They don't have Service Canada desks at airports anymore AFAIK. Been like that for almost 2 years now.
Thanks, mate. Been waiting for this for so long - no more worries about visa extensions, stampings, H1B lotteries... Can just live life now.
It's mainly just the pay. Tax is on par with most American states (WA and TX are exceptions

). One would make like 90% in CAD of what they would get in USD in big US cities in the tech industry. And the rent is actually quite comparable to west coast cities even after accounting for the lower pay. So, I'm not feeling the pinch.
Thanks! I've been holding onto a job offer for a long time and will finally join next week. Will start the apartment hunt tomorrow.