A rising number of Trump-skeptical Americans are looking to get out of Dodge — by marrying a Canadian.
Since the 2024 presidential election, the Toronto-based dating app Maple Match, which connects Americans and Canadians, has seen more than 5,500 new users, including 1,000 sign-ups on Election Day alone, founder Joe Goldman told the Toronto Star.
The app’s slogan: “Find your soulmate north of the drama.”
Some Americans are even updating dating profiles to appear Canadian, according to HuffPost.
But not everyone is impressed.
“Yankee stay home,” one Canadian Redditor wrote in response to the trend.
Meanwhile, immigration attorneys say it’s not quite so simple to get to the northern country.
“You certainly can’t just pack up and start living and working in Canada,” Jimmy Lai, an Oklahoma-based immigration lawyer, told HuffPost. “You’ll need a work permit or [to] go through a sponsorship process.”
Mr. Lai, who is in a long-distance relationship with a Canadian himself, says cross-border dating can work — but only with patience and planning.
“The paperwork can be extensive, and the wait time can be long,” he said. “Just because you’re [American] doesn’t mean there’s a red carpet waiting for you.”
While Canada recognizes common-law partners, both countries have strict standards to verify relationship authenticity, especially to prevent immigration fraud.
Matchmaker Jaydi Samuels Kuba said the long-distance setup requires intentionality.
“Consistent communication is key,” she told HuffPost. “If your relationship isn’t already built on trust and intimacy, it’s going to be a struggle maintaining that from afar.”
Cultural differences can also play a role, Mr. Lai said.
“Canadians often value modesty and consensus,” he told HuffPost, “whereas Americans might lean towards individualism and assertiveness.”
One Reddit user said simply using the app should be a dating filter.
“The people who are serious about moving to Canada are probably not the best marriage material if they just bolt when things get hard,” the Redditor posted.
Still, for those who can handle the distance and bureaucracy, some find cross-border love refreshing.
Ms. Samuels Kuba noted that many of her female clients particularly appreciate Canadian men’s balance of masculinity and empathy.
“One of my clients who moved to Ontario said, ‘Canadian men are really hot. It makes perfect sense to me that all the famous Ryans are Canadian,’” she said.
Long-distance love may look charming on paper, but getting it to work takes more than just swiping right.
