[Athens]

how hard is it, process to immagrate to the US, im thinking of moving to Seattle for a year maybe longer. Im already looking up info on it but it looks complicated. Any one that has gotten a Green Card, if you could give me a idea of the process that would be great.

[The Godfather]

Apply for http://www.washington.edu for some ESL classes. You'll get a student visa (and spelling skills).

[Athens]

lol funny, except English is my first and only lang. If I wanted to go back to school I would do it here where its thousands and thousands of dollars cheaper and I can get a student loan. Next.

[Doofy]

You're surprising me Athens. You wanting to move to the home of the enemy?

[The Godfather]

H1-B visas are given to well experienced professionals, like with a Masters or PhD.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Doofy

You're surprising me Athens. You wanting to move to the home of the enemy?

not really the enemy lives in Washington DC not washington State. Besides I need to get way from all the ******** called my life. Its either the frozen hell of Alberta, 1200KM (15 hour drive) east or a couple hour drive south. Seattle has a lot in common with Vancouver, I feel more at home there then the next 2 closest Canadian cities.

[Doofy]

Best advice Athens - find someone with a job you can do who's willing to employ you. Otherwise, it's very hard getting into the States if you're not a student or not willing to slap a million down on starting a new business. YMMV.

[Athens]

i know some one that might be able to, the job market in Seattle is insane every one is hiring

[Randman]

Getting a company to sponsor you isn't easy, or cheap. There are only so many allotments for skilled workers and a certain time period to file those requests in (unless your company is willing to fork over big money). Your best bet would be an education visa then apply for residency.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Randman

Your best bet would be an education visa then apply for residency.

Originally Posted by Athens

If I wanted to go back to school I would do it here where its thousands and thousands of dollars cheaper and I can get a student loan. Next.

[Randman]

Yes, I can read. Just letting him know what are the best chances.

For example, before we got married, my partner was offered a job in the States. Now she's London-educated with a math degree, VP of a company, travels internationally on business frequently, owns property and earns a very good salary. The company was willing to hire an immigration lawyer and everything but the cost and the time involved in the process were still daunting.

It can be done, but it does take time and a little bit of luck. The process is even more complicated than getting one for the EU or the UK and not being from a commonwealth.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Randman

Yes, I can read. Just letting him know what are the best chances.

For example, before we got married, my partner was offered a job in the States. Now she's London-educated with a math degree, VP of a company, travels internationally on business frequently, owns property and earns a very good salary. The company was willing to hire an immigration lawyer and everything but the cost and the time involved in the process were still daunting.

It can be done, but it does take time and a little bit of luck. The process is even more complicated than getting one for the EU or the UK and not being from a commonwealth.

I know what you're saying as I've looked into US immigration extensively. Yep, it's hard...
...but not all the time. A friend got in as a construction worker even though he had no previous experience. I guess it all depends what skills Athens has and what work he can find that's he's prepared to do.

[Athens]

lol i could do as the Mexicans do

[Kevin]

You mean work under the table for little to no money?

[Doofy]

Athens dude... ...this thread + your new sig.

[Mastrap]

For Canadian citizens it is actually very easy to get a US work visa. Find a job, then apply. A friend of mine is a professor down south, he had no problems at all getting the paperwork done.

Under NAFTA, certain Canadian professionals are permitted entry to engage in business activities at a professional level; included are accountants, engineers, librarians, social workers, psychologists, teachers and zoologists. A full listing of the professions covered is found in the NAFTA pamphlets referred to in the preceding paragraph.

There are specific U.S. requirements for a Canadian entering as a visitor for business, a treaty trader, a treaty investor or an intra-company transferee. In each case, you must meet established legal requirements. Truck drivers and other persons involved in inter-country transportation are permitted entry to transport goods or passengers to or from a point in the United States. After entry, they are not permitted to pick up additional cargo or passengers for delivery within the United States. If you are entering the United States to fulfill an after-sales service contract that was part of a commercial agreement, you should carry appropriate documentation, such as the master contract and the service agreement. For more details, please consult the three NAFTA publications noted above. Spouses or dependants who accompany business persons qualified under NAFTA can work in the United States only if they independently qualify under NAFTA or under the general foreign worker provisions, including a labour certification test. Canadian trades people such as carpenters, electricians and plumbers are not covered by NAFTA and are not permitted to enter the United States for remunerative work unless they qualify independently under the general immigration provisions applicable to all foreign workers.

Performing artists such as members of Canadian entertainment groups in a creative field (for example, music, opera, dance, theatre or the circus) who have a signed contract with an enterprise in the United States require a temporary employment visa.

[Randman]

Certain Canadian professionals.

[villalobos]

One solution

Like said above the H1B is your best bet : but you need to find a job before, knowing that you are in theory not allowed to 'actively search for one'. It will probably take around 3-4 months to obtain it. the green card is much harder, and can be costly. Around 2.5 years, with good lawyers. In general requires some previous stay in the US. Canadians might have an easier time though.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Mastrap

For Canadian professionals it is actually very easy to get a US work visa. Find a job, then apply. A friend of mine is a professor down south, he had no problems at all getting the paperwork done.

Correctinated and highlighted.

Depends on what work Athens is qualified for.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by villalobos

One solution

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigra...ypes_1318.html

For DV-2007, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply because they sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years:

CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PHILIPPINES, POLAND, RUSSIA, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and VIETNAM.

[Athens]

Ok looks like crappy Alberta is my only choice.

[The Godfather]

Originally Posted by Randman

Your best bet would be an education visa then apply for residency.

The F-1/J visa doesn't lead to the Green Card. Upon graduation, you either find an sponsoring employer, or you are on your own.

Sure you have to pay a lot for a U.S. education, but there's Tuition Waivers for in-campus employees, which is the only job you can perform outside of professional internships.

Athens: tell us something about yourself, because we are shooting in the dark here.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Athens

Ok looks like crappy Alberta is my only choice.

There's always other options.

Here's a good site for you to go have a look around:

http://www.workpermit.com/uk/employer1.htm
(linked at your other good option but contains US info too)

[Athens]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

The F-1/J visa doesn't lead to the Green Card. Upon graduation, you either find an sponsoring employer, or you are on your own.

Sure you have to pay a lot for a U.S. education, but there's Tuition Waivers for in-campus employees, which is the only job you can perform outside of professional internships.

Athens: tell us something about yourself, because we are shooting in the dark here.

Nothing to tell, I got my Grade 12 thats it. I started a computer business in highschool and for a year and a half ive worked graveyard at a hotel. I've completed Cisco 1 and 2, but never went further. Nor do I have any cirts in anything computer related either, never got around to actually taking the tests.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Doofy

There's always other options.

Here's a good site for you to go have a look around:

http://www.workpermit.com/uk/employer1.htm
(linked at your other good option but contains US info too)

Hehe the UK isn't a option for me, I don't like guns and living some place where you really need one isnt ideal for me.

[bad_quote]

Hopefully impossible for people who can't spell immigrate.

[Athens]

whatever

[screamingFit]

If you want to live in Detroit, we can swap identities.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Athens

Hehe the UK isn't a option for me, I don't like guns and living some place where you really need one isnt ideal for me.

What? I lived in the UK for 17 years and didn't need a gun at any time during the entire time.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by screamingFit

If you want to live in Detroit, we can swap identities.

Hehe that might not be to bad Vancouver and Detroit have something in common, the 2 best teams in the NHL right now

[screamingFit]

Originally Posted by Athens

Hehe that might not be to bad Vancouver and Detroit have something in common, the 2 best teams in the NHL right now

Alright then. I'll start packing now.

[SVass]

There is a lot of misinformation being offered in this posting. H1B visas are usually for lower wage slave jobs that pay less than locals normally get. Canadians could quit and go home, so they probably wouldn't be hired anyway. Immigration limits have to do with citizenship applications and not with Canadians coming to work or play. The job market depends upon the skills of the applicant and his "network" of friends. The highly skilled can usually find a job. Those with employer friends can find a job. Others are dependent on their own ability to convince an employer that they are useful.

Ask our consulate/embassy what the rules are if you visit here and someone offers you a job. Tell them honestly that you are thinking of coming here and they might tell you what the rules are and what form you have to submit after you accept a job. Don't believe anything that someone on this forum says is the absolute truth. Even treaties are not enforced except when convenient. We don't have id checks, so the only significant problem for new workers is providing a social security number. sam

[Randman]

And if you email your embassy for info, for the love of God, use a freakin' spellchecker.

[PacHead]

If you're a foreigner and you wish to live permanently in the USA it will take a long time in most cases. Most people I know who now have green cards all had prior employment and they still had to wait years to get theirs. Even marrying an American will not make the process go any quicker or guarantee anything. After 9/11 that's the way it is and all foreigners are suspicious until determined otherwise. At least you're Canadian and not from some third world hellhole country which will certainly slow down the process if not making it impossible to immigrate.

Athens, maybe you can claim political prosecution from evil Canadian socialists and be granted asylum on humanitarian grounds. It must be pure hell to live in a society like that.

[SVass]

I was suggesting contacting the US embassy/consulate in Vancouver, not the Canadian one in Seattle although that might also work. I can't resist pointing out that most US citizens educated in recent years can not spell properly either. PacHead does not realized that in the Seattle area, we consider Canadians to be more sane than fanatics from "red" states. Normally around here, we don't worry about citizenship. We don't hide under our beds or duct tape our windows. Some of us quit flying when they started searching us for fingernail clippers. As I said, lower level jobs still probably require a Social Security Number which is the only real constraint. You may be able to get one without being a citizen or even coming here initially.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10096.html

sam

[Warung]

I'll trade you my American passport for your Canadian one, and a loft in Vancouver.

[Rolling Bones]

I guess I'm the opposite you Athens.

My father was a Michigander and my mother was an Ontarian. I was born in Michigan but raised in Ontario. I've lived in several places but preferred Ontario. Happy here, love it. I can live anywhere but prefer Canada.

The only other place I would love to live is BC. So your already a step ahead.

But I know what you mean about Alberta. It's Canada's bit of the USA red states.

[nonhuman]

Just come down for 'vacation' and never go back. Then go get a birth certificate and social security number somewhere by claiming you were born at home and your parents never got those for you because they were crazy hippies and were afraid of the man, but now that they're gone and you're on your own you've realized that you need them. And then, magically, you're a natural-born US citizen with authentic papers.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Doofy

You're surprising me Athens. You wanting to move to the home of the enemy?

Seattle is a democrat stronghold. I'm from Seattle.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Rolling Bones

I guess I'm the opposite you Athens.

My father was a Michigander and my mother was an Ontarian. I was born in Michigan but raised in Ontario. I've lived in several places but preferred Ontario. Happy here, love it. I can live anywhere but prefer Canada.

The only other place I would love to live is BC. So your already a step ahead.

But I know what you mean about Alberta. It's Canada's bit of the USA red states.

Ever been to Washington? With the exception of the Speed limits being in MPH and the freeways beeing brutal on the car, there is no difference from BC. Ok in Seattles case really bad designed road system lol but its still more home then Cow Town.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Just come down for 'vacation' and never go back. Then go get a birth certificate and social security number somewhere by claiming you were born at home and your parents never got those for you because they were crazy hippies and were afraid of the man, but now that they're gone and you're on your own you've realized that you need them. And then, magically, you're a natural-born US citizen with authentic papers.

I can buy that in downtown Vancouver, I just dont want to spend 1000 dollars and risk building a life that I could lose . Why this passport Idea for 2007 is silly, any one can buy passports anywhere that are fake.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Rolling Bones

But I know what you mean about Alberta. It's Canada's bit of the USA red states.

What is funny is, depending on the election different states can be both red and blue.

So making such broad generalizations is silly.

Take West Virginia for example. It votes for the "left" down the line in most all elections. But it is known as a red state because sometimes It doesn't vote for a Democrat president.

[KeriVit]

Let's just say I was an employer and wanted to sponsor him... what does that cost me?

[Monique]

It all depends of what you do for a living. If you are young study in the computer, or engineering or medical fields or become a teacher. Study the NAFTA accord and there are lots of jobs you can do. For myself I never succeeded because I do not have the right skills. Good luck. There is always marriage.

[olePigeon]

It also depends on what country you're from. Identical applications can take up to 5 years from Mexico, but only 6 months from the UK.

[villalobos]

Originally Posted by SVass

There is a lot of misinformation being offered in this posting. H1B visas are usually for lower wage slave jobs that pay less than locals normally get. Canadians could quit and go home, so they probably wouldn't be hired anyway. Immigration limits have to do with citizenship applications and not with Canadians coming to work or play. The job market depends upon the skills of the applicant and his "network" of friends. The highly skilled can usually find a job. Those with employer friends can find a job. Others are dependent on their own ability to convince an employer that they are useful.

Ask our consulate/embassy what the rules are if you visit here and someone offers you a job. Tell them honestly that you are thinking of coming here and they might tell you what the rules are and what form you have to submit after you accept a job. Don't believe anything that someone on this forum says is the absolute truth. Even treaties are not enforced except when convenient. We don't have id checks, so the only significant problem for new workers is providing a social security number. sam

wow speak about misinformation.... I know H1Bs who make $60-$90 a year. Hardly a low paying job. it will be tough for him to get a visa without an offer in the US. Things have become increasingly difficult after 9-11. Not that it was easy befaore that, it is just more a pain in the ass. Anyone who syas other wise is a fool. :-)

[Randman]

$60 a year? That's about $2.50 per week or less than 7¢ an hour! And that's before taxes.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by villalobos

wow speak about misinformation.... I know H1Bs who make $60-$90 a year. Hardly a low paying job.

Assuming that was $60-$90 an hour...

Yep, H1B can be a high paying job. IIRC, most foreign models living in the US (including those Brazilian supermodels in NYC on $5,000+ per day) are on H1Bs.

[villalobos]

Originally Posted by Doofy

Assuming that was $60-$90 an hour...

Yep, H1B can be a high paying job. IIRC, most foreign models living in the US (including those Brazilian supermodels in NYC on $5,000+ per day) are on H1Bs.

Actually $60k-$90k a year... oops....

[The Godfather]

Originally Posted by Doofy

Assuming that was $60-$90 an hour...

Yep, H1B can be a high paying job. IIRC, most foreign models living in the US (including those Brazilian supermodels in NYC on $5,000+ per day) are on H1Bs.

So, Aria Giovanni could get an H1B if she wanted.