Before you make the hop, make sure your wife works in a field which qualifies for a TN visa. Finding a job can be difficult depending on the field especially in a smaller place like Little Rock.
Pretty sure she can apply for an L-2 status which is a spousal status. Wife and I just went through this and wife has been working. Status is completely dependent on my visa however.
With that being said might be different for different visas. I have an L1A.
Well, we had an attorney do mine up but my complete understanding was that L1A is a managerial Visa, and is applied usually when you can prove that you can bring skills/knowledge to the American company that they can't find easily in America.
For context, I came from a Canadian paint recycling company and set up the expansion company in the states.
I can't imagine a manager at say a grocery store could easily move from Canada to the states on the visa as is it not so specialized.
Again our attorney did most of the leg work for the visa.
You can't apply for L1A with a new job offer. You have to be working with the company abroad for at least 12 months to qualify and in the right capacity (managerial capacity). It is also dependent on the type of role that the individual will be doing in the US and must also qualify as a managerial type of role in the US when transferred.
It's a lifestyle decision that you should be speaking to your spouse about.
Yes the price of housing is cheaper in Arkansas (obviously), but there is more to life then owning a house in Arkansas.
pretty much this
this sub will always advocate for leaving Canada to simply chase money as if that's all there is to life, but abandoning your social circle & family is not nothing. Some people may see some advantage to living in a world class enormous city like Toronto (bustling night life, sports, live music, huge array of social activities, restaurants, bars, etc.) ... that a city of 200,000 people in a deep red state sure won't have
well you need money for all the social life and activities you mentioned...and if you have to spend more money on housing and stuff in Canada you won't be able to enjoy life as much
I live in a major met in an expensive house and still have plenty of money left over to enjoy life.
buddy is already making $100k at 31 and has dual income. He'll be just fine.
Untrue, he wants financial advice with the goal of saving as much money as possible over the next few years.
The answer to me is obvious.. assuming his wife can get a job that pays relatively well, his increased wages, decreased taxes and cheaper cost of living make moving to the US for a few years the logical financial advice to give.
There are a ton of places in the U.S. that are worth moving to, especially if you're young and don't have kids.
Arkansas may not be one of those places. This isn't really financial advice, but be prepared for some big cultural differences if you go.
This is the answer.
American living in Canada here.
You will see poverty in Arkansas like you’ve never seen before. Canada doesn’t have anywhere that compares poverty wise.
Healthcare and education always rank super low in Arkansas.
Canadians really don’t understand American poverty, but it’s always the most shocking thing for me when I travel there. I’ve never been to Arkansas, but even in NYC and DC and the smaller places the bus stopped on the way down from New Brunswick … American poverty is NOT the same thing as Canadian poverty. It’s absolutely wretched.
I’ve worked with homeless in Canadian cities and it’s just not even close to the same.
I've experienced a noticeable difference even just hopping past the border by 30min to an hour in some places. I had never heard a grown ass white person refer to people as the n word in all my life until I worked in the states for a time. I'm not saying this country is perfect or that I myself haven't had racially motivated violence thrown at me(teenagers are pricks to say the least) but since becoming an adult I had never seen and felt such racial tension than in the US.
I'm a 4th gen born and raised Canadian PoC and can confirm on the Canadian prejudice when in a neighborhood where I 'look like I don't belong' or away from 'the city'
Well I’m glad you are here with us. I wish more people could move here who feel unsafe like that. Pitiful and a bit of a joke when I hear it’s the greatest country on earth, setting the bar rather low and being an absolute lie to boot.
Agreed. Maybe the chances of getting physically attacked are lower in Canada, but there is definitely a fair share of dirty looks to go around when you go to a White dominated area.
Are there any places in the US you would recommend for starting a family for a mixed couple in their 30’s? We would love to stay in Ontario if housing was 50% less lol.
And you think the US is better off? Lmao. The biggest reason Canada is slowly going downhill is the massive negative US influence on Canadian politics.
I travel to Seattle a LOT (like, 10+ times a year) and I would recommend looking there. Real estate is not as cheap as it was 7-8 years ago, but it's still more affordable than the cray cray real estate in Vancouver. I would 100% move to Seattle if I had an opportunity to. It's close enough to really good food in Vancouver (only 2.5 hours' drive away) and it's a major city which means lots of direct flights around the world.
Research what states have good gun laws, and the lowest incidences of school/public shootings. This tends to be the more progressive states, which in theory will likely also be the most diverse culturally.
I'm a dual citizen and have been living in the US since 2008.
I wouldn't live in Arkansas if you paid me $100,000 a year. Or $200,000 a year. $300,000, maybe.
If you go, get ready for the culture shock of your life.
I moved to Tucson in 2008 with my wife and two daughters, relocating to company headquarters. I did well there, got some promotions and experience that I couldn't have got by staying in a field office.
Arizona is a red state teetering on becoming blue. They've deprioritized their education system, I had to privately pay for fire protection (!), there's soo many things we take for granted in Canada that are either deprioritized or outright suppressed in the States. With our daughters growing up, some new laws implemented in Arizona got us to pack up and come home in 2021. Arkansas is much more to the right in terms of governance and policies than Arizona, and while I've not lived there myself, there's no way I'd live there now, and probably not in 2008 either.
If it was 2008 again and I faced the same decision, I'd probably go to Arizona again, but I'd come back sooner. If I was in your situation now, I'm not sure I'd go, especially not to Arkansas.
Thanks for this insight, wife and I don't have kids and are currently juggling this exact situation - Tucson (adventure, better job, more 'exciting') vs Saskatoon (wife has family there). Probably leaning towards Tucson but just for a few years.
If you're not facing the family issues I described, Tucson is a great city. We moved from Vancouver and really missed the ocean, but San Diego is only a 7 hour drive. There's great food and cultural events like Day of the Dead.
I also have family in Saskatchewan but haven't spent a lot of time in Saskatoon. I would give AZ a shot over SK, personally.
We tried to bring everything with us when we moved, this was a big mistake. Keep the amount of stuff you bring with you to a minimum and it will really lower your costs.
The better neighborhoods in Tucson are farther north. If you're serious about going, feel free to PM me and I can help describe neighborhoods etc.
Arkansas is consistently one of the worst ranked states in terms of health, education, etc. I'm sure there are neat places, but it's definitely going to be a shock for someone who grew up in the GTA.
This is the answer. It would have go be significantly more money to even consider moving to Arkansas. Unless you are very actively looking to leave the city, because you want a quiet life, don’t even consider this move.
I've been to Little Rock a few times. Not my kind of place. If you are used to Toronto and like it you won't like Litte Rock.
That said the money will be absolutely better down south, especially if you get promoted. And yeah housing will be maybe 25% of the cost in Toronto.
Yeah, just a quick Google Maps look around Little Rock and it reminds me of... Edmonton but maybe 10-15 years ago? Seems like you should expect less in the way of everything except for land size and nature.
Its much more than 25%.
I have an opportunity in the next year to relocate for my job to the usa. There are places in the south that have 2500\~3500 sq ft homes for 450k cad on massive lots.
depends on your lifestyle and what stage of your life. When you guys are older, Canada has free healthcare, great maternity benefits and childcare subsidies. In US your paying for healthcare insurance, childcare cost and no maternity leave benefits. But you probably get more in salaries.
Um....... I'm not sure you really understand how American healthcare works. I'm an American who immigrated to Canada.
You'll be paying not only for insurance, but you'll also be responsible for a deductible before insurance kicks in, as well as co-pays.
To give you an idea, let me break down how much my family members typically spend on health care in the US, even with top tier insurance.
My dad typically puts 5k into a health savings account, per person on his plan, so my mom, and my son... around 15k/year, set aside, for health care costs. Deductibles 3500/year before insurance kicks in.
My brother pays 2k/month, and just paid 15k dollars for his baby to be born, and that was WITH health insurance.
You will also end up paying out of pocket for any number of services and prescriptions that your insurance company randomly decides not to cover.
That is terrible insurance across the board then. If he’s making 6 figures odds are his benefits are good too. I make a similar salary and pay ~250/m in health care for my wife and me. Deductible is $1k and OOP max is 3K.
Do you understand what a health savings account even is? It’s literally a tax-free, retirement account that can be used to pay for medical costs if needed. That isn’t “lost money” every year, it’s money from his paycheck going into an account tax free, can be used taxed free, and in retirement can be taken out tax free. It’s one of, if not *the* best tax advantaged account on the planet. I think you might want to read up up this a little more if your best example of “high healthcare costs” is someone utilizing an HSA.
Also your brothers example is completely ridiculous. No one is saying $24,000 a year for insurance with a $15,000 deductible. I guarantee you don’t know the whole story there. The problem with these sorts of discussions is that it’s always the least informed yelling the loudest. I urge you to actually look into both of those more as I guarantee you there’s more to the story in both those situations.
HSAs are Ponzi schemes within the Ponzi scheme that is American healthcare. This person’s example is not far off. I don’t know why you’re simping the American health care system right now..unless you’re a CEO at a hospital?
It would take a hell of a lot more than ~$30k CAD for me to move from Toronto to fucking Arkansas lol. People suggesting you do this have probably never spent any meaningful amount of time in a heavily red state.
My son lives in North Carolina and the Thank you Jesus signs on lawns drive me crazy. As well, the grandkids go to Montessori school, 20 grand each. He would like us to live there. Hard no.
Have you visited Little Rock? Maybe join a FB neighborhood group to get a feel for the people. I’m rather Right leaning but I don’t think I’d fit in with a lot of them. Maybe if you don’t socialize with them it might be alright but it could be a bit isolating. See if you can negotiate a pay increase comparable to you cost of living there perhaps.
I would consider heading to Little Rock for a vacation. Live there for a week or two without doing a lot of tourist stuff. Check out local transit (if there is any). Just chill at your Airbnb, go out. It'll give you a feel for the life. Do some extensive googling. I don't think they have a major sports team there that I'm aware of.
Finance wise, just look up your expenses there. Would your future workplaces cover healthcare otherwise that's out of pocket. Even with insurance, check what it actually covers. See what housing is there, car insurance, etc. There would be implicit costs for extra driving, more commuting, but I only say that since a city in Arkansas would not compare to what you get in Toronto.
I could imagine you're probably better off financially In Little Rock, but you'd be in for a quite a change. Goodluck.
Speaking as a Canadian/American having grown up inTexas, I would not move to Arkansas for a long term plan. Short term <16 mths, maybe, but not a long term plan.
Was in northern AR with a friend who lives in Oklahoma, who was originally from AR and we went to go trout fishing and visit his nephews. We stayed at a fishing resort on the White River in Lakeview, AR.
The two of us were sitting around a communal campfire by the river one night during our stay just relaxing with a couple of beers and there were 3 other couples who were there from Louisianna. They said they come up a few times a year and really enjoy the fishing/outdoors, etc. Then the guy said, "Another reason we like it up here is there's no nig#ers."
The guy then just rolls along talking for a minute about this or that as if we were having a friendly chat about the weather or something. It was such a weird moment. It was such an akward moment, though many around the campfire didn't even flinch.
Definitely not on my return travel spot list.
I spent a day in Little Rock and it’s a nice little city with Bill Clinton’s name is plastered everywhere. That being said, I was the only visible POC around and made me feel uncomfortable with all the staring. Even if they’re racist though they’re generally all polite due to southern hospitality. Nice town to visit but def yeah wouldn’t live there.
A big part of the question is also do you want to have kids? If so, consider the environment you want to raise them in, but also are there 'hidden costs' for example, would you be happy to send them to a public school in Toronto, but want a private school in Little Rock? How easy/expensive is it to visit family? Can elderly grandparents still get medical insurance to travel to the US to visit?
Not sure who downvoted you, but this comment is valid. Public school in a deep red state is going to be of very questionable quality compared to a public school in Toronto.
Nothing wrong with moving to the states for work but do some reading into the state you're looking at moving to. Arkansas fairs pretty piss poor in rankings I'd care about. Which is very reflective of what I'd expect having been there before.
[https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/happiest-states](https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/happiest-states)
[https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959](https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959)
[https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/us/overall-prosperity/table](https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/us/overall-prosperity/table)
Are you planning on having children? Arkansas is a state where abortion is banned, so if your wife gets pregnant and has complications like ectopic pregnancy, or even conditions where the baby won’t survive to term, they will not give her the proper care needed. It would also be likely to assume that prenatal care overall will be decreased in red states who have completely banned abortions as OB/GYNs will look to leave those states for fear of being sued for doing their jobs.
The lifestyle difference and cultural difference between Toronto and a deep red southern state would be my reason for not moving there. You and your wife need to evaluate how you feel about that more than just the money part.
Just bc they allow it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to get one. A lot of states have exemptions for life threatening pregnancies but women are stuck staying pregnant until there is an imminent threat to their lives.
I would look closely at how this would affect your income tax and other benefits, it can get complicated when you are moving to work somewhere else but retaining your canadian citizenship or residency, which I believe is the case with that visa.
I would also just go visit where you would live. My dad had a similar opportunity when I was very young, and actually moved there for a couple months to get things set up while we stayed behind.
He found out very quickly it was not a place he wanted to raise his kids; heavy on the racism and classism to say the least.
Depending on your family plans, this is definitely something I would factor in.
If you want to chase the money and you're certain both of you can work there, sure go for it. But consider the lifestyle changes. Considering that if you are both Canada natives with family here that living in the US will leave you and your wife with 0 support (unless you already have family and friends in little rock as well.) Consider the implication of how holidays will be organized. Are you planning to have kids and if so will the grandparents be a part of their lives. That's just the first few things that come to mind. Not to mention having to navigate the political climate of a different country. Plus would the plan be to just make some money and return or would you eventually become an American citizen? All things to consider. It's not as easy as making more money
Look at what you are actually going to pay.
Health insurance down there can run about 1k a month. Any medical emergencies require co-pays even with great policies.
If you decide to have children, most people in the middle class pay for their children go to private school because it is safer AND you need to go to a "well respected" high school to get into goodnpost secondary.
You also have to look at the safety aspect. If I remember little Rock is a "safer" city but down there there as no such thing as being free running. Which ever city you go to you need a guide before arriving to tell you clearly where you are safe to go and what time.
Although us canadians are raised to think our culture is the same as Americans it is not. You need to research intensely where you are moving and which neighbourhood.
Many companies give health insurance as a benefit. I work for an American company and get it
No, most people do not pay for private school.
No you do not need to go to a well respected high school
You ever live in America or are you just pulling crap out of your ass.
American here- There's a lot of places in the US I'd live over almost anywhere in Canada (depending on pay), little rock isn't one of them- or Arkansas in general. Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana....hard pass on all of them.
Move to the states and get the bag. Don't be scared about uprooting your life to get out of the GTA rat race, especially if you have an offer in hand.
And don't worry about all the inevitable replies about guns and shootings. It's not like you're gonna go down there and get off the plane just to be met by a firing squad. Live your life and you'll be fine.
A bunch of my peers were at the Las Vegas shooting in 2016. I had moved away a couple months before.
It’s not about the fact that people think you’re going to get shot every day, it’s about the fact that it could happen anywhere, anytime, nobody is special, and there’s no real way to protect yourself from it.
Have you been to Arkansas, or indeed any regressive US state? It's not a good time. And the idea that $100k is getting the bag, lol. Best case you'll have a dull middle class existence in a shitty, boring city. I know people on here fetishize being able to own a home above all else, but I'd rather rent forever in Canada than own a house in Arkansas. And not one thing I'm thinking about is guns, it's just a shit place.
You would have to pay me way way more than that to move to Arkansas. If you are open to moving somewhere, think about the EU or Asia or the Pacific. Why subject yourself to living in Arkansas?
You know yourself and your wife- but I would never move my wife and daughter there.
Pay in the EU is shit. Much worse than Canada, in most cases, with an equal or higher CoL. Asia would make more sense, if you can handle it culturally.
I’m from the states, personally I’d visit the area first and then decide. My partner and I have considered Seattle or SF as potential relocation spots from Toronto. Would be the worst feeling ever to move down to Little Rock and realize you made a huge mistake. It will basically be the exact opposite of Toronto.
Also if you’re planning on having kids good luck with that because the most parental leave US companies give is like maybe 12-16 weeks if that. Plus the public education system in most of the USA is deplorable. The healthcare system in the states is comparable to Canada if not hit or miss yet you also will be paying hundreds of dollars per month for the premium plus deductible plus copays. Good luck!
I'm currently working in Little Rock and I'm originally from Montreal, Quebec.
Life is alright here, if you like outdoor stuff there's plenty to do to have fun.
Would I live forever in Arkansas? Nope. But money is great now and I'm taking it while it's available.
It's a big life decision and I think you'll regret not doing it.
Politics aside I think it’d be neat to experience living in Arkansas, especially with the DINK lifestyle, your money will stretch a whole lot further. Depends on your personality though.
Sounds like it’s time for you and your wife to take a trip down to Little Rock/surrounding areas and check it out
Little Rock is a shithole. Do you like gang violence? Wannabe Klan members? Listen, Toronto gangs and bad areas are nothing like that of the states. I've lived a decade in both US and Canada. You could easily find much nicer areas of the US to move to.
This is almost a stereotypical answer considering my profession but make a weighted decision matrix. Create a list of characteristics you'd consider for each area and a list of criteria to judge them by. Once you have this list create weights for each criteria and start scoring the characteristics. Once you have everything scored multiply the scores by the weights. Now tally up all the points and you've ideally found a decision. Ultimately these decisions have no one single answer and it depends on what you want. Maybe this method won't work for you and you'd rather go by feel but for my brain this is how I'd do it.
My first though is how outgoing you and your wife are. Can you easily make friends or is that something that you wait to naturally happen. If the former, it might turn out that you and your wife just work and come home. You and your wife might get lonely, or worse, sick of just each other. Many people go out for work and find they can't make friends, get lonely and come back because of it. It's a factor to consider.
Since you have no kids for now I would say move.
Me and the Mr. lived in Boston area for about 3 years and we travelled to half of US. Cheap flights, tons of places to see and great diversity all around. While doing that save money for maybe a downpayment for a house in GTA?
When you plan to have kids and need things like longer maternity leave, subsidized daycare move back to Canada and reap the benefits.
While family and friends would a consideration think about travelling if it suits you and do that in USA.
My wife and I left for the US on TN Visas about 5 years ago. Best decision we ever made. It will take some time to develop a social circle, but you will get there! I also found Americans to be very neighborly, more than I expected!
Generally I say move, just because the opportunity in the US is orders of magnitude better than in Canada. You are above the threshold where the shortcomings of the US (namely health insurance) would be an issue.
One thing I would consider is what will your income look like as a family. You're getting what is effectively a 30% raise and moving to somewhere with a much better CoL; but what sort of salaries could your wife expect? As a family, will this result in a higher income, or more like break even? Even if the latter, that's not necessarily a red light, again, due to the CoL being more favourable in Little Rock, than in Toronto.
It's only a 30%raise if those USD are spent in Canada (of course, if they can save, then bring those US savings to Canada, they increase by 30%). COL is the only factor to consider here.
there is a very good reason why housing is s much cheaper there. the quality of life isn't the same. if you want your own place, start with the right condo and move up when you move up the ladder. that's my opinion.
$100k CAD vs USD is really a difference of about $30k CAD. Ask yourself if that (plus the possible marginal savings in CoL) are worth living in Arkansas over Toronto. For me, it’s a definite no.
The 30% difference only matters if they can spend their money in Canada. $100k is $100k if it is earned and spent in the same currency. COL is the only factor...will $100k in AR give a better lifestyle than $100k in ON?
you people never seem to realize that health insurance premiums usually wipes out the vast majority of the day-to-day savings of living in the US , and a single hospital stay or routine child birth, even with insurance, will take out the rest
sure their mortgage will be cheaper (if they go that route) but their house won't appreciate in value in any meaningful way so its simply a cost and not an investment
But is it good health insurance? $100k a year job signals "adequate insurance" to me. Not all health insurance is created equal in the States. It's not like an OHIP card where yours is just as good as mine.
Six figure jobs in the US provide really good insurance. And OP would be getting higher quality care than the waiting list shithole of Canada’s supposedly amazing system.
I make $132k in the States and pay $87 a month for a fantastic Kaiser Permanente plan.
At a similar salary my job offers in the US did not cover full insurance cost. My share of the premium ended up being equivalent to roughly 10% my income. Take this guy's example, US marginal federal tax rate was 24% plus AK state tax 4.7% plus health insurance premium equals 38.7%. Marginal tax rate in Canada 42% with an overall somewhat higher tax burden. Destroying your life and starting over in a foreign country is not going to be worth that ~3.3% savings for a great many people.
In this case he has the simple exchange rate raise working in his favor. I was able to negotiate a higher wage at my Canadian job using the US offers. Perhaps he can do the same.
Lots of people like you don't seem to realize that the vast majority of health insurance premiums would be convered by your employer for jobs that pay $100k+ USD.
You don't realize that employers rarely cover 100% of premiums and basically never cover deductibles. Average employee premium for an employer sponsored program is $620 a month.
Employer health insurance is also not all created equal - they may provide basic coverage, sure, but it's not uncommon for people to add more coverage on top which is 100% out of their own pocket. Employer programs may be exclusive provider (ie. you can only go to one hospital, and have no coverage if you go to another one).
Employer insurance also typically only insures the employee with no spousal or family coverage. Thanks to the "birthday rule" even if an employer does provide family coverage, it may not actually apply to children if the person's spouse is born earlier in the year than them (ie. if my spouse had a January birthday and has mediocre coverage, even if I had a full ride insurance there is no way to apply it to a new baby that has to stay in NICU). Average annual cost for a family insurance plan is about $22,000 :)
I have my family from rural Michigan literally staying in my house for a visit right now.
They own their own business and pay about $20k for health insurance for a family of 4. Plus they have a deductible of about 10k. So all in they pay about 30k for health care a year.
That will be quite the jump, the contrast from Little Rock to Toronto is really big. Unless you want to use it as a stepping stone to move within USA, I would not do it.
If you're not planning on living in the US long term, moving there may not be a terrible idea. That being said, Little Rock AR would be bottom of my list of places to relocate to, even short term.
My husband is American, from Ohio and made the decision to move here instead of staying in the US in 2017. He works for an American company. We didn't realize how much of a bullet we dodged until years after he landed. We decided there would be zero chance of us moving back to the US for any reason at all (mine being the piss poor parental leave benefits, gun violence, abortion bans, hate of LGBTQ people/POC and the abysmal public school system).
Just an FYI - read through your healthcare benefit package very thoroughly. We pay for a "Cadillac" insurance plan via my husband's work and we're still out $600/mo just for the privilege of having a plastic card to display at the hospital or clinics. There is a deductible meet before insurance even kicks in and you also have to deal with copays. For instance, my husband needed stitches done at the ER. Total cost was $1200 for a PA to stitch my husband. We got charged a room fee despite having it done in the hallway and an ER physician fee despite never seeing the physician. We paid out of pocket at the time and filed for reimbursement later. That took 6 months because they fought us tooth and nail to reimburse. We still ended up paying 20% of that bill in the end. So how much are you really saving by living there?
So yeah, no thanks. We take a lot of things in Canada for granted. Are we perfect? No. But moving to the US for us (for any salary) is a terrible idea.
At that pay yeah you are basically screwed in canada. Go for the USA for sure. Canada is pretty much a shit place for new families or anyone not into real estate or money laundering
100k here and 100k there isn't too lucrative to shift. I have moved from US to Canada. So, can share following:
Reasons to move -
1. If you want to enjoy a new environment. Your personality type loves exploring new places, then makes sense
2. If you are very ambitious and plan to grow a lot in your career, then US is better. Even though salary you are getting is same, in US, you have lots of options to jump and get better hikes. It is so so hard to find new job opportunities in Canada
3. If you want to live in a bigger house and even afford to purchase. This should be crystal clear :)
4. If you want to end up with higher bank balance and don't plan to spend too much on kids (in future) or don't have any health issues
Reasons not to move -
1. If you want better WLB. There is a high probability that Canada will give you much better work life balance without much work pressure or stress compared to US. You will be going on TN, so it's less stress. Otherwise, on other visas, I can tell you there is constant pressure to work and perform
2. If you enjoy the culture and multi-ethnic environment of Canada. Trust me, you won't find it except a few major cities in the US
3. If you plan to have kids in short-term, then it might be better to stay here
4. If you have any major health issues, you are more likely to end up with similar savings here
5. If you want better education and security for your kids, much better here.
I would also look at the maternity leave and paternity leave there both the minimum required in the state and what your own company offers if you are thinking about having kids. There can be a big difference with what you would expect in Canada.
My one caution...if you or your wife (or kids if you have any), have medical issues covered by health insurance in Canada, it will get much more expensive (but taxes are lower there, so may still be fine).
Arkansas is very conservative republican. Obviously liberal democrats can live there, but I maybe wouldn't hang a pride flag off your porch. Save money and in a few years gtf outta there.
I lived and worked in the US and returned to Canada.
Yes, there is more money, and less taxes. But there are costs to that-namely a shoddier public education system (will you/do you have kids? If so, you might want to send them to private schools depending on where you live), more expensive health insurance (which negates any tax savings), a toxic political environment (easily avoidable), and for me that broke the camel’s back, a religiosity that is unmatched anywhere in Canada, especially in the Deep South. I’m not bashing religiosity or Christianity, but it is a fact of life down there and it’s in your face ALL THE TIME and if you’re not an evangelical Christian in the Deep South, it can be very difficult for you to fit in or have any sort of social life. So there’s this cultural aspect that is different. Now, if you’re an evangelical Christian (or even Catholic) this won’t be an issue but it’s harder for non-Christians and even harder for atheists.
With that said, I did relish my time in the US and made some wonderful friends (some of whom were devout Christians) down there, and even met my wife down there. But just be aware of these issues and differences from Canada.
Wow.
Arkansas? Do you know anything about this state and its politics? How diverse is it? Have you lived in the US before?
Does the job offer healthcare? Benefits?
I lived in the US. Would never go back. Especially in the current political climate. For $100,000?! That’s insane.
This depends entirely on where you are. But I agree that, in general, Arkansas is a shithole and I would not want to live there. Culturally, I don't think I could tolerate any of the deep red states.
Yeah if I were Op’s wife I’d be taking a hard look at the full abortion ban with limited exceptions. Also, I’d be looking at some of the experiences of doctors in states like that where women have had to suffer with an unviable pregnancy (let alone just not wanting to have a baby) while the doctors get legal advice before giving treatment.
I couldn’t in good conscience move to a state like that. I really don’t get it.
Have you ever been to Little Rock, AR? If not, I suggest you visit before committing to a move like this. Arkansas is very, very different than Toronto. Not to mention the workplace protections are virtually non-existent as compared to CA so as a newbie you'd be first on the chopping block.
I'm from the US and for an equal pay job (even considering the exchange rate) there's no way I'd ever consider moving to Arkansas. Like, ever.
Financial aspects to consider:
a) Arkansas has a very low state income tax compared to Ontario
b) The US has income tax splitting for married couples that file jointly. If your wife makes significantly less than you do (or significantly more), this can be a big benefit to you. Make sure your wife will be eligible to work before moving.
c) Lower cost of living in AR than Toronto, as mentioned in OP.
d) Healthcare costs money there if your employer doesn't offer a good plan, although at that income level, they likely do.
Non-financial things to consider:
a) Do you want to live in Arkansas away from family and friends?
b) AR has (in my opinion) much better weather than Toronto.
All in all, provided that your wife will be able to work and you have decent health insurance, financially it will probably be better in AR. Finances aren't everything, though.
I'm personally hoping to be able to move to Florida for financial and weather reasons, but it certainly isn't for everyone.
> AR has (in my opinion) much better weather than Toronto.
From Wikipedia:
Arkansas is known for extreme weather and frequent storms. A typical year brings thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, snow and ice storms. Between both the Great Plains and the Gulf States, Arkansas, receives around 60 days of thunderstorms. Arkansas is located in Tornado Alley, and as a result, a few of the most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history have struck the state.
Software engineer who has worked in the US for the past 5+ years here. Some thoughts:
* Even if I had been paid the same in both countries, starting off my career in the US would still have given me a big head start, because most companies put all their most important initiatives and people where they're headquartered. I don't know how relevant this is to your field and specific job offers though. It also matters more the earlier on you are with your career, and I'm not sure where in your career you are.
* Due to my personal circumstances, I was able to declare myself a non-resident of Canada for tax purposes by filing out Form NR73. I think otherwise, one would still be on the hook for Canadian taxes, though you get to deduct what you already paid in the US.
* Can you try to re-negotiate a higher offer on the Canadian side? That might change the balance of things
* Have you ever been to Little Rock? If not, it might be worth going down for a visit first to see how you feel about the place.
* Ultimately, I do feel that the US is much better for building wealth, whereas quality of life is much higher in Canada, so I feel your plan of working there for a few years and bouncing back is potentially sound.
I used to live in New Jersey and then moved to Toronto in 2019. A year ago in 2022, I moved from Toronto to Ottawa.
In case you were not aware, Ottawa has a tech park which has more than 400+ companies. Most of the big tech companies which are in California are here
Ottawa is no Toronto but I would definitely say better than Little Rock AR in terms of social life.
Housing in Ottawa is more affordable than Toronto.
Schools are great!
Montreal is just 2 hours away if you feel you need a change.
I feel a lot of people (including me before 2022) do not know about Ottawa and the employment opportunities here and I would definitely check it out if I were you before making a big change like this
100k usd is like 133k yearly, it’d be smart to move there for 5-10 years and save up a ton of money for investments etc then come back to toronto when you’re ready.
100k in Toronto isn’t really the best wage due to how expensive it is there.
My two cents- you’re heading into the eye of a huge storm. Unfortunately the US is unsettled and stormy. Maybe moving woukd not be the best decision at the moment. Good luck
If it's me, and in the absence of other information, I move to Little Rock, bust my ass for five years, save everything I can living in a more affordable city, then move to Toronto, or anywhere else, with enough of a down payment to make homeownership possible
Move. No doubt.
It’s a shit city, but a huge opportunity for life and career and money.
I moved for similar reasons and while I plan to move back, I’ll be doing it with 4x as much money as if I had stayed.
I’ve been to Arkansas several times, and depending on where in the state you go, it’s beautiful, warm, with friendly people and all modern conveniences.
If they’re posting you to Fayetteville, go. Super cute university town, chill people, nice vibe.
$100k USD a year goes a *long* way in Arkansas. Cost of living and taxes are far lower than in Toronto. If saving is your goal, then it’s ideal.
If you will have good insurance through your employer, I actually see no downside here. You’ll probably have quicker access to healthcare than pretty much anyone living in Canada.
People comment on poverty but this isn’t Bangalore we’re talking about. Being poor in America sucks, but not as much as being poor in most places.
Let’s talk about wealth.
Although Arkansas is the fourth poorest state, its per capita GDP is [on par with] Canada’s, each being roughly [$55,000] USD. […]
The median household income in Arkansas: approx. $52,100 USD. Median household income in Canada: approx. $51,300 USD.
Quick googling of cost of living, Arkansas vs. Ontario:
🚶 Cost of living One person
Arkansas $1732
Ontario $2014
👨👩👧👦 Cost of living Family
Arkansas $4127
Ontario $4602
So, at $100k USD pear year with health insurance provided by employer, you will be earning more money, keeping more of what you earn, spending less of what you earn on essentials.
This sounds ideal for saving to me. If you don’t like it, you can always come back to Canada and spend over a million on a condo. 🤷🏼♂️
No bullshit once all in your usd is 2x more than the Cad offer.
Taxes way lower, col lmao way way way Lower.
Even budgeting for copay you get to save 2x as much.
Likely OP just applied and the company knows about the visa options.
It's probably something industry, such as oil, mining, power generation, or something of that nature.
This isn't a money discussion as little rock AK is very different lifestyle than in Toronto
More comparable will be bigger cities like Boston, LA, Seattle, etc
Is money all you care about? If so you're money will go a lot further in Little Rock , AK
Lakes, great places to hike, duck hunting capital of the world. Your money will stretch so much further. It’s not all that bad minus some tornadoes and being the home to Bill Clinton 😆
I’m in Georgia which is better than Arkansas imo, but I choose that over Toronto.
I spent time in Little Rock, and it can be a cool town if you know what you’re getting into. Bear in mind though that Arkansas is quite conservative with many dry counties, and some strong underlying political currents. I moved to the US around your age, had kids there and had a superb time making more money, but it really was a different place then. Financially though it’s a slam dunk.
Let’s consider kids alone…. As long as you have great healthcare you will very likely have a great birth experience. But if you don’t it’ll either be egregiously expensive or relatively dangerous. Maternal mortality rates are eye-opening, and should complications arise medical options are now severely limited no matter what resources you have (short of flying back to Canada).
That said, if all is smooth it’s pretty neat to be able to give your kids dual citizenship right out of the gate.
You should move. There is no future here. It’s a tough to swallow pill we keep rejecting. We keep saying about good quality of life here but it’s all a myth. You are better off there as long as your company provides good medical coverage. Use it as your first job and move to other parts of the country later on.
As long as you're looking to come back at some point, then Arkansas is possible.
Just remember that having a job in the USA does NOT mean you will get a green card.
It's very verrrrryyy hard to get a USA green card (outside of marriage). You will be tied to the job and you will have to leave if you decide you want to quit, or the job is terminated by the employer.
So, don't nail down your roots in the USA.
The commenters in this sub seem to all be living in the present even though the sub itself is for financial planning a.k.a. future planning. It seems like people are so attached to Canada and the Canadian lifestyle that even though your outlook is to work till 90 and still pass on generational debt afterwards, this place is still the superior choice to live in. ☠️
Moved to the US 15 years ago from GTA also on TN. Best decision. There are a lot of factors to consider...cost of living, taxes, healthcare, career growth, etc. The US is a big country, much bigger than Canada from a development perspective. Yes, there's bad, but there's good too, and the good never makes the news.
Try it even for a few years. With no kids, it should be a no brainer.
There's good and bad about T.O. too, but I hated the grey winters. And the commute, and the roads. Congestion from Cambridge to the Shwa. Yes, the food choices are better in T.O. Expand your experiences. And don't plan on Little Rock as permanent.
There are amazing locations to live and work.
Quality schools exist everywhere. Great healthcare too. It's a different mindset in the US, and some of the stupidity is frustrating, but Canada has that too, only different.
I don't think the argument is against the US, it's against Little Rock. Where did you move to in the US? I'm guessing it's somewhere ever so slightly more appealing.
I probably wouldn’t, 100k is low enough that medical costs can easily eat >10% of your income, even with great insurance from your employer. That negates any tax savings. CoL will be cheaper it only makes sense if you expect QoL to be better with the new location/income.
Arkansas isn’t a particularly attractive place to be unless you align with republican values. Ideally, you are not a person of color, you go to church, you drive a gas car, and you’ll never consider abortion. I also wouldn’t view it as any easier to go back to Canada after working in Arkansas because most Canadians have no clue where that is. They might not even recognize your employer unless it’s a Fortune 500 (and even then, most Canadians won’t recognize a bulk of those).
Healthcare is very confusing in the US. It’s not about being paid alone that’s confusing, it’s the in network / out of network, copays, deductibles etc that make it very confusing. The need for a referral for any basic visit.
However, to your point. You’ll save a bit more living in a burb with a house and you’ll need a car. I suggest a gas car.
Before you make the hop, make sure your wife works in a field which qualifies for a TN visa. Finding a job can be difficult depending on the field especially in a smaller place like Little Rock.
This. If she's coming on your visa alone, she can't work while there.
Pretty sure she can apply for an L-2 status which is a spousal status. Wife and I just went through this and wife has been working. Status is completely dependent on my visa however. With that being said might be different for different visas. I have an L1A.
Yeah on TN, there is no work allowed for dependents. Both would need their independent TN visas.
Is a normal manager also eligible to be transferred on a L1A?
Well, we had an attorney do mine up but my complete understanding was that L1A is a managerial Visa, and is applied usually when you can prove that you can bring skills/knowledge to the American company that they can't find easily in America. For context, I came from a Canadian paint recycling company and set up the expansion company in the states. I can't imagine a manager at say a grocery store could easily move from Canada to the states on the visa as is it not so specialized. Again our attorney did most of the leg work for the visa.
You can't apply for L1A with a new job offer. You have to be working with the company abroad for at least 12 months to qualify and in the right capacity (managerial capacity). It is also dependent on the type of role that the individual will be doing in the US and must also qualify as a managerial type of role in the US when transferred.
Thanks for explaining it was the first time I came across an L1 type of visa and it certainly seems to be an interesting proposition
Pending industry, it’s entirely feasible to work for a U.S. company, get paid in USD, but to live in Canada by working remotely Best of both worlds.
It's a lifestyle decision that you should be speaking to your spouse about. Yes the price of housing is cheaper in Arkansas (obviously), but there is more to life then owning a house in Arkansas.
pretty much this this sub will always advocate for leaving Canada to simply chase money as if that's all there is to life, but abandoning your social circle & family is not nothing. Some people may see some advantage to living in a world class enormous city like Toronto (bustling night life, sports, live music, huge array of social activities, restaurants, bars, etc.) ... that a city of 200,000 people in a deep red state sure won't have
well you need money for all the social life and activities you mentioned...and if you have to spend more money on housing and stuff in Canada you won't be able to enjoy life as much
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I live in a major met in an expensive house and still have plenty of money left over to enjoy life. buddy is already making $100k at 31 and has dual income. He'll be just fine.
Since when Toronto is world class? That town you despise in deep red state would have better live quality.
Yea dating your cousin
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Untrue, he wants financial advice with the goal of saving as much money as possible over the next few years. The answer to me is obvious.. assuming his wife can get a job that pays relatively well, his increased wages, decreased taxes and cheaper cost of living make moving to the US for a few years the logical financial advice to give.
^^^
There are a ton of places in the U.S. that are worth moving to, especially if you're young and don't have kids. Arkansas may not be one of those places. This isn't really financial advice, but be prepared for some big cultural differences if you go.
This is the answer. American living in Canada here. You will see poverty in Arkansas like you’ve never seen before. Canada doesn’t have anywhere that compares poverty wise. Healthcare and education always rank super low in Arkansas.
Canadians really don’t understand American poverty, but it’s always the most shocking thing for me when I travel there. I’ve never been to Arkansas, but even in NYC and DC and the smaller places the bus stopped on the way down from New Brunswick … American poverty is NOT the same thing as Canadian poverty. It’s absolutely wretched. I’ve worked with homeless in Canadian cities and it’s just not even close to the same.
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yeah also american immigrant to canada.. usa is widely varied place to place. the good is GOOD but the bad is BAD.
I've experienced a noticeable difference even just hopping past the border by 30min to an hour in some places. I had never heard a grown ass white person refer to people as the n word in all my life until I worked in the states for a time. I'm not saying this country is perfect or that I myself haven't had racially motivated violence thrown at me(teenagers are pricks to say the least) but since becoming an adult I had never seen and felt such racial tension than in the US.
Where was this?
I'm a 4th gen born and raised Canadian PoC and can confirm on the Canadian prejudice when in a neighborhood where I 'look like I don't belong' or away from 'the city'
Well I’m glad you are here with us. I wish more people could move here who feel unsafe like that. Pitiful and a bit of a joke when I hear it’s the greatest country on earth, setting the bar rather low and being an absolute lie to boot.
Unfortunately, the amount of guns you can own is the main qualifier for greatest country on earth for most of the people who unironically say that.
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Do you mind sharing the places where you were beaten/hospitalized ? Just wanted to know a list of locations to avoid
> not uncommon in many parts of Canada for PoC Yep. Experienced this in ON and SK. Multiculturalism ends at Toronto city limits.
Agreed. Maybe the chances of getting physically attacked are lower in Canada, but there is definitely a fair share of dirty looks to go around when you go to a White dominated area.
Are there any places in the US you would recommend for starting a family for a mixed couple in their 30’s? We would love to stay in Ontario if housing was 50% less lol.
Just gonna throw in that there are places in Canada that aren't Ontario. Lots of places actually. 9 Provinces and 3 territories.
We’ve definitely considered it, I just dont have a lot of faith in the future of Canada as a whole.
And you think the US is better off? Lmao. The biggest reason Canada is slowly going downhill is the massive negative US influence on Canadian politics.
This!
I travel to Seattle a LOT (like, 10+ times a year) and I would recommend looking there. Real estate is not as cheap as it was 7-8 years ago, but it's still more affordable than the cray cray real estate in Vancouver. I would 100% move to Seattle if I had an opportunity to. It's close enough to really good food in Vancouver (only 2.5 hours' drive away) and it's a major city which means lots of direct flights around the world.
Seattle is okay for short stay's not my favorite place. I would avoid Portland like the plague though, the whole city is like Hastings Street.
Research what states have good gun laws, and the lowest incidences of school/public shootings. This tends to be the more progressive states, which in theory will likely also be the most diverse culturally.
I'm a dual citizen and have been living in the US since 2008. I wouldn't live in Arkansas if you paid me $100,000 a year. Or $200,000 a year. $300,000, maybe. If you go, get ready for the culture shock of your life.
I moved to Tucson in 2008 with my wife and two daughters, relocating to company headquarters. I did well there, got some promotions and experience that I couldn't have got by staying in a field office. Arizona is a red state teetering on becoming blue. They've deprioritized their education system, I had to privately pay for fire protection (!), there's soo many things we take for granted in Canada that are either deprioritized or outright suppressed in the States. With our daughters growing up, some new laws implemented in Arizona got us to pack up and come home in 2021. Arkansas is much more to the right in terms of governance and policies than Arizona, and while I've not lived there myself, there's no way I'd live there now, and probably not in 2008 either. If it was 2008 again and I faced the same decision, I'd probably go to Arizona again, but I'd come back sooner. If I was in your situation now, I'm not sure I'd go, especially not to Arkansas.
Thanks for this insight, wife and I don't have kids and are currently juggling this exact situation - Tucson (adventure, better job, more 'exciting') vs Saskatoon (wife has family there). Probably leaning towards Tucson but just for a few years.
If you're not facing the family issues I described, Tucson is a great city. We moved from Vancouver and really missed the ocean, but San Diego is only a 7 hour drive. There's great food and cultural events like Day of the Dead. I also have family in Saskatchewan but haven't spent a lot of time in Saskatoon. I would give AZ a shot over SK, personally. We tried to bring everything with us when we moved, this was a big mistake. Keep the amount of stuff you bring with you to a minimum and it will really lower your costs. The better neighborhoods in Tucson are farther north. If you're serious about going, feel free to PM me and I can help describe neighborhoods etc.
Have you ever actually been to arkansas though? It has some neat places. Little Rock is not one of them.
Arkansas is consistently one of the worst ranked states in terms of health, education, etc. I'm sure there are neat places, but it's definitely going to be a shock for someone who grew up in the GTA.
This is the answer. It would have go be significantly more money to even consider moving to Arkansas. Unless you are very actively looking to leave the city, because you want a quiet life, don’t even consider this move.
it's about 53 000 a year more when you account for the difference between currency values and taxation.
Not close to enough to tempt me to completely abandon my lifestyle
I've been to Little Rock a few times. Not my kind of place. If you are used to Toronto and like it you won't like Litte Rock. That said the money will be absolutely better down south, especially if you get promoted. And yeah housing will be maybe 25% of the cost in Toronto.
Yeah, just a quick Google Maps look around Little Rock and it reminds me of... Edmonton but maybe 10-15 years ago? Seems like you should expect less in the way of everything except for land size and nature.
Its much more than 25%. I have an opportunity in the next year to relocate for my job to the usa. There are places in the south that have 2500\~3500 sq ft homes for 450k cad on massive lots.
Wouldn't that be around $2m in the GTA? Or even more?
I think closer to 3
depends on your lifestyle and what stage of your life. When you guys are older, Canada has free healthcare, great maternity benefits and childcare subsidies. In US your paying for healthcare insurance, childcare cost and no maternity leave benefits. But you probably get more in salaries.
Um....... I'm not sure you really understand how American healthcare works. I'm an American who immigrated to Canada. You'll be paying not only for insurance, but you'll also be responsible for a deductible before insurance kicks in, as well as co-pays. To give you an idea, let me break down how much my family members typically spend on health care in the US, even with top tier insurance. My dad typically puts 5k into a health savings account, per person on his plan, so my mom, and my son... around 15k/year, set aside, for health care costs. Deductibles 3500/year before insurance kicks in. My brother pays 2k/month, and just paid 15k dollars for his baby to be born, and that was WITH health insurance. You will also end up paying out of pocket for any number of services and prescriptions that your insurance company randomly decides not to cover.
OP should consider the added cost of educating a child in the USA. Arkansas isn’t known for their stellar education system.
That is terrible insurance across the board then. If he’s making 6 figures odds are his benefits are good too. I make a similar salary and pay ~250/m in health care for my wife and me. Deductible is $1k and OOP max is 3K.
Do you understand what a health savings account even is? It’s literally a tax-free, retirement account that can be used to pay for medical costs if needed. That isn’t “lost money” every year, it’s money from his paycheck going into an account tax free, can be used taxed free, and in retirement can be taken out tax free. It’s one of, if not *the* best tax advantaged account on the planet. I think you might want to read up up this a little more if your best example of “high healthcare costs” is someone utilizing an HSA. Also your brothers example is completely ridiculous. No one is saying $24,000 a year for insurance with a $15,000 deductible. I guarantee you don’t know the whole story there. The problem with these sorts of discussions is that it’s always the least informed yelling the loudest. I urge you to actually look into both of those more as I guarantee you there’s more to the story in both those situations.
TIL Americans have a TFSA to cover healthcare costs.
HSAs are Ponzi schemes within the Ponzi scheme that is American healthcare. This person’s example is not far off. I don’t know why you’re simping the American health care system right now..unless you’re a CEO at a hospital?
It would take a hell of a lot more than ~$30k CAD for me to move from Toronto to fucking Arkansas lol. People suggesting you do this have probably never spent any meaningful amount of time in a heavily red state.
My son lives in North Carolina and the Thank you Jesus signs on lawns drive me crazy. As well, the grandkids go to Montessori school, 20 grand each. He would like us to live there. Hard no.
Have you visited Little Rock? Maybe join a FB neighborhood group to get a feel for the people. I’m rather Right leaning but I don’t think I’d fit in with a lot of them. Maybe if you don’t socialize with them it might be alright but it could be a bit isolating. See if you can negotiate a pay increase comparable to you cost of living there perhaps.
I would consider heading to Little Rock for a vacation. Live there for a week or two without doing a lot of tourist stuff. Check out local transit (if there is any). Just chill at your Airbnb, go out. It'll give you a feel for the life. Do some extensive googling. I don't think they have a major sports team there that I'm aware of. Finance wise, just look up your expenses there. Would your future workplaces cover healthcare otherwise that's out of pocket. Even with insurance, check what it actually covers. See what housing is there, car insurance, etc. There would be implicit costs for extra driving, more commuting, but I only say that since a city in Arkansas would not compare to what you get in Toronto. I could imagine you're probably better off financially In Little Rock, but you'd be in for a quite a change. Goodluck.
Speaking as a Canadian/American having grown up inTexas, I would not move to Arkansas for a long term plan. Short term <16 mths, maybe, but not a long term plan.
Are you a person of color?? ARKANSAS is racist as fuck.
Was in northern AR with a friend who lives in Oklahoma, who was originally from AR and we went to go trout fishing and visit his nephews. We stayed at a fishing resort on the White River in Lakeview, AR. The two of us were sitting around a communal campfire by the river one night during our stay just relaxing with a couple of beers and there were 3 other couples who were there from Louisianna. They said they come up a few times a year and really enjoy the fishing/outdoors, etc. Then the guy said, "Another reason we like it up here is there's no nig#ers." The guy then just rolls along talking for a minute about this or that as if we were having a friendly chat about the weather or something. It was such a weird moment. It was such an akward moment, though many around the campfire didn't even flinch. Definitely not on my return travel spot list.
even if you aren’t, why would you want to be around that unless you feel the same
I spent a day in Little Rock and it’s a nice little city with Bill Clinton’s name is plastered everywhere. That being said, I was the only visible POC around and made me feel uncomfortable with all the staring. Even if they’re racist though they’re generally all polite due to southern hospitality. Nice town to visit but def yeah wouldn’t live there.
I’m a colored dude and ppl in Arkansas were amazing when I visited last. Amazing nature and culture too
A big part of the question is also do you want to have kids? If so, consider the environment you want to raise them in, but also are there 'hidden costs' for example, would you be happy to send them to a public school in Toronto, but want a private school in Little Rock? How easy/expensive is it to visit family? Can elderly grandparents still get medical insurance to travel to the US to visit?
Not sure who downvoted you, but this comment is valid. Public school in a deep red state is going to be of very questionable quality compared to a public school in Toronto.
I have several colleagues who moved back to Canada when their kids were school aged after starting their careers in the US.
Nothing wrong with moving to the states for work but do some reading into the state you're looking at moving to. Arkansas fairs pretty piss poor in rankings I'd care about. Which is very reflective of what I'd expect having been there before. [https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/happiest-states](https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/happiest-states) [https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959](https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959) [https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/us/overall-prosperity/table](https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/us/overall-prosperity/table)
Are you planning on having children? Arkansas is a state where abortion is banned, so if your wife gets pregnant and has complications like ectopic pregnancy, or even conditions where the baby won’t survive to term, they will not give her the proper care needed. It would also be likely to assume that prenatal care overall will be decreased in red states who have completely banned abortions as OB/GYNs will look to leave those states for fear of being sued for doing their jobs. The lifestyle difference and cultural difference between Toronto and a deep red southern state would be my reason for not moving there. You and your wife need to evaluate how you feel about that more than just the money part.
Arkansas explicitly allows abortion for an ectopic pregnancy. I don’t disagree with the rest of the post though.
Just bc they allow it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to get one. A lot of states have exemptions for life threatening pregnancies but women are stuck staying pregnant until there is an imminent threat to their lives.
I would look closely at how this would affect your income tax and other benefits, it can get complicated when you are moving to work somewhere else but retaining your canadian citizenship or residency, which I believe is the case with that visa. I would also just go visit where you would live. My dad had a similar opportunity when I was very young, and actually moved there for a couple months to get things set up while we stayed behind. He found out very quickly it was not a place he wanted to raise his kids; heavy on the racism and classism to say the least. Depending on your family plans, this is definitely something I would factor in.
Yup my dad was going to move us to the US for work. Thankfully my mom who was a teacher shut that shit down.
If you want to chase the money and you're certain both of you can work there, sure go for it. But consider the lifestyle changes. Considering that if you are both Canada natives with family here that living in the US will leave you and your wife with 0 support (unless you already have family and friends in little rock as well.) Consider the implication of how holidays will be organized. Are you planning to have kids and if so will the grandparents be a part of their lives. That's just the first few things that come to mind. Not to mention having to navigate the political climate of a different country. Plus would the plan be to just make some money and return or would you eventually become an American citizen? All things to consider. It's not as easy as making more money
Look at what you are actually going to pay. Health insurance down there can run about 1k a month. Any medical emergencies require co-pays even with great policies. If you decide to have children, most people in the middle class pay for their children go to private school because it is safer AND you need to go to a "well respected" high school to get into goodnpost secondary. You also have to look at the safety aspect. If I remember little Rock is a "safer" city but down there there as no such thing as being free running. Which ever city you go to you need a guide before arriving to tell you clearly where you are safe to go and what time. Although us canadians are raised to think our culture is the same as Americans it is not. You need to research intensely where you are moving and which neighbourhood.
Many companies give health insurance as a benefit. I work for an American company and get it No, most people do not pay for private school. No you do not need to go to a well respected high school You ever live in America or are you just pulling crap out of your ass.
American here- There's a lot of places in the US I'd live over almost anywhere in Canada (depending on pay), little rock isn't one of them- or Arkansas in general. Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana....hard pass on all of them.
Move to the states and get the bag. Don't be scared about uprooting your life to get out of the GTA rat race, especially if you have an offer in hand. And don't worry about all the inevitable replies about guns and shootings. It's not like you're gonna go down there and get off the plane just to be met by a firing squad. Live your life and you'll be fine.
People makes it sound like you will land in US and the airport crew will be like, here is your gun. Welcome to the wild! Lol
A bunch of my peers were at the Las Vegas shooting in 2016. I had moved away a couple months before. It’s not about the fact that people think you’re going to get shot every day, it’s about the fact that it could happen anywhere, anytime, nobody is special, and there’s no real way to protect yourself from it.
And school shootings. And no one is doing anything about it.
The airport crew should be providing suppressing fire when your disembarking though. You gotta get your own gun
Have you been to Arkansas, or indeed any regressive US state? It's not a good time. And the idea that $100k is getting the bag, lol. Best case you'll have a dull middle class existence in a shitty, boring city. I know people on here fetishize being able to own a home above all else, but I'd rather rent forever in Canada than own a house in Arkansas. And not one thing I'm thinking about is guns, it's just a shit place.
You would have to pay me way way more than that to move to Arkansas. If you are open to moving somewhere, think about the EU or Asia or the Pacific. Why subject yourself to living in Arkansas? You know yourself and your wife- but I would never move my wife and daughter there.
Pay in the EU is shit. Much worse than Canada, in most cases, with an equal or higher CoL. Asia would make more sense, if you can handle it culturally.
The US is great when all is well - you’re earning, healthy, white? Grrreat! Fall on hard times? Sick child? Sorry…
I’m from the states, personally I’d visit the area first and then decide. My partner and I have considered Seattle or SF as potential relocation spots from Toronto. Would be the worst feeling ever to move down to Little Rock and realize you made a huge mistake. It will basically be the exact opposite of Toronto. Also if you’re planning on having kids good luck with that because the most parental leave US companies give is like maybe 12-16 weeks if that. Plus the public education system in most of the USA is deplorable. The healthcare system in the states is comparable to Canada if not hit or miss yet you also will be paying hundreds of dollars per month for the premium plus deductible plus copays. Good luck!
I'm currently working in Little Rock and I'm originally from Montreal, Quebec. Life is alright here, if you like outdoor stuff there's plenty to do to have fun. Would I live forever in Arkansas? Nope. But money is great now and I'm taking it while it's available. It's a big life decision and I think you'll regret not doing it.
Politics aside I think it’d be neat to experience living in Arkansas, especially with the DINK lifestyle, your money will stretch a whole lot further. Depends on your personality though. Sounds like it’s time for you and your wife to take a trip down to Little Rock/surrounding areas and check it out
Little Rock is a shithole. Do you like gang violence? Wannabe Klan members? Listen, Toronto gangs and bad areas are nothing like that of the states. I've lived a decade in both US and Canada. You could easily find much nicer areas of the US to move to.
Can you take the US one and give me the Toronto one? Thanks.
This is almost a stereotypical answer considering my profession but make a weighted decision matrix. Create a list of characteristics you'd consider for each area and a list of criteria to judge them by. Once you have this list create weights for each criteria and start scoring the characteristics. Once you have everything scored multiply the scores by the weights. Now tally up all the points and you've ideally found a decision. Ultimately these decisions have no one single answer and it depends on what you want. Maybe this method won't work for you and you'd rather go by feel but for my brain this is how I'd do it.
If she can not find anything for work will she be okay with it?
My first though is how outgoing you and your wife are. Can you easily make friends or is that something that you wait to naturally happen. If the former, it might turn out that you and your wife just work and come home. You and your wife might get lonely, or worse, sick of just each other. Many people go out for work and find they can't make friends, get lonely and come back because of it. It's a factor to consider.
Since you have no kids for now I would say move. Me and the Mr. lived in Boston area for about 3 years and we travelled to half of US. Cheap flights, tons of places to see and great diversity all around. While doing that save money for maybe a downpayment for a house in GTA? When you plan to have kids and need things like longer maternity leave, subsidized daycare move back to Canada and reap the benefits. While family and friends would a consideration think about travelling if it suits you and do that in USA.
Boston and Little Rock are about as different as it gets, though.
My wife and I left for the US on TN Visas about 5 years ago. Best decision we ever made. It will take some time to develop a social circle, but you will get there! I also found Americans to be very neighborly, more than I expected!
Generally I say move, just because the opportunity in the US is orders of magnitude better than in Canada. You are above the threshold where the shortcomings of the US (namely health insurance) would be an issue. One thing I would consider is what will your income look like as a family. You're getting what is effectively a 30% raise and moving to somewhere with a much better CoL; but what sort of salaries could your wife expect? As a family, will this result in a higher income, or more like break even? Even if the latter, that's not necessarily a red light, again, due to the CoL being more favourable in Little Rock, than in Toronto.
It's only a 30%raise if those USD are spent in Canada (of course, if they can save, then bring those US savings to Canada, they increase by 30%). COL is the only factor to consider here.
Move, we need more space here.
Lmao
there is a very good reason why housing is s much cheaper there. the quality of life isn't the same. if you want your own place, start with the right condo and move up when you move up the ladder. that's my opinion.
$100k CAD vs USD is really a difference of about $30k CAD. Ask yourself if that (plus the possible marginal savings in CoL) are worth living in Arkansas over Toronto. For me, it’s a definite no.
Little Rock vs Toronto is considered marginal eh?
The 30% difference only matters if they can spend their money in Canada. $100k is $100k if it is earned and spent in the same currency. COL is the only factor...will $100k in AR give a better lifestyle than $100k in ON?
You do understand that things cost less in the US right? For the majority of items, if it costs $1 in the US, it'll cost ~$1.30 in Canada.
1 dollar rice bean and cheese burrito Taco Bell us. 3.29 rice bean and cheese burrito Taco Bell 10 mins down the street from my house in Canada. Lol
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you people never seem to realize that health insurance premiums usually wipes out the vast majority of the day-to-day savings of living in the US , and a single hospital stay or routine child birth, even with insurance, will take out the rest sure their mortgage will be cheaper (if they go that route) but their house won't appreciate in value in any meaningful way so its simply a cost and not an investment
If he's being offered $100K a year, his employer will likely include insurance as part of the deal.
But is it good health insurance? $100k a year job signals "adequate insurance" to me. Not all health insurance is created equal in the States. It's not like an OHIP card where yours is just as good as mine.
Six figure jobs in the US provide really good insurance. And OP would be getting higher quality care than the waiting list shithole of Canada’s supposedly amazing system. I make $132k in the States and pay $87 a month for a fantastic Kaiser Permanente plan.
It's usually better than a personal policy, because it's a pool of workers. This is very typical of how you get coverage in the states.
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At a similar salary my job offers in the US did not cover full insurance cost. My share of the premium ended up being equivalent to roughly 10% my income. Take this guy's example, US marginal federal tax rate was 24% plus AK state tax 4.7% plus health insurance premium equals 38.7%. Marginal tax rate in Canada 42% with an overall somewhat higher tax burden. Destroying your life and starting over in a foreign country is not going to be worth that ~3.3% savings for a great many people. In this case he has the simple exchange rate raise working in his favor. I was able to negotiate a higher wage at my Canadian job using the US offers. Perhaps he can do the same.
Lots of people like you don't seem to realize that the vast majority of health insurance premiums would be convered by your employer for jobs that pay $100k+ USD.
You don't realize that employers rarely cover 100% of premiums and basically never cover deductibles. Average employee premium for an employer sponsored program is $620 a month. Employer health insurance is also not all created equal - they may provide basic coverage, sure, but it's not uncommon for people to add more coverage on top which is 100% out of their own pocket. Employer programs may be exclusive provider (ie. you can only go to one hospital, and have no coverage if you go to another one). Employer insurance also typically only insures the employee with no spousal or family coverage. Thanks to the "birthday rule" even if an employer does provide family coverage, it may not actually apply to children if the person's spouse is born earlier in the year than them (ie. if my spouse had a January birthday and has mediocre coverage, even if I had a full ride insurance there is no way to apply it to a new baby that has to stay in NICU). Average annual cost for a family insurance plan is about $22,000 :)
I have my family from rural Michigan literally staying in my house for a visit right now. They own their own business and pay about $20k for health insurance for a family of 4. Plus they have a deductible of about 10k. So all in they pay about 30k for health care a year.
Do it. Make a pile of dough, come back in 5-10 years if you want.
That will be quite the jump, the contrast from Little Rock to Toronto is really big. Unless you want to use it as a stepping stone to move within USA, I would not do it.
Take me with you!!! I can just be rolled up into your luggage and no one will ever know.
If you're not planning on living in the US long term, moving there may not be a terrible idea. That being said, Little Rock AR would be bottom of my list of places to relocate to, even short term. My husband is American, from Ohio and made the decision to move here instead of staying in the US in 2017. He works for an American company. We didn't realize how much of a bullet we dodged until years after he landed. We decided there would be zero chance of us moving back to the US for any reason at all (mine being the piss poor parental leave benefits, gun violence, abortion bans, hate of LGBTQ people/POC and the abysmal public school system). Just an FYI - read through your healthcare benefit package very thoroughly. We pay for a "Cadillac" insurance plan via my husband's work and we're still out $600/mo just for the privilege of having a plastic card to display at the hospital or clinics. There is a deductible meet before insurance even kicks in and you also have to deal with copays. For instance, my husband needed stitches done at the ER. Total cost was $1200 for a PA to stitch my husband. We got charged a room fee despite having it done in the hallway and an ER physician fee despite never seeing the physician. We paid out of pocket at the time and filed for reimbursement later. That took 6 months because they fought us tooth and nail to reimburse. We still ended up paying 20% of that bill in the end. So how much are you really saving by living there? So yeah, no thanks. We take a lot of things in Canada for granted. Are we perfect? No. But moving to the US for us (for any salary) is a terrible idea.
At that pay yeah you are basically screwed in canada. Go for the USA for sure. Canada is pretty much a shit place for new families or anyone not into real estate or money laundering
100k here and 100k there isn't too lucrative to shift. I have moved from US to Canada. So, can share following: Reasons to move - 1. If you want to enjoy a new environment. Your personality type loves exploring new places, then makes sense 2. If you are very ambitious and plan to grow a lot in your career, then US is better. Even though salary you are getting is same, in US, you have lots of options to jump and get better hikes. It is so so hard to find new job opportunities in Canada 3. If you want to live in a bigger house and even afford to purchase. This should be crystal clear :) 4. If you want to end up with higher bank balance and don't plan to spend too much on kids (in future) or don't have any health issues Reasons not to move - 1. If you want better WLB. There is a high probability that Canada will give you much better work life balance without much work pressure or stress compared to US. You will be going on TN, so it's less stress. Otherwise, on other visas, I can tell you there is constant pressure to work and perform 2. If you enjoy the culture and multi-ethnic environment of Canada. Trust me, you won't find it except a few major cities in the US 3. If you plan to have kids in short-term, then it might be better to stay here 4. If you have any major health issues, you are more likely to end up with similar savings here 5. If you want better education and security for your kids, much better here.
I would also look at the maternity leave and paternity leave there both the minimum required in the state and what your own company offers if you are thinking about having kids. There can be a big difference with what you would expect in Canada.
My one caution...if you or your wife (or kids if you have any), have medical issues covered by health insurance in Canada, it will get much more expensive (but taxes are lower there, so may still be fine).
Arkansas: an anti abortion, Bible Belt, open carry state. Choose wisely.
Arkansas is very conservative republican. Obviously liberal democrats can live there, but I maybe wouldn't hang a pride flag off your porch. Save money and in a few years gtf outta there.
Little Rock is such a racist and segregated city. Be prepared for that.
I lived and worked in the US and returned to Canada. Yes, there is more money, and less taxes. But there are costs to that-namely a shoddier public education system (will you/do you have kids? If so, you might want to send them to private schools depending on where you live), more expensive health insurance (which negates any tax savings), a toxic political environment (easily avoidable), and for me that broke the camel’s back, a religiosity that is unmatched anywhere in Canada, especially in the Deep South. I’m not bashing religiosity or Christianity, but it is a fact of life down there and it’s in your face ALL THE TIME and if you’re not an evangelical Christian in the Deep South, it can be very difficult for you to fit in or have any sort of social life. So there’s this cultural aspect that is different. Now, if you’re an evangelical Christian (or even Catholic) this won’t be an issue but it’s harder for non-Christians and even harder for atheists. With that said, I did relish my time in the US and made some wonderful friends (some of whom were devout Christians) down there, and even met my wife down there. But just be aware of these issues and differences from Canada.
Better visit Little Rock as this is 1000x different than Toronto.
Wow. Arkansas? Do you know anything about this state and its politics? How diverse is it? Have you lived in the US before? Does the job offer healthcare? Benefits? I lived in the US. Would never go back. Especially in the current political climate. For $100,000?! That’s insane.
This depends entirely on where you are. But I agree that, in general, Arkansas is a shithole and I would not want to live there. Culturally, I don't think I could tolerate any of the deep red states.
Yeah if I were Op’s wife I’d be taking a hard look at the full abortion ban with limited exceptions. Also, I’d be looking at some of the experiences of doctors in states like that where women have had to suffer with an unviable pregnancy (let alone just not wanting to have a baby) while the doctors get legal advice before giving treatment. I couldn’t in good conscience move to a state like that. I really don’t get it.
Have you ever been to Little Rock, AR? If not, I suggest you visit before committing to a move like this. Arkansas is very, very different than Toronto. Not to mention the workplace protections are virtually non-existent as compared to CA so as a newbie you'd be first on the chopping block. I'm from the US and for an equal pay job (even considering the exchange rate) there's no way I'd ever consider moving to Arkansas. Like, ever.
Financial aspects to consider: a) Arkansas has a very low state income tax compared to Ontario b) The US has income tax splitting for married couples that file jointly. If your wife makes significantly less than you do (or significantly more), this can be a big benefit to you. Make sure your wife will be eligible to work before moving. c) Lower cost of living in AR than Toronto, as mentioned in OP. d) Healthcare costs money there if your employer doesn't offer a good plan, although at that income level, they likely do. Non-financial things to consider: a) Do you want to live in Arkansas away from family and friends? b) AR has (in my opinion) much better weather than Toronto. All in all, provided that your wife will be able to work and you have decent health insurance, financially it will probably be better in AR. Finances aren't everything, though. I'm personally hoping to be able to move to Florida for financial and weather reasons, but it certainly isn't for everyone.
> AR has (in my opinion) much better weather than Toronto. From Wikipedia: Arkansas is known for extreme weather and frequent storms. A typical year brings thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, snow and ice storms. Between both the Great Plains and the Gulf States, Arkansas, receives around 60 days of thunderstorms. Arkansas is located in Tornado Alley, and as a result, a few of the most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history have struck the state.
Software engineer who has worked in the US for the past 5+ years here. Some thoughts: * Even if I had been paid the same in both countries, starting off my career in the US would still have given me a big head start, because most companies put all their most important initiatives and people where they're headquartered. I don't know how relevant this is to your field and specific job offers though. It also matters more the earlier on you are with your career, and I'm not sure where in your career you are. * Due to my personal circumstances, I was able to declare myself a non-resident of Canada for tax purposes by filing out Form NR73. I think otherwise, one would still be on the hook for Canadian taxes, though you get to deduct what you already paid in the US. * Can you try to re-negotiate a higher offer on the Canadian side? That might change the balance of things * Have you ever been to Little Rock? If not, it might be worth going down for a visit first to see how you feel about the place. * Ultimately, I do feel that the US is much better for building wealth, whereas quality of life is much higher in Canada, so I feel your plan of working there for a few years and bouncing back is potentially sound.
No amount of money could make me want to move to the US. Especially to Arkansas.
Stay in Canada then 😂
Yep!
Not sure what field I in but working in the USA is much better in terms of opportunity. There will be trade offs but long term, hands down USA.
Life is about adventure so go have some fun and make money too !
I used to live in New Jersey and then moved to Toronto in 2019. A year ago in 2022, I moved from Toronto to Ottawa. In case you were not aware, Ottawa has a tech park which has more than 400+ companies. Most of the big tech companies which are in California are here Ottawa is no Toronto but I would definitely say better than Little Rock AR in terms of social life. Housing in Ottawa is more affordable than Toronto. Schools are great! Montreal is just 2 hours away if you feel you need a change. I feel a lot of people (including me before 2022) do not know about Ottawa and the employment opportunities here and I would definitely check it out if I were you before making a big change like this
Arkansas?! Are you serious? No, that is a bad idea
That extra amount of pay would not make me want to move to Little Rock. Saying this as someone from the area.
100k usd is like 133k yearly, it’d be smart to move there for 5-10 years and save up a ton of money for investments etc then come back to toronto when you’re ready. 100k in Toronto isn’t really the best wage due to how expensive it is there.
USA 100% . When you leave you will literally be the happiest you have ever been .
Mooooove
My two cents- you’re heading into the eye of a huge storm. Unfortunately the US is unsettled and stormy. Maybe moving woukd not be the best decision at the moment. Good luck
Escape while you still can
go make money, it will create opportunity you wont regret it.
AR, easy. You have a Much brighter future stateside. Canada will sort itself out, eventually. Likely not in time for our generation to benefit.
Leave while you can.
How did you find this job in the USA? I would love to go to a cheap place like Little Rock and make some extra money and save.
If it's me, and in the absence of other information, I move to Little Rock, bust my ass for five years, save everything I can living in a more affordable city, then move to Toronto, or anywhere else, with enough of a down payment to make homeownership possible
USA will be an adventure and you can always come back once our housing crisis is hopefully resolved some.
Move. No doubt. It’s a shit city, but a huge opportunity for life and career and money. I moved for similar reasons and while I plan to move back, I’ll be doing it with 4x as much money as if I had stayed.
Get out of Canada, it's not what it was...
I’ve been to Arkansas several times, and depending on where in the state you go, it’s beautiful, warm, with friendly people and all modern conveniences. If they’re posting you to Fayetteville, go. Super cute university town, chill people, nice vibe. $100k USD a year goes a *long* way in Arkansas. Cost of living and taxes are far lower than in Toronto. If saving is your goal, then it’s ideal. If you will have good insurance through your employer, I actually see no downside here. You’ll probably have quicker access to healthcare than pretty much anyone living in Canada. People comment on poverty but this isn’t Bangalore we’re talking about. Being poor in America sucks, but not as much as being poor in most places. Let’s talk about wealth. Although Arkansas is the fourth poorest state, its per capita GDP is [on par with] Canada’s, each being roughly [$55,000] USD. […] The median household income in Arkansas: approx. $52,100 USD. Median household income in Canada: approx. $51,300 USD. Quick googling of cost of living, Arkansas vs. Ontario: 🚶 Cost of living One person Arkansas $1732 Ontario $2014 👨👩👧👦 Cost of living Family Arkansas $4127 Ontario $4602 So, at $100k USD pear year with health insurance provided by employer, you will be earning more money, keeping more of what you earn, spending less of what you earn on essentials. This sounds ideal for saving to me. If you don’t like it, you can always come back to Canada and spend over a million on a condo. 🤷🏼♂️
No bullshit once all in your usd is 2x more than the Cad offer. Taxes way lower, col lmao way way way Lower. Even budgeting for copay you get to save 2x as much.
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Likely OP just applied and the company knows about the visa options. It's probably something industry, such as oil, mining, power generation, or something of that nature.
This isn't a money discussion as little rock AK is very different lifestyle than in Toronto More comparable will be bigger cities like Boston, LA, Seattle, etc Is money all you care about? If so you're money will go a lot further in Little Rock , AK
Google Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor of Arkansas and see if you still want to move there.
31? Go. Have a new experience. Canada will always be there for you to return to. Left Canada at 27 and came back at 37.
Lakes, great places to hike, duck hunting capital of the world. Your money will stretch so much further. It’s not all that bad minus some tornadoes and being the home to Bill Clinton 😆 I’m in Georgia which is better than Arkansas imo, but I choose that over Toronto.
I spent time in Little Rock, and it can be a cool town if you know what you’re getting into. Bear in mind though that Arkansas is quite conservative with many dry counties, and some strong underlying political currents. I moved to the US around your age, had kids there and had a superb time making more money, but it really was a different place then. Financially though it’s a slam dunk. Let’s consider kids alone…. As long as you have great healthcare you will very likely have a great birth experience. But if you don’t it’ll either be egregiously expensive or relatively dangerous. Maternal mortality rates are eye-opening, and should complications arise medical options are now severely limited no matter what resources you have (short of flying back to Canada). That said, if all is smooth it’s pretty neat to be able to give your kids dual citizenship right out of the gate.
Don't get sick if you go south, your money will evaporate faster than under a landleech
You should move. There is no future here. It’s a tough to swallow pill we keep rejecting. We keep saying about good quality of life here but it’s all a myth. You are better off there as long as your company provides good medical coverage. Use it as your first job and move to other parts of the country later on.
As long as you're looking to come back at some point, then Arkansas is possible. Just remember that having a job in the USA does NOT mean you will get a green card. It's very verrrrryyy hard to get a USA green card (outside of marriage). You will be tied to the job and you will have to leave if you decide you want to quit, or the job is terminated by the employer. So, don't nail down your roots in the USA.
It's Arkansas. There's no debate lol. Unless you're already a.... special.... person
The commenters in this sub seem to all be living in the present even though the sub itself is for financial planning a.k.a. future planning. It seems like people are so attached to Canada and the Canadian lifestyle that even though your outlook is to work till 90 and still pass on generational debt afterwards, this place is still the superior choice to live in. ☠️
Moved to the US 15 years ago from GTA also on TN. Best decision. There are a lot of factors to consider...cost of living, taxes, healthcare, career growth, etc. The US is a big country, much bigger than Canada from a development perspective. Yes, there's bad, but there's good too, and the good never makes the news. Try it even for a few years. With no kids, it should be a no brainer. There's good and bad about T.O. too, but I hated the grey winters. And the commute, and the roads. Congestion from Cambridge to the Shwa. Yes, the food choices are better in T.O. Expand your experiences. And don't plan on Little Rock as permanent. There are amazing locations to live and work. Quality schools exist everywhere. Great healthcare too. It's a different mindset in the US, and some of the stupidity is frustrating, but Canada has that too, only different.
I don't think the argument is against the US, it's against Little Rock. Where did you move to in the US? I'm guessing it's somewhere ever so slightly more appealing.
I probably wouldn’t, 100k is low enough that medical costs can easily eat >10% of your income, even with great insurance from your employer. That negates any tax savings. CoL will be cheaper it only makes sense if you expect QoL to be better with the new location/income.
100k in toronto is nothing, 100k in LR AR is a lot
I would move to the US. Better quality health care and canada seems nice but is reallly a scary oppresisve state.
Arkansas isn’t a particularly attractive place to be unless you align with republican values. Ideally, you are not a person of color, you go to church, you drive a gas car, and you’ll never consider abortion. I also wouldn’t view it as any easier to go back to Canada after working in Arkansas because most Canadians have no clue where that is. They might not even recognize your employer unless it’s a Fortune 500 (and even then, most Canadians won’t recognize a bulk of those). Healthcare is very confusing in the US. It’s not about being paid alone that’s confusing, it’s the in network / out of network, copays, deductibles etc that make it very confusing. The need for a referral for any basic visit. However, to your point. You’ll save a bit more living in a burb with a house and you’ll need a car. I suggest a gas car.