Calgary immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah speaks with her clients Brian and Michael, American expats in Canada who moved to Calgary in September of 2018. Brian Owens and his husband Michael Dettner had the opportunity to move from Tennessee to Alberta, Canada for Brian's job as Artistic Director for the Calgary Film Festival. Brian accepted the job, and the film fest contacted Evelyn Ackah and Ackah Business Immigration Law to get his LMIA as a senior highly Skilled Foreign Worker. Brian started work in Calgary a few weeks later. Michael needed to apply for a Canadian visa for an open Spousal Sponsorship and received a 2-year Temporary Resident work permit before moving to Canada, which Ackah Law handled. Brian and Michael's American expats in Canada journey includes living through COVID in a new country while trying to qualify for permanent residence, which they finally received in 2023. This is their expat story. 

The Calgary International Film Festival retains Ackah Business Immigration Law for guidance on immigration matters.

Evelyn, Brian and Michael discuss:

• Why moving to Canada in 2018 was the best decision they ever made
• As Americans, why did they want to move to Canada
• Had they ever lived outside the United States before
• What surprised them most about expat life in Calgary
• Although they moved here together, Brian already had a job offer in Canada, while Michael - the trailing spouse - had to apply for Spousal Sponsorship. How did this make their immigration journey’s different?
• Now that you’ve lived in Canada for 5 years - and lived here through the pandemic, experiencing all the delays getting your paperwork approved, what were their biggest misconceptions about living in Canada - good and bad?
• Are their friends mainly Canadians, Americans, expats or…???
• Before moving to Canada, what did their friends in America think about this decision?
• Brian and Michael have lived in Canada for a while and become Canada permanent residents, what do their American friends and family think now?
• If another American asked for advice about moving to Canada, what would you tell them? 

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