Canadian moved to the US, what do I need to do?

[Blink 0]

Hey All,

I tried doing a search on this, but nothing useful came up.

I moved to the US last summer and haven't made a jump since I've been here (mainly due to lack of transportation), but I am going to try and make it out this summer.

In Canada I had a C license, and 600 jumps. I know I will need USPA membership, but are my licenses valid or do I need to apply for USPA licenses?

Thanks!

[Remster 24]

All your CSPA licenses will be valid (I still use my CSPA ones after 7 years, and my wife uses the BPA one she got while we were in the UK).

Your ratings would need to be taken again to be USPA ratings if you plan on doing instruction in the US.

Since you are no longer a CA resident, you are not covered by the CSPA 3rd party insurance, so you should get a USPA membership. Other than that, the CSPA membership is still valid, it's just that most DZs will want you to have a 3rd party coverage, hence the USPA membership.

Not sure what the recurency limits are, but you may need to do a recurency jump/training session since it's been a while. Look it up in the SIM http://www.uspa.org/SIM.aspx

Remster

[Blink 0]

Thanks for the reply Remster!

I just checked the SIM and it looks like a recurency jump is required (not surprising).

Now I just need to meet some skydivers in Boston to carpool with.

[Andy9o8 0]

If you don't have US citizenship or permanent resident alien status (a/k/a "green card"), please, please be sure your visa, entry status, whatever, expressly permit you to be employed in the US before you do any kind of instructing in exchange for ANY kind of compensation - money, jumps, room/board, anything. If you run afoul of this and get caught, it's a violation of US immigration laws, and you could easily find yourself with a lifetime ban from ever entering the US again. So be very careful.

[quade 3]

The most important question; did you bring beer?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[PiLFy 0]

"Canadian moved to the US, what do I need to do?"

Buy Health Insurance...

[Blink 0]

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If you don't have US citizenship or permanent resident alien status (a/k/a "green card"), please, please be sure your visa, entry status, whatever, expressly permit you to be employed in the US before you do any kind of instructing in exchange for ANY kind of compensation - money, jumps, room/board, anything. If you run afoul of this and get caught, it's a violation of US immigration laws, and you could easily find yourself with a lifetime ban from ever entering the US again. So be very careful.

Thanks for your concern! Fortunately, I married a US citizen and after a load of paperwork I was awarded a Green card, and am allowed to work here (I currently am).

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The most important question; did you bring beer?

Thanks for the reminder! I certainly will when I get out there my first time.

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Buy Health Insurance...

Also a good point!

[PiLFy 0]

"Buy Health Insurance..."

Sorry. Not trying to be facetious. Last year, a young Canadian came down for a month long stay. He had overlooked health insurance differences down here. He got severely injured, & incurred $200K+ in medical bills in just the first month of treatments...

[Andy9o8 0]

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"Buy Health Insurance..."

Sorry. Not trying to be facetious. Last year, a young Canadian came down for a month long stay. He had overlooked health insurance differences down here. He got severely injured, & incurred $200K+ in medical bills in just the first month of treatments...

I thought Canadians maintain their national health coverage outside Canada as long as they spend X months per yr or something residing in Canada? No? Beuller?

[Remster 24]

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"Buy Health Insurance..."

Sorry. Not trying to be facetious. Last year, a young Canadian came down for a month long stay. He had overlooked health insurance differences down here. He got severely injured, & incurred $200K+ in medical bills in just the first month of treatments...

I thought Canadians maintain their national health coverage outside Canada as long as they spend X months per yr or something residing in Canada? No? Beuller?

While in canada, yes. But US service providers don't accept it as a coverage plan. It's like having CIGNA for US COVERAGE and expecting it to cover you if you travel to a foreign country.

Remster

[PiLFy 0]

You thought wrong. That kid racked up $200K+ in the first month. The family had to beg a med flight to get him back to Canada. Where his treatments would be covered by Canada's system. He had neglected to buy a $180 rider to cover him while in the US.

[Blink 0]

This is an interesting story because I had a friend who broke his back while jumping in the US. He had all of his expenses covered by his healthcare from Canada.

I also spent a few months living in the US a few years ago and contacted our healthcare provider to check and see if I would be covered. They said absolutely, as long as I was not going to be there for more than 6 months I think. I just had to inform them when I left and when I returned.

[IanHarrop 37]

As a Canadian skydiver is pretty common knowledge that travel insurance for a jumping trip to the USA is a necessity. Depending on the source it can be pretty cheap, a couple of bucks a day.

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[pchapman 261]

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This is an interesting story because I had a friend who broke his back while jumping in the US. He had all of his expenses covered by his healthcare from Canada.

I sure don't know all the rules but I'm guessing he was covered because he either (a) bought insurance independently, or (b) had some additional coverage through his workplace. (And had a plan where he wasn't disqualified for group coverage at a standard rate because of his sport, and didn't list skydiving as an exclusion.)

Technically the provincial health plans do cover emergencies abroad, but only at local Canadian rates. So the fee schedule could say it is a $1000 job but if the US hospital charges $5000 you have a problem. That's why the gov't web sites, like one I just checked, repeat the message to get additional coverage, multiple times in bold letters!

(The O.P.'s situation is of course different as he moved to the US.)

[PiLFy 0]

That jumper was young, & didn't get the rider ($180) to cover his month long vacation trip. He broke his back, & had >$200K in med bills in just the first month. The facts were given on this site. I think it was last year.