Big change coming for Canadians who plan to visit Arizona long-term
PHOENIX - A big change is coming for roughly a million Canadians who visit Arizona every year.
What we know:
New regulations will change the legal process for snowbirds who live in Arizona for months at a time.
As Canadians flock down to the Valley for the winter months, anyone looking to spend more than 30 days in Arizona will now have to register with the U.S. government.
Some fear these changes could impact the Valley economy.
What they're saying:
"There’s going to be billions of dollars in tourism money that will disappear, billions of dollars of real estate purchases that will disappear. So, hopefully it's not a long-term problem," Miles Zimbaluk, CEO of Canada to USA, said.
He does a lot of the back-end work for snowbirds with a hub in Arizona.
Zimbaluk says the new registration requirements have some Canadians worried.
"I think the first initial shock did scare everybody," Zimbaluk said.
Starting April 11, any Canadians staying longer than 30 days will be required to file registration paperwork. The biggest change will be to drivers entering the country, as air travel already requires documentation.
"People are going to be forced to make sure they register now," Zimbaluk said.
Big picture view:
A recent survey by Canada to USA revealed 75% of Canadians that took yearly trips to the Valley have decided to cut back or cancel their travels all together. It's something that could have long-term impacts on the Valley economy.
"If half the people start deciding not to come here every winter, that's a lot of money that could disappear from the economy in Arizona," Zimbaluk explained.
This comes as political tensions have risen between Canada and the U.S., but it’s not the only reason Canadians are selling their properties in the Valley.
"It's partly because of the weaker Canadian dollar as well. The cost has just become too expensive for Canadians coming down. You know, when they first started coming down ten or 15 years ago, the dollar was near par," he said.
The Canada Arizona Business Council says Canadian snowbirds add an estimated $1.4 billion to Arizona’s economy each year.
The new mandate also requires anyone over the age of 14 to be fingerprinted.