian emigrants.

There were about 800,000 Canadians living in the U.S. as of 2020, eight times more than the 100,000 who live in the U.K., according to the latest UN figures.

A number of Facebook groups have popped up to help Canadians make the move. Recent arrivals use them to share tips on how to secure a visa or green card, where to live, and what to do about health insurance.