Mandate-free states appeal to some Canadians looking to move south

Canadians often dream of warm weather and beaches during the winter months.

Once Cesare Petrucci and his wife retired in 2018, they started looking into the idea of moving south. Their dream is becoming a reality sooner than they thought.

“We felt more pressure to speed the process up to leave and to seek, I’m not going say refuge, but to seek another way of life in Florida,” said Petrucci.

The couple, who are both fully vaccinated, settled on moving to Florida. The Sunshine State’s relaxed COVID-19 rules played a part in their decision.

“It’s come to the point where we find the mandates a little too heavy-handed at this point,” said Petrucci.

“We’re ready to leave and start a new life.”

Immigration lawyer Lauren Cohen says, in the last year, she has seen a drastic increase in inquiries from Canadians who want to move south.

“My average was two to four new consults a month from Canadians, now it’s two to four consults a day,” said Cohen.

According to Cohen, the demographic looking to move is all over the map - singles, couples and families. The majority are looking to relocate to Florida, Texas or Arizona, all Republican run states with little to no restrictions.

“Instead of looking at this as oh my God, I’ve got to get out of Canada, look at it as this is an opportunity to find a new life,” said Cohen.

Once their applications are processed, that is what Petrucci says he and his wife will be do.