Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
blog.garyroumanis.com
Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
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Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#2That's rough. I know a couple Canadians who went through a similar process (also for Microsoft) and had no problems. Shame to hear this guy had such a shitty experience.
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#3Sorry to hear this. As a Canadian in the US on an H1B, I've stopped visiting Canada :( This really sucks because I can't visit friends/family easily any more. The last foreign trip I had (was a quick visit to Europe for a conference), the border agent went through every single page of my documentation pack and asked me questions (intention of the questions seemed designed to trip me up on minor details). I hope the situation gets better one of these days :( :(
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#4>"Although I am Canadian I spent my middle school and high school years in Raleigh, NC"
>"After I graduated from McGill in June"
Curious, did you pay out-of-country tuition rates to attend school here? I hope so, considering you didn't live, nor plan to work here.
Keeping in mind that all I have to go on is this little tale, I ask because it seems like you (and your family) have done a lot of walking through the grey area of immigration, skirting rules to take advantage of what both countries offer their citizens. Apparently it caught up to you.
Edit: For the downvoters: I'm Canadian. I don't appreciate that someone who essentially grew up in the US came back here to take advantage of our federal and provincial tax-dollar subsidized resident tuition, only to turn around and leave the country for the US again the instant he graduated. Had he never left the US for school, would this have happened?
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#5> "Although I am Canadian I spent my middle school and high school years in Raleigh, NC" > "After I graduated from McGill in June" Curious, did you pay out-of-country tuition rates to attend school here? I hope so, considering you didn't live, nor plan to work here. Keeping in mind that all I have to go on is this little tale, I ask because it seems like you (and your family) have done a lot of walking through the gr…
I did not pay out-of-country tuition rates. I did have to pay out-of-province tuition rates though. (McGill is located in Quebec, Canada). I also applied to various NC universities and I would have had to pay out-of-country tuition rates.
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#6Had a similar experience. I came from Toronto and I am working in the states right now. I was hired as a computer engineer. I got rejected the first time for my TN visa simply because the officer asked me, does your job involve writing code? And I answered yes. Then he proceeds, so you are basically a programmer. We don't allow programmers into our country. He wouldn't listen to my explanation and further claim that I was not qualified and I was only hired because I was cheap. (which is not true, I am well compensated)
Then the second time around, I had to lie and claim that I do zero programming for my job, and only "design" and "engineer" stuff. Lol....
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#7Degrees granted to me in the US: B.A., M.Eng, and soon, Ph.D.
Estimated cost of educating me paid for in entirety by American individuals (Private+Government): $600,000.
Chances of me getting to stay in the US:
Scenario 1: I get a tenure track job at an R-1 University, and I am exempt from the H1-B cap. The subsequent waiting time for my green card application is not long as I will be able to apply under the EB-1 track. Probability: Low to very low. The academic market is a crapshoot, and I need to churn out some serious publications over the next 3-4 years.
Scenario 2: I get employed at a Google/Microsoft class firm and they sponsor an H1-B. I wait the estimated 5 years for an EB-2 green card application to go through. Probability: very low to almost nil, as I don't want to be locked in for 5 years in such a job unless I get a researcher position (i.e. at MSR).
Scenario 3: I start a company. So I have a runway of about 29 months (which is how long the US allows a graduate to stay and work under OPT rules) to either make millions of dollars and reapply under O-1/H1-B. Otherwise, I am definitely out of the country as there is no way for me to stay in the US. Probability of success: low to very low.
Scenario 4: I marry an American girl and get a Green Card as a spouse of a citizen. Probability: low. I won't compromise my current/future relationships and/or hasten my life goals in order to stay in this country. Not when Canada is such an attractive option (with my degrees and partial French speaking ability I earn enough points under their system to get permanent residency on arrival).
Political status of this bullshit: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/09/why-cong...
Return on investment for American interests: Likely zero.
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#8Had a similar experience. I came from Toronto and I am working in the states right now. I was hired as a computer engineer. I got rejected the first time for my TN visa simply because the officer asked me, does your job involve writing code? And I answered yes. Then he proceeds, so you are basically a programmer. We don't allow programmers into our country. He wouldn't listen to my explanation and further claim that…
I've read countless stories similar to yours. It all seems like verbiage to me.
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#9Degrees granted to me in the US: B.A., M.Eng, and soon, Ph.D. Estimated cost of educating me paid for in entirety by American individuals (Private+Government): $600,000. Chances of me getting to stay in the US: Scenario 1: I get a tenure track job at an R-1 University, and I am exempt from the H1-B cap. The subsequent waiting time for my green card application is not long as I will be able to apply under the EB-1 tra…
Your probability for Scenario 2 is very low to almost nil. Why is that. You are aiming for R-1 university but you are not confident of getting into MSR etc? And you can still switch jobs while your Green Card application is pending. I think it's called AC21 though I am not exactly sure on the exact terminology.
On a side note, H1-B is cap exempt for ALL educational institutes and non-profit organizations.
Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft
#10Degrees granted to me in the US: B.A., M.Eng, and soon, Ph.D. Estimated cost of educating me paid for in entirety by American individuals (Private+Government): $600,000. Chances of me getting to stay in the US: Scenario 1: I get a tenure track job at an R-1 University, and I am exempt from the H1-B cap. The subsequent waiting time for my green card application is not long as I will be able to apply under the EB-1 tra…
I can't remember which TED talk I saw but they discussed this very issue. It's alarming to think one of America's biggest export is Master/PhD students.