Ok Florida People!

You're biggest challenge is immigration -- because in order to "move" here you have to have a job **already** or else you have to have someone who will sponsor both of you (big huge deal -- someone who promises to be financially responsibile for seven years.

When David came here we had to be able to prove we actually courted and had a bona fide relationshipi AND that our marriage was "real" in every sense -- and see I could sponsor him because I'm a natural citizen.

Neither of you are American citizens are you??  You can only visit down here for a couple of months I think on a typical visa. 

But you also have to understand that he would likely not be covered by our disability system -- it's very very difficult to prove disability and he wouldn't be eligible because he's not a citizen and he hasn't ever contributed to social security.

Do you have anyone here willing to sponsor you?  Family or such?

what part of Florida?  Don't go unless you have a job there.  Trying to find work in FL is extremely difficult any general day of the year, let alone during this recent recession.  They pay peanuts for jobs you would expect to receive double for in Canada.

my family moved to FL when I was, oh, I think about 11yrs old, and I left 2 days after I graduated HS.  Natives have MUCH better prospects and perspectives than transplants.  It's harder to transplant into FL than one might expect.

Not bashing FL - there were many aspects I loved.  But it's not Disney World.

 I do have family in Georgia and Oregon. Not sure if they'd sponsor us.  I'm hoping to have a job lined up before I get down there.  

So Alex wouldn't be able to get his disability pension moved to the states? Hmmmm... I am planning on going for my dual.  

Like I said, this is a long term thing.  

 Is the disability pension something coming from your government? If it is, I'd be doubtful about being able to get something right away.

 Yeah the disability is something from the government. I don't need it to be in effect right away, but I would like the knowledge that we'll be able to get his pension going.

Would he be interested in going back to school??  It's usually pretty easy to get funding for schooling when on a disability pension.  Might be worth looking into!

 Yeah he is. He's really in to video game design. Could be something to look into.

He won't qualify for any disability payments in the States.  You must have worked and paid into Social Security to qualify for disability.   Workers in the States have money deducted from their pay to fund Social Security which provides a small amount upon retirement and also provides disability payments when qualified, which isn't easy. 

JackieG

He won't qualify for any disability payments in the States.  You must have worked and paid into Social Security to qualify for disability.   Workers in the States have money deducted from their pay to fund Social Security which provides a small amount upon retirement and also provides disability payments when qualified, which isn't easy. 

I keep forgetting the medical is different out there... Hmmmm... Gonna bee a wee bit harder then I thought...

oranges81

I keep forgetting the medical is different out there... Hmmmm... Gonna bee a wee bit harder then I thought...

Definitely, especially if he has a disability and with the recent health issues you've had, you will need to not only find a job but an employer with a VERY attractive benefits package which is going to be nearly impossible in today's economic climate.  The number 1 reason I am doing my current job with my current employer is my benefits.  In fact there aren't really any other reasons.  My job is not in my field of study or interest, and I don't have any strong ties to my employer (not like a family business or something like that, I work for a private college).  There is Social Security here, but you don't get that unless you are a working citizen that pays into it.  If you have a job with no or bad health coverage then it's all on you.  Unless you are going into a salaried type position, generally you don't get benefits or they start small and grow over the years or there is a lag time from when you start working to when they kick in.  A lot of places do not hire hourly workers full time so that they aren't obligated to offer them benefits (and not just to be stingy but a lot of business simply can't afford to offer the benefits they would like, because of the economy).

 Ok seriously just on the medical differences, I'm wondering if I should look into else where.. I really don't care where at the moment. Personally I'd like to stay in Canada but Alex doesn't want to..

oranges81

Personally I'd like to stay in Canada but Alex doesn't want to..

Depends on job prospects (education, experience, trade skills...).  DH was offered a nice benefits package when he was hired on in June but he's a teacher, more of a "career" type job.  If it is something more like retail or waitstaff, I'm not sure how that usually works. 

Also even if the employer has health insurance, they are not all equal.  For example, say there's a $2000 deductible (that means that YOU have to pay $2000 a year yourself BEFORE the health insurance starts covering you, aside from what they cover for co-pays), some employers just offer that health coverage with the $2K deductible, some pay part of it for you.  My current plan has a $2K deductible but my employer covers everything over $500 ($250 for me, $500 for family).  That's $1500/yr I don't have to worry about, I only ever have to pay $500 yr in health expenses for the both of us (besides elective stuff).  Also when you get health insurance through an employer it's not really free, they take a percentage out of your wages.  But again, how much depends on which employer.  I'm SUPER lucky, our HMO only costs us about $40/mo out of my paycheck because of how much the employer covers.

oranges81

Ok seriously just on the medical differences, I'm wondering if I should look into else where.. I really don't care where at the moment. Personally I'd like to stay in Canada but Alex doesn't want to..

Hon -- you're missing the BIG HUGE MAJOR FIRST POINT!!!

***IMMIGRATION***

You can't just move down here.  You realize that??  If you come from Canada to the States you have to have a passport and visa.  You can only stay a couple of months PER YEAR.  That's all.  In order for you guys to immigrate here you have to literally be SPECIALIZED in some field and have a job waiting for you -- a job with a company willing to sponsor you thru the immigration process because you are so supercalifragilisticexpialidocious at what you do!! 

In other words -- the company is willing to say no to an American who needs a job because you have such incredibly special skills that you are worth "importing".  And if Alex is getting disability already honestly this just isn't gonna work for you.

Even when you marry an American is it NOT a "given" that you can get ok'd to live here.  Back when David came here we literally sweat bullets because there were NO guarantees that he could get a resident alien card JUST because we were married.  It used to be taken for granted but NOT any more.

It is VERY difficult here to get any sort of disability even if you are an American.  You literally can't be employeable for almost any reason.  It's most definitely not going to "transfer" here. 

People try to come into this country as illegals all the time -- DO NOT TRY IT.  The axe is going to fall and it's not pleasant.  But you honestly can't just try to come down here and live.  It's not that easy.  Truly it isn't.