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Ask HN: Canadian junior dev wanting to move to the US. need Visa advice

4 points by jambaroon 12y ago

Hi everyone, I completed a web development bootcamp and around 8 months ago and have been working in startups in Hong Kong. I'm looking to relocate to the states (LA, San Francisco etc.) soon. I'm a Canadian so I do have an advantage in attaining a work VISA, but I dont know how much. My questions are: 1) How easy would it be to get a work visa? 2) Where should I be looking for jobs at? 3) I'm a junior level developer, looking to target front end jobs in javascript/jquery/angular, but have some experience with javascript and ruby backends... are people only wiling to give VISAs to more experienced people? 4) How much would it increase my chances if I were to fly over there without a work visa and job search then, so that I can interview face to face? 5) What kind of companies should I target? Big companies like GOogle I'm probably not qualified for, but companies that are too small may not offer work visas 6) Any other advice would be great.

coryl 12y ago
Do you have an engineering or CS degree? That would help your chances a lot. Most developers get into the states with either a TN Visa or H1-B Visa.
- jambaroon 12y ago
  Hi, I do not have a CS/engineering degree. I have a BS in Statistics from a top 20 University, and masters in e-commerce... does that help? What kind of companies should I target though? I'd love to work in a start up but would they bother with helping potential employees with visas? Should I target bigger companies? Or do they have too many applicants to even look at mine?
danpat 12y ago
As a Canadian, the TN visa is by far the easiest get. If you qualify, you just get it at the border when you enter. You typically need a job offer, be qualified for the job, and the job needs to be on this list: http://www.nafsa.org/_/file/_/amresource/8cfr2146.htm http://www.nafsa.org/_/file/_/amresource/8cfr2146.htm The TN visa has the advantage that the company doesn't need to do anything really, just make sure the job description ticks all the boxes for the immigration officers at the border. Other visa classes are more complex and costly (H1-B) and usually have the same kind of qualification requirements. "Computer Systems Analyst" is the usual job title for programming jobs, you will need either a degree, or some post-secondary school training + 3 years experience. You can probably word your degrees + training to satisfy the education requirement. The steps to get this visa are outlined here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/nafta.html http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/naf...
- jambaroon 12y ago
  i have a degree in Statistics (from a college in the states), and a master of science in e-commerce (from a college in HOng Kong). Does that qualify me for the "computer system analyst" bit? im currently based in Asia, should I consult the local US consulate? And if I get this TN visa, if I switch jobs, I dont need to renew it right away or anything right?
  - danpat 12y ago
    You need a new TN visa if you change jobs. You can do it by mail, or by leaving/re-entering. It's up to the border officer to decide whether you meet the critera or not. They're not experts in any particular field, so generally, they look to make sure that all the right keywords are hit in the job application and your qualifications. Contacting USCIS will generally only get you generic advice. An immigration lawyer, while not necessary to do the paperwork (it's pretty easy) should be able to give you a reasonable opinion as to whether you'd be successful or not. They're the only people that deal with this often enough to have a feel for when an application might be successful or not. Do some google searching on "TN visa" and "web developer", there are lots of stories out there that should give you a feel for what's involved.
sylvainkalache 12y ago
2) Where should I be looking for jobs at? Look at https://techmeabroad.com/ https://techmeabroad.com/ a tech jobboard that only lists jobs coming with a working visa.

4 points by jambaroon 12y ago

coryl 12y ago

Do you have an engineering or CS degree? That would help your chances a lot. Most developers get into the states with either a TN Visa or H1-B Visa.

jambaroon 12y ago
Hi, I do not have a CS/engineering degree. I have a BS in Statistics from a top 20 University, and masters in e-commerce... does that help? What kind of companies should I target though? I'd love to work in a start up but would they bother with helping potential employees with visas? Should I target bigger companies? Or do they have too many applicants to even look at mine?

danpat 12y ago

As a Canadian, the TN visa is by far the easiest get. If you qualify, you just get it at the border when you enter. You typically need a job offer, be qualified for the job, and the job needs to be on this list: http://www.nafsa.org/_/file/_/amresource/8cfr2146.htm http://www.nafsa.org/_/file/_/amresource/8cfr2146.htm The TN visa has the advantage that the company doesn't need to do anything really, just make sure the job description ticks all the boxes for the immigration officers at the border. Other visa classes are more complex and costly (H1-B) and usually have the same kind of qualification requirements. "Computer Systems Analyst" is the usual job title for programming jobs, you will need either a degree, or some post-secondary school training + 3 years experience. You can probably word your degrees + training to satisfy the education requirement. The steps to get this visa are outlined here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/nafta.html http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/naf...

jambaroon 12y ago
i have a degree in Statistics (from a college in the states), and a master of science in e-commerce (from a college in HOng Kong). Does that qualify me for the "computer system analyst" bit? im currently based in Asia, should I consult the local US consulate? And if I get this TN visa, if I switch jobs, I dont need to renew it right away or anything right?
- danpat 12y ago
  You need a new TN visa if you change jobs. You can do it by mail, or by leaving/re-entering. It's up to the border officer to decide whether you meet the critera or not. They're not experts in any particular field, so generally, they look to make sure that all the right keywords are hit in the job application and your qualifications. Contacting USCIS will generally only get you generic advice. An immigration lawyer, while not necessary to do the paperwork (it's pretty easy) should be able to give you a reasonable opinion as to whether you'd be successful or not. They're the only people that deal with this often enough to have a feel for when an application might be successful or not. Do some google searching on "TN visa" and "web developer", there are lots of stories out there that should give you a feel for what's involved.

sylvainkalache 12y ago

2) Where should I be looking for jobs at? Look at https://techmeabroad.com/ https://techmeabroad.com/ a tech jobboard that only lists jobs coming with a working visa.