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Canadian working in the U.S.

DangerousDangerous Registered User regular
edited April 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
I know there was a great thread on US immigration a while back, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere. :( If anyone could link me to it that would be super.

Anyway, my current situation is this. I'm graduating college in the next 2 weeks and getting my animation diploma. I've been looking at jobs in the area for animators and/or graphic designers and well prospects aren't that great. Anyway I had been thinking for a while about taking a year or so to go to the U.S. to study or work. I'm just wondering how difficult it is to get a work Visa. From all accounts, it seems very difficult and confusing. I was just hoping someone could explain it a bit. From what I have read, you need to have a job waiting, and a company ready to sponsor you before you even think about heading across the border. That's very difficult for someone just starting out in the industry. :(

Is there any other way? I do have relatives in the states, though they aren't immediate family. Would that help me at all with the process? Could I enroll in a college for a few courses to get a student visa and work on the side? I've been reading up on it a lot but every site says something different and now I am more confused than ever. I guess the main question is, would it be worthwhile at all to try and live and work in the US for a short period of time?

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Dangerous on

Posts

  • PhilodoxPhilodox Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    As a Canadian who's currently in the midst of the U.S. immigration process I can probably answer any question you have.

    The easiest way to get into the states (and what I'm on currently) is called a TN visa. It's a one year non immigrant visa. Basically what that means is I can't apply for my green card or I have to leave the country while the application processes. The problem with the TN visa is that you basically need a four year bachelor's degree. With a college degree you can still get the visa but you need at least three year's worth of relevant work experience. You can't just go to the border and apply for the TN visa, you need to have a job waiting for you. From a TN visa you can apply for an H1-B visa, but this would have to be sponsored by your employer.

    Another option is the H1-B visa. Basically these visas are available to university graduates and are generally aimed at high-skill workers to fill the void that american workers can't provide. The H1-B is a dual intent visa, meaning you can apply for a green card. The problem with H1-B visas is extremely limitd availability. There are 65 000 H1-B visas avaiable this year and USCIS received 130 000 applications within the first two days of the applications being opened this year. Needless to say you won't be getting an H1-B anytime soon. H1-B's also have to be sponsored, so you need a job waiting for you in the U.S. if you want to get it.

    The final option is the green card. You can apply for a family based green card if you have immediate family who is also a U.S. citizen. The backlog for family based green cards is roughly five years right now and is constantly retrogressing (getting longer).

    If either of your parents are U.S. citizens you have the chance of getting citizenship by association, but I believe you have to be under 21.

    The U.S. immigration system is fucked right now.

    Philodox on
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  • DangerousDangerous Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Thanks for the help, that clears things up a lot :) . I guess TN would be my best bet, though I still don't have the work experience. :( What about student visas? Are there any special qualifications for them? From what I read it seemed like you had to be taking a certain program such as studying english at a university. I'd like to take more arts courses, and I'm wondering if it would even be possible to get a visa to go do that.

    Dangerous on
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  • MuddBuddMuddBudd Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Christ I had no idea it was that hard to get a visa to move here.

    No wonder people keep sneaking in.

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  • PhilodoxPhilodox Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    I did a four year CS degree before coming here so I'm a little bit more hazy on student visas but this is my understanding of them:

    You can get a visa to study in the U.S. to attend school full time. You can't get one to take night courses or anything like that. Student visas are also non-immigrant. So if you want to stay in the U.S. after the visa is expired you'll have to go through one of the routes I mentioned above. The bonus of the studying in the U.S. is that it's easier to get contacts with American employers.

    Philodox on
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  • snowkissedsnowkissed Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    You can also check out employers in the US through their company sites if you have an idea as to where you want to work. Some places allow you to apply that way and if they want to hire you, will sponsor you which can make getting a visa much, much easier. Though really, the whole process is a pain in the ass no matter what.

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