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Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

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Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#111

Post by Roritharr »

oniTony wrote: post #93
arez wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

do you get a green card easier as a canadian than people from europe for example? I'm from germany and know many people who would like to work in the states, but it's really a big problem to get the green card. It takes companies much effort and money to get you in the states for more than 3 months.

Canadians get access to TN class work visa. It's meant for temporary work, but gives a few years to figure out a more permanent approach.

Would that be the same for Germans?

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#112

Post by cylinder »

clessg wrote: post #96
oniTony wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Canadians get access to TN class work visa. It's meant for temporary work, but gives a few years to figure out a more permanent approach.

What would a more permanent approach be? Marriage?

Work in overseas branch as a manager. Get moved to US on L1 visa. Apply for employment based green card, takes about a year.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#113

Post by hoddez »

Roritharr wrote: post #111
oniTony wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Canadians get access to TN class work visa. It's meant for temporary work, but gives a few years to figure out a more permanent approach.

Would that be the same for Germans?

No sorry, the TN is only available to Canadians and Mexicans. It's based on NAFTA. https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/employment/nafta.h...

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#114

Post by psycr »

So this article is about people like me. I went to school in Toronto and stayed. In the > 5 years since:

- I joined a seed stage startup

- That startup raised a series A ($N millions in total financing)

- Was then acquired by a Fortune 500 company, which has kept the business as a separate unit for > 1 year

- I was a party to the deal :)

I have found salaries to be competitive when total cost of living adjustments are made (even despite the currency value). Importantly, the labour market here values skills over credentials - so there's a distinct pragmatism in the air.

So as far as startups go - not the publicly traded and pre-series-G-mega-SF-corps - I think there's a vibrant opportunity and reality.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#115

Post by sprite »

coke12 wrote: post #100
clessg wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would a more permanent approach be? Marriage?

H-1B, O-1, L-1, and perhaps more.

Don't forget eb5 except it's super slow. Probably takes 2 years from initial investment until you have your conditional greencard. Then another couple of years until you have a full fledged one.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#116

Post by hoddez »

clessg wrote: post #110
coke12 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

H-1B, O-1, L-1, and perhaps more.

I thought the H-1B was a temporary visa?

I am not an immigration lawyer, but this is my understanding: The H-1B is similar to the TN but each have their pros / cons: TN is much cheaper (~$50 + lawyer fees) and there is no cap / application deadline. You apply at the border so there is also virtually no waiting time assuming you get it.

The downside of the TN is that it is a "temporary" permit. Technically it's not actually a visa. It simply allows you to work and live in the US for a "temporary" amount of time. The temporary part is very gray in this case, since it is up to the discretion of the border guard to determine if you are using it in a temporary sense. Similar to the H-1B it can last for up to 3 years, and can be renewed after that.

The other big difference is that dual-intent is not allowed on the TN permit. In other words, you are not supposed to apply for a green card while you are on it. The H-1B is dual intent and therefore that's what you want if you want to get a greencard.

A pretty typical path for Canadians who start working in the US and decide to stay is TN -> H-1B -> Green Card. However, it is not easier for Canadians to get an H-1B. They must participate in the lottery like everybody else.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#117

Post by stuxnet79 »

amscanne wrote: post #108
stuxnet79 wrote: post #19

Eeh ... as a Torontonian developer I don't buy it. Most of the good graduates we have move to Bay Area or Seattle. If you want your career to progress meaningfully you pretty much have to move to the states. Maybe this might change in the future but the story on the ground is very different. Also nitpick - we are the fourth most populous city in North America, and only Mexico City , New York and Los Angeles have a la…

> Also nitpick - we are the fourth most populous city in North America, and only Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles have a larger population. As of mid last year, Toronto contains more people than Chicago. Ugh, this is a pet peeve of mine. The city limits are drawn in such a way that Toronto _technically_ edges out Chicago. Torontonians seem to feel this is a meaningful point of pride. Get real. The metro Toronto…

Toronto downtown absorbed North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough in the late 90s. It is not until last year that our population edged out Chicago, so whatever the reason for the amalgamation it definitely wasn't because we wanted to beat Chicago out in a pissing contest. However, you want to interpret the data, the truth is that the article writer did not do their homework.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#118

Post by cylinder »

yardie wrote: post #54
jacques_chester wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm Australian. We have a special visa, the E3, which is very easy to get. Meanwhile almost everyone else is stuck in the H1B shitshow, which has in the past 5 years grown from merely "terrible" to "nuclear-powered self-propelling toxic thunderblob".

I've been curious if the US has a reciprocal visa with Australia? I'm a USian who has a deep affection for Melbourne.

No, but the 457 is easy and you may also have independent skilled migration options to get PR without job sponsorship. Let me know if you need help.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#119

Post by cylinder »

yardie wrote: post #54
jacques_chester wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm Australian. We have a special visa, the E3, which is very easy to get. Meanwhile almost everyone else is stuck in the H1B shitshow, which has in the past 5 years grown from merely "terrible" to "nuclear-powered self-propelling toxic thunderblob".

I've been curious if the US has a reciprocal visa with Australia? I'm a USian who has a deep affection for Melbourne.

No, but the 457 is easy and you may also have independent skilled migration options to get PR without job sponsorship. Let me know if you need help.

Re: Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

#120

Post by emilyfm »

DeBraid wrote: post #103

Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo are both healthy, vibrant startup hubs, but are distinct regions IMO. They are 120km apart and it takes ~90min to drive from Communitech to MARS https://goo.gl/maps/vRJqc7JsNcp . Both positively influence each other, compete for resources. Waterloo has some more affordable suburban housing, and less vibrant city/'downtown'. Toronto is more expensive, is bigger and better in many respect…

There's also Victoria BC. A smaller city, but that makes the tech and startup scene more important locally: by some measures, tech is now the biggest "industry" in the area, beating tourism. Plus, it's got the best weather in Canada.
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