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Immigrate to Canada from Michigan
Pathways to Canada for Michigan residents — US citizens, green card holders and H-1B or other visa holders — from an RCIC-licensed team in Windsor, with a US office in Troy.
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Looking for the service page? See our US to Canada immigration consultant team.
WHY LOOK NORTH
Why Michigan Residents Look North
No US state sits closer to a major Canadian city than Michigan does to Windsor. Detroit and Windsor are separated by about a kilometre of river, joined by the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel — the busiest commercial crossing between the two countries. For many Michigan residents, moving to Canada does not mean leaving their network behind.
That proximity is practical, not just geographic. Canadian permanent residence is selected on skills rather than a lottery, spouses can usually work freely, and there is no employer-tied cap of the kind H-1B holders live with. Our head office is a short drive across the bridge, and our Troy office is on the Michigan side.
Planning the financial side too? Read our US–Canada tax basics.
YOUR OPTIONS
Pathways for Michigan Residents
Express Entry
Skills-based permanent residence with no lottery. See the PR options open to US citizens and green card holders.
H-1B to PR
A step-by-step route from a US H-1B to Canadian permanent residence for tech workers.
CUSMA Work Permit
For engineers and other listed professions under the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement — no LMIA required.
Intra-Company Transfer
Move to a Canadian branch or affiliate of your employer — common for Michigan auto and corporate head offices.
Family Sponsorship
Sponsor or join a spouse, partner, parent, grandparent or dependent child already in Canada.
WHERE WE WORK
Michigan Communities We Serve
Each community below has its own page with local detail. If your city is not listed, we still serve you — by video call from anywhere in Michigan.
Detroit
Across the river from Windsor, connected by the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel.
Troy
Oakland County corporate hub — and the location of our own US office.
Dearborn
A major automotive and engineering employment centre in Wayne County.
Southfield
A business and professional-services centre in southern Oakland County.
Novi
A growing Oakland County community with strong automotive and tech employment.
Livonia
A Wayne County city with manufacturing, healthcare and skilled-trades employers.
Farmington Hills
One of the largest cities in Oakland County, with diverse professional communities.
Auburn Hills
Home to automotive headquarters and engineering operations in north Oakland County.
Bloomfield Hills
An Oakland County community whose residents often hold cross-border business ties.
BY INDUSTRY
Pathways by Industry
Michigan’s biggest employers map closely onto the occupations Canada actively selects for.
Automotive & Engineering
Engineer is a listed CUSMA profession, so many Michigan engineers can work in Canada without an LMIA.
IT & Tech
Express Entry is well suited to software, data and IT roles — including those currently on an H-1B.
Healthcare
Healthcare occupations are drawn regularly under category-based selection; your NOC and experience decide eligibility.
Skilled Trades
Trades candidates have dedicated Express Entry categories as well as provincial routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Applications are filed online and you can remain in Michigan throughout. Most of our cross-border clients work with us entirely by secure video call, though you can meet us at our Troy, Michigan office or at our Windsor head office if you prefer.
Yes. Applying for Canadian permanent residence does not affect your US employment or your current US status. You only need to be in Canada once you are ready to activate your status — your consultant will explain the timing for your specific pathway.
Express Entry applications are commonly processed in roughly six to twelve months once you have an invitation to apply, though preparation beforehand — language testing and an educational credential assessment for a US degree — adds time. Provincial routes and family sponsorship run on different timelines. No one can guarantee a processing time; IRCC decides.
Start Your Move from Michigan
Book a free 15-minute consultation with an RCIC-licensed professional. We will tell you honestly which pathway fits — and what it will cost before you commit.
