More Canadians are moving to the U.S. Here's one of the main reasons, according to an immigration expert

Recent data from the U.S. census revealed that more than 126,000 people moved from Canada to the U.S. in 2022. An expert said that one of the main reasons for this move is the cost of living.

Recent data from the U.S. census revealed that more than 126,000 people moved from Canada to the U.S. in 2022—a 70 per cent increase from the previous year.

Of the 126,000 people who moved to the U.S. in 2022, 53,000 were born in Canada, 46,000 were Americans returning home, and 30,000 had immigrated to Canada from outside North America and chose to leave.

The data marks a growing trend of Canadians settling south of the border, and according to immigration lawyer Len Saunders, the main reason is the cost of living.

“It is so much cheaper to buy a house, not in the big towns like Los Angeles, California, San Francisco, New York, but (in) 'Small Town U.S.A.,'” Saunders said in an interview on CTV's Your Morning Monday.

The lawyer said a lot of people are moving to border towns. Saunders, who resides in Washington state and says it takes him 45 minutes to commute to Vancouver, B.C., said his home is worth half a million dollars.

“That same house, five miles north of here in the Vancouver area, is $2 to 3 million,” Saunders said.

Housing affordability is an attractive point for young people, Saunders said, and one of the main reasons why this demographic is looking to move south.