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British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Old Feb 15th 2015, 10:16 pm
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Default British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Hi everyone,

I'm in my mid-late 20s and like most people I want to move to the USA to work and live there temporarily. However, my skills and experience are kind of a mixed bag and I was wondering if you guys could help me plan my move. I currently have an IEC Canada visa and plan to move to Toronto to develop life experience and help me figure out what I want to do outside of an 9-5 office job.

Long story short:
I have a law degree (4yrs including + 10 months legal experience)
I'm a musician/producer which I've done on a semi-professional basis for 6+ years.
Currently working as a digital content specialist in a youth charity (similar to Bernados)
Over the last 6 years I've worked in digital marketing/outreach within the third sector focusing on youth development in different orgs (a mixture of internships/freelance/web design & consultancy work)
I also helped direct, research and film a short social documentary which was used as a learning aide in several schools within London (PSHE lessons)

Skills:
Audio/video production, digital marketing, outreach, Drupal 7, web design, legal experience, community outreach and development.

I'm not sure about my chances and I'm willing to develop my portfolio and work experience to ensure I stand a good chance of making it into the USA.

I am looking to continue my digital marketing work in non profits and/or possibly as a music production teacher within the next 2-3 years.

What are my chances of securing a H1B or H1B exempt cap visa?

Last edited by callmetoots; Feb 15th 2015 at 10:19 pm.
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Old Feb 15th 2015, 11:07 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

If it is cap then best guess is about 40%. Non cap are not limited.

Bigger issue is getting a sponsor.
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 12:39 am
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by callmetoots
What are my chances of securing a H1B or H1B exempt cap visa?
To get a visa, you almost always need to have a US company willing to sponsor you. To get an H-1B visa, the job must require a degree that's related to the job. So, what sort of job do you feel qualified to do with a law degree? You can't use it to practice law in the US... certainly not without some retraining and passing a state bar. Not likely anything related to music, or digital marketing/content/outreach. However, there are other visas for which you might be more qualified.

Start here - and when you find a visa for which you might be qualified, do some research on that visa... and then come back and ask your questions. Be sure to do the research prior to asking questions.

Ian
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 10:10 am
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by Boiler
If it is cap then best guess is about 40%. Non cap are not limited.

Bigger issue is getting a sponsor.
Would getting a sponsor be an issue if I went for the J1 visa? I've read the guide and could probably apply for the the trainee programme but I wouldn't want to live with a host family
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 10:44 am
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

If you stay in Canada long enough (5 years) you could become a Canadian citizen, which changes the work-visa landscape.

Your digital media and video direction production might be usable to support an O-1 (the requirements these days appear to be quite elastic and fall a long way short of Nobel laureates and Oscar winners), but that is specialized territory and you would need to consult an experienced immigration lawyer.
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 11:13 am
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by Pulaski
If you stay in Canada long enough (5 years) you could become a Canadian citizen, which changes the work-visa landscape.
I feel I should caveat this by saying that it's likely to be nearer 8 years for the OP before he'd be a citizen - his time on an IEC visa won't count towards citizenship, he'd need to wait until he's a PR before he'd start accruing the required 4 years in Canada.

So assuming that the OP is eligible to apply for PR at some point in his first year, and that processing takes around another year, he may become a PR in 2017, then it's 4 years before he can apply for citizenship taking him to 2021, and then around another year or eighteen months before he actually gets his test and oath ceremony and becomes a citizen (going on current timescales). So 2023 perhaps as a rough guide.

HTH.
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 12:58 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
I feel I should caveat this by saying that it's likely to be nearer 8 years for the OP before he'd be a citizen - his time on an IEC visa won't count towards citizenship, he'd need to wait until he's a PR before he'd start accruing the required 4 years in Canada.

So assuming that the OP is eligible to apply for PR at some point in his first year, and that processing takes around another year, he may become a PR in 2017, then it's 4 years before he can apply for citizenship taking him to 2021, and then around another year or eighteen months before he actually gets his test and oath ceremony and becomes a citizen (going on current timescales). So 2023 perhaps as a rough guide.

HTH.
Sorry, I meant to put "(5 years?)".
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 6:40 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by ian-mstm
To get a visa, you almost always need to have a US company willing to sponsor you. To get an H-1B visa, the job must require a degree that's related to the job. So, what sort of job do you feel qualified to do with a law degree? You can't use it to practice law in the US... certainly not without some retraining and passing a state bar. Not likely anything related to music, or digital marketing/content/outreach. However, there are other visas for which you might be more qualified.

Start here - and when you find a visa for which you might be qualified, do some research on that visa... and then come back and ask your questions. Be sure to do the research prior to asking questions.

Ian
Nope don't want to practice law, I want to work in a creative position but would be happy to continue my work in a non-profit.
Its all about thinking outside the box. There are many charities that are devoted to helping young people off the streets, many who have experienced a life of crime, or trying to rehabilitate them back into society. A number of them run creative workshops or need digital marketing experts.
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 10:03 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by callmetoots
A number of them run creative workshops or need digital marketing experts.
Fair enough! Are your skills worth them spending a lot of money to sponsor you for a visa? I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but the reality is that there are many people already unemployed in the US, who have skills equal to yours, who don't need to be sponsored for a visa, and who can start work tomorrow if asked. They are your competition. I just don't want you to have unrealistic expectations. It's certainly doable... but it will be an uphill climb. Good luck to you.

Ian
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 10:13 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

This is a full time job?
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Old Feb 16th 2015, 11:32 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

J-1 is used for a very wide variety of purposes. Typically J-1 trainees or interns do not live with a host family.
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Old Feb 17th 2015, 3:28 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by callmetoots
but would be happy to continue my work in a non-profit.
Its all about thinking outside the box. There are many charities that are devoted to helping young people off the streets, many who have experienced a life of crime, or trying to rehabilitate them back into society. A number of them run creative workshops or need digital marketing experts.
Transparency is everything with a US nonprofit, and a board isn't going to look kindly upon using people's donations to pay the visa fees to bring in someone from overseas -- and neither are the people who made the donations. There are so many people already out of work in the nonprofit sector as a result of diminished giving in a bad economy.
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Old Feb 17th 2015, 7:18 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Like the NFL?
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Old Feb 17th 2015, 7:49 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by callmetoots
Hi everyone,

I'm in my mid-late 20s and like most people I want to move to the USA to work and live there temporarily.
Most people? The vast majority of people I know have absolutely no desire to work/live in the USA - temporarily or otherwise.

Originally Posted by callmetoots
However, my skills and experience are kind of a mixed bag and I was wondering if you guys could help me plan my move. I currently have an IEC Canada visa and plan to move to Toronto to develop life experience and help me figure out what I want to do outside of an 9-5 office job.

Long story short:
I have a law degree (4yrs including + 10 months legal experience)
I'm a musician/producer which I've done on a semi-professional basis for 6+ years.
Currently working as a digital content specialist in a youth charity (similar to Bernados)
Over the last 6 years I've worked in digital marketing/outreach within the third sector focusing on youth development in different orgs (a mixture of internships/freelance/web design & consultancy work)
I also helped direct, research and film a short social documentary which was used as a learning aide in several schools within London (PSHE lessons)

Skills:
Audio/video production, digital marketing, outreach, Drupal 7, web design, legal experience, community outreach and development.

I'm not sure about my chances and I'm willing to develop my portfolio and work experience to ensure I stand a good chance of making it into the USA.

I am looking to continue my digital marketing work in non profits and/or possibly as a music production teacher within the next 2-3 years.

What are my chances of securing a H1B or H1B exempt cap visa?
As has already been mentioned, I think your best bet may be to stay in Canada long enough to obtain Canadian citizenship and qualify for a TN visa to the US.
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Old Feb 17th 2015, 9:04 pm
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Default Re: British citizen looking to move to the USA via Canada

Originally Posted by ian-mstm
Fair enough! Are your skills worth them spending a lot of money to sponsor you for a visa? I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but the reality is that there are many people already unemployed in the US, who have skills equal to yours, who don't need to be sponsored for a visa, and who can start work tomorrow if asked. They are your competition. I just don't want you to have unrealistic expectations. It's certainly doable... but it will be an uphill climb. Good luck to you.

Ian
That is true. I am a bit of an idealist. I'm pre-pared to work hard and get to the top of my field if that's what it takes. I just need to know what I am up against and the path I need to take.
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