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Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

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31–40 of 339 posts

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#31
post #30

As someone in the Sisyphean green card system (processing taking forever for the initial application, 6-7 years to go after that for the actual green card, best case); I am really glad that Canada is offering better alternatives. I bet if they emphasize this angle (quicker permanent residency for non-contract employees), they will get a decent amount of talent that otherwise is stuck grinding away in Silicon Valley f…

How about pay? Job offers were literally almost half compared to Seattle 2hrs away in Vancouver, and life is cheaper in Seattle.

There is a cost-benefit tradeoff to every decision. Analyse the tradeoff, and make your decision.

Less glibly, it might be worthwhile to target companies who already exist in SV/Seattle. I find it hard to believe that Facebook (the example given in the article) forced its engineers to accept a 50% pay cut to go to the Vancouver office.

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#32

As someone in the Sisyphean green card system (processing taking forever for the initial application, 6-7 years to go after that for the actual green card, best case); I am really glad that Canada is offering better alternatives. I bet if they emphasize this angle (quicker permanent residency for non-contract employees), they will get a decent amount of talent that otherwise is stuck grinding away in Silicon Valley f…

Working for 6-7 years for the same employer is now considered "grinding away"??

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#33
post #15

I think if we ever start a second YC location, this will be the reason -- to help founders who are unable to get past the US immigration system. It's unfortunate that our government is becoming increasingly dysfunctional at every level -- federal, state, and local governments are all failing to do their jobs. I'm glad that Canada is introducing some competitive pressure.

If you are referring to recent proposed visa changes, you appear to be defining dysfunctional as not passing visa programs very beneficial to a tiny group of people: incubators like YC, and owners / large investors in tech dependent startups. As not a member of those groups, that's quite a stretch.

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#34

As someone in the Sisyphean green card system (processing taking forever for the initial application, 6-7 years to go after that for the actual green card, best case); I am really glad that Canada is offering better alternatives. I bet if they emphasize this angle (quicker permanent residency for non-contract employees), they will get a decent amount of talent that otherwise is stuck grinding away in Silicon Valley f…

6-7 years? Thats a very generous estimate even for EB2-India right? I've been told to expect 9 years unless the immigration reform passes.

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#35
post #15

I think if we ever start a second YC location, this will be the reason -- to help founders who are unable to get past the US immigration system. It's unfortunate that our government is becoming increasingly dysfunctional at every level -- federal, state, and local governments are all failing to do their jobs. I'm glad that Canada is introducing some competitive pressure.

it is actually quite sad that things like "fairness for highly skilled immigrants" is held hostage to CIR.

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#36
post #32

As someone in the Sisyphean green card system (processing taking forever for the initial application, 6-7 years to go after that for the actual green card, best case); I am really glad that Canada is offering better alternatives. I bet if they emphasize this angle (quicker permanent residency for non-contract employees), they will get a decent amount of talent that otherwise is stuck grinding away in Silicon Valley f…

Working for 6-7 years for the same employer is now considered "grinding away"??

Sure; mostly because that's seven years where you have no chance of getting a "horizontal promotion" by switching employers. Meaning, then, that your career trajectory is completely at your employer's whim--which usually means "stagnant."

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#37
post #33
post #15

I think if we ever start a second YC location, this will be the reason -- to help founders who are unable to get past the US immigration system. It's unfortunate that our government is becoming increasingly dysfunctional at every level -- federal, state, and local governments are all failing to do their jobs. I'm glad that Canada is introducing some competitive pressure.

If you are referring to recent proposed visa changes, you appear to be defining dysfunctional as not passing visa programs very beneficial to a tiny group of people: incubators like YC, and owners / large investors in tech dependent startups. As not a member of those groups, that's quite a stretch.

And you know, everyone who's not xenophobic, enjoys living in a diverse community and philosophically believes people should be able to live wherever they want.

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#38
post #34

As someone in the Sisyphean green card system (processing taking forever for the initial application, 6-7 years to go after that for the actual green card, best case); I am really glad that Canada is offering better alternatives. I bet if they emphasize this angle (quicker permanent residency for non-contract employees), they will get a decent amount of talent that otherwise is stuck grinding away in Silicon Valley f…

6-7 years? Thats a very generous estimate even for EB2-India right? I've been told to expect 9 years unless the immigration reform passes.

Correct, that is a best-case estimate (updated to say this).

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#39
post #33
post #15

I think if we ever start a second YC location, this will be the reason -- to help founders who are unable to get past the US immigration system. It's unfortunate that our government is becoming increasingly dysfunctional at every level -- federal, state, and local governments are all failing to do their jobs. I'm glad that Canada is introducing some competitive pressure.

If you are referring to recent proposed visa changes, you appear to be defining dysfunctional as not passing visa programs very beneficial to a tiny group of people: incubators like YC, and owners / large investors in tech dependent startups. As not a member of those groups, that's quite a stretch.

The users of those resulting products benefit too, just like Tom Cruise isn't the only one who benefits from him selling his acting services.

Re: Vancouver tech surges as U.S. immigration reform idles

#40
post #2

> "I will not go to Canada," said the 25-year-old from Argentina of his initial reaction. "Twenty degrees below zero, are you crazy?" Perhaps the warmest major Canadian city, with a mild winter due to being coastal ('twenty degree below zero' - probably not).

Victoria's even warmer, and gets far less rain. Plus the opportunities for living an outdoor, active lifestyle are even greater.
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