Canadian could stay in US for 2 extra months per year

[Lowell]

Y'all come down and stay longer!
[I still wish we could create a Schengen-style treaty, like the European Union has, where we could cross our borders freely. This is somewhat of a start.]

"Or at least that's the intent behind a bill announced Thursday by a bipartisan group of congressional legislators representing - unsurprisingly - northern tier states with close ties to the Great White North and southern states where Canadians migrate for the winter.

The bill known as the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act and would extend the amount of time Canadians who own or lease a home in the U.S. can visit each year by two months.

Under current law, Canadian visitors must limit travel to the U.S. to 182 days a year. The proposed law would let Canadian citizens who are over the age of 50 and own or rent a residence in the U.S. to stay in the country for up to 240 days annually.

[Richard]

Can they at least attach a requirement that in order to qualify they have to prove they can go faster then 40 mph while in the fast lane of the freeway?

In South America they have a requirement that you just flip back across the border and re-enter to restart the clock which would work for the states closer to the northern border.

Not sure about the south and snowbirds because that brings them into the heat of the summer or unless the extension is really providing an escape that is not related to the weather.

Foreign snowbirds that own property are a cash cow for local governments because they do not qualify for homestead exemption and only use services for a portion of the year,I think if they are going to extend it they should also allow them at least some homestead abilities as they do contribute to the local economy.

[401don]

Canadians can only stay outside Canada 6 months less a day to maintain their gov't health insurance. They would have to change that law to entice more Canadians to stay longer outside Canada. Not sure there's a real incentive for the Canadian gov't to do that.