21 replies to this topic

[Rudy]

I'm bored with my current job and would like to consider moving to San Francisco (seems like there's a rather large community of iOS developers) with my wife.

I was wondering how complicated it is to apply and get work in the US for a Canadian, and if I can bring my wife along if I was to find a job and she didn't right away. Is there anything I should be aware of? Are American companies hesitant of hiring people who are not residents?

[threetonesun]

I've never done it, but I don't think it's terribly complicated, as I've worked with a lot of people from other countries. Since you do iOS development, I'd look for a company you could start working with virtually who could then do all the work of bringing you in.

Also, the SF area is $$$$, in case you didn't know, it's usually in the top three highest cost of living in the US. Nice weather, though.

[Rudy]

threetonesun, on 16 April 2012 - 17:18, said:

I've never done it, but I don't think it's terribly complicated, as I've worked with a lot of people from other countries. Since you do iOS development, I'd look for a company you could start working with virtually who could then do all the work of bringing you in.

Also, the SF area is $$$$, in case you didn't know, it's usually in the top three highest cost of living in the US. Nice weather, though.

The whole point is to move away from here We want change and we feel like SF would be a nice place. As for the money, well we have a house + quite a bit of savings, so selling the house + our savings should last us for a while (plus money from my potential job)

[ILikeTobacco]

threetonesun, on 16 April 2012 - 17:18, said:

Also, the SF area is $$$$, in case you didn't know, it's usually in the top three highest cost of living in the US.

The cost of living is higher than most places but the pay is that much higher, especially in IT fields. The cost of living is twice as high as here in Oklahoma but I could get a job there doing the same work getting paid five times as much. Cost of living is irrelevant when you factor in wages scaling up also.

[theclueless]

do you have a us work permit?

[bdsams]

Rudy, on 16 April 2012 - 17:24, said:

The whole point is to move away from here We want change and we feel like SF would be a nice place. As for the money, well we have a house + quite a bit of savings, so selling the house + our savings should last us for a while (plus money from my potential job)

No, it's really f'n expensive to buy a house in a decent area a million + for something 'average'...work visa's can be a pita to get, but working remotely first, then moving ashore would be easier than simply trying to move without a job.

[Rudy]

theclueless, on 16 April 2012 - 17:30, said:

do you have a us work permit?

No, that's what I'm inquiring about

bdsams, on 16 April 2012 - 17:31, said:

No, it's really f'n expensive to buy a house in a decent area a million + for something 'average'...work visa's can be a pita to get, but working remotely first, then moving ashore would be easier than simply trying to move without a job.

I can settle for renting at first, that's not a problem (specially since what I've found so far is that I couldn't get a permanent visa or anything, so buying might be risky).

As I said too, we want a major change so staying here wouldn't really be an option

[threetonesun]

Well, you can try for a temporary work permit, and renting, and hope it works out from there. Or, you can buy property and rent it (or use it as a vacation home). There's no law against it, but you will pay more in taxes for it. In the meantime, it's best to look for a place which will sponsor your application to become a citizen, which, as I mentioned before, might be easier to do if you can work remotely.

If you want to show up in SF next week... well, you'll have to do it as a visitor. It's not that easy to just move in here.

[Rudy]

threetonesun, on 16 April 2012 - 17:42, said:

Well, you can try for a temporary work permit, and renting, and hope it works out from there. Or, you can buy property and rent it (or use it as a vacation home). There's no law against it, but you will pay more in taxes for it. In the meantime, it's best to look for a place which will sponsor your application to become a citizen, which, as I mentioned before, might be easier to do if you can work remotely.

If you want to show up in SF next week... well, you'll have to do it as a visitor. It's not that easy to just move in here.

I've looked into the TN Status but computer programmers don't qualify I'll have to look for just a plain temporary work visa I guess. Should I apply for one before or after finding a job?

[seta-san]

Rudy, on 16 April 2012 - 17:24, said:

The whole point is to move away from here We want change and we feel like SF would be a nice place. As for the money, well we have a house + quite a bit of savings, so selling the house + our savings should last us for a while (plus money from my potential job)

if you don't get a real good job very quickly.. cost of living in that city will crush you.

[Co_Co]

Visa's take forever...the sooner the better. People I know who are went to US universities to do research positions had a lot of trouble even though they were essentially 'hired'

[Nas]

As Brad and others mentioned, you should not be naïve about this (I'm Canadian by birth).

WORKING, PART 1: Since Canada is a foreign country from the USA, you are obligated to follow every immigration rule the US Government has ever conceived. This includes work visa paperwork and approvals, sponsorship arrangements, temporary immigration paranoia (read: instant deportation by DHS is 100% permissible), and double taxation (Canada doesn't care where the money came from... as a Canadian citizen who spent part of the year in Canada; likewise from the American standpoint).

WORKING, PART 2: The "best" way is to keep working in Canada, virtually, as an independent business. This establishes a relationship with a potential corporate sponsor who can apply on your behalf within the USA and justify your necessity whichever way works in their best interest.

LIVING, PART 1: The Canadian dollar is pennies stronger than the American dollar, but the culture is aimed towards instant gratification. You keep more of your paycheck upfront only to pay Uncle Sam (annual income tax) at stringent rates... and things like Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, state-level income taxes, city-level income taxes, personal benefits, personal health insurance premiums, ongoing costs of living, etc. At the end of the day, you net out with more instant-gratification but less long-term happiness.

LIVING, PART 2: Cost of living in Metro San Francisco, Metro Boston, Metro NYC, Metro DC... is about 3-5X cost of living in Toronto or Montreal. Period. A basic 1-bedroom apt in NYC costs $2500/mo in rent alone, and that's in Manhattan without a doorman. Want buy a condo? Try $1.5M for the same unit. Brooklyn provides better rates, but "better" is extremely subjective.

LIFE: International quality-of-life indexes have indicated, for the past 20 years, that any major city in Canada is ranked MUCH higher than the top US city.

FAMILY: Once you are an established temporary resident, your family can visit. Once you're an established permanent resident (green card) or citizen, your family can move with your without any problems. Canadians are notorious for overstaying their temporary visitor visas, and the penalties range from financial penalty, multi-year travel bans (for anything and everything), to being permanently being banned from the USA or its territories (including Puerto Rico).

OTHER: Generally speaking, if you have favorable ties to Cuba... keep it to yourself 110% of the time. It's the easiest disqualifier the US has against Canadian citizens.

[Rudy]

Nas, on 16 April 2012 - 17:56, said:

As Brad and others mentioned, you should not be naïve about this (I'm Canadian by birth).

WORKING, PART 1: Since Canada is a foreign country from the USA, you are obligated to follow every immigration rule the US Government has ever conceived. This includes work visa paperwork and approvals, sponsorship arrangements, temporary immigration paranoia (read: instant deportation by DHS is 100% permissible), and double taxation (Canada doesn't care where the money came from... as a Canadian citizen who spent part of the year in Canada; likewise from the American standpoint).

If I list my legal permanent residence as a US address I shouldn't have to pay income tax in Canada right? If I move to the US I would have nothing left in Canada (except family)

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WORKING, PART 2: The "best" way is to keep working in Canada, virtually, as an independent business. This establishes a relationship with a potential corporate sponsor who can apply on your behalf within the USA and justify your necessity whichever way works in their best interest.

LIVING, PART 1: The Canadian dollar is pennies stronger than the American dollar, but the culture is aimed towards instant gratification. You keep more of your paycheck upfront only to pay Uncle Sam (annual income tax) at stringent rates... and things like Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, state-level income taxes, city-level income taxes, personal benefits, personal health insurance premiums, ongoing costs of living, etc. At the end of the day, you net out with more instant-gratification but less long-term happiness.

LIVING, PART 2: Cost of living in Metro San Francisco, Metro Boston, Metro NYC, Metro DC... is about 3-5X cost of living in Toronto or Montreal. Period. A basic 1-bedroom apt in NYC costs $2500/mo in rent alone, and that's in Manhattan without a doorman. Want buy a condo? Try $1.5M for the same unit. Brooklyn provides better rates, but "better" is extremely subjective.

Money wouldn't really be an issue, we have similar problems here too, look at the living costs in Vancouver (I grew up on Vancouver Island so I know all about it).

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LIFE: International quality-of-life indexes have indicated, for the past 20 years, that any major city in Canada is ranked MUCH higher than the top US city.

Yea I know, but too be honest with you as an iOS / Mac developer, SF looks like the best place to be

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FAMILY: Once you are an established temporary resident, your family can visit. Once you're an established permanent resident (green card) or citizen, your family can move with your without any problems. Canadians are notorious for overstaying their temporary visitor visas, and the penalties range from financial penalty, multi-year travel bans (for anything and everything), to being permanently being banned from the USA or its territories (including Puerto Rico).

My family can come as visitors, I really doubt I would want them to stay any longer than a few weeks lol.

The only person I'm worried about is my wife, there's no way I would move if she can't come with me right away

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OTHER: Generally speaking, if you have favorable ties to Cuba... keep it to yourself 110% of the time. It's the easiest disqualifier the US has against Canadian citizens.

No ties

[HSoft]

You might want to take a look here. Form N-400 is basically what you want unless you can get a place of work to sponsor you.
http://www.uscis.gov...00048f3d6a1RCRD

[Rudy]

Hackersoft MS MVP, on 16 April 2012 - 18:08, said:

You might want to take a look here. Form N-400 is basically what you want unless you can get a place of work to sponsor you.
http://www.uscis.gov...00048f3d6a1RCRD

Thanks for the link.

See that's what I'm wondering, should I apply for something like that first or apply for jobs and then try to get them to sponsor me?