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Toronto is poised to become a producer of tech startups

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221–230 of 304 posts

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

#221
post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 wo…

One correction: > "In other words, you are not supposed to apply for a green card while you are on it." You can actually do this, it's very painful but it's not rare. The gotcha is that the moment you leave the country your TN is kaput, so you're effectively trapped in the USA until the green card process is complete.

> The gotcha is that the moment you leave the country your TN is kaput, so you're effectively trapped in the USA until the green card process is complete.

Not quite true. Once you've filed for adjustment of status (which you can only do once your priority date is current), you can also file an I-131 for advanced parole, and after receiving this, you can leave and re-enter the US with it. Technically you're not on a TN anymore though.

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

#222
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps surprisingly, that's mostly a wash. Canadian federal tax is 33% over 200k USA is 33% over 189K Ontario taxes 11.16% up to 500k California 9.3% up to 250k ... Ok so realistically 2% in taxes :). Maybe that's not a total wash. But if we're looking at the break-even point it might hit $3k in California's favor

don't forget social security. Social security is 5.65%, whereas the equivalent in Canada is the Canadian Pension Plan, which is 4.95%. And you have great medical insurance built right in. [0] [0] - http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0411/do-canadians...

That source includes savings due to the exchange rate, even though wages would be in CAD

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

#223
post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kind of surprised that this seems to be the sentiment. I rather live in a place where I make less, but the wealth is better distributed. To me a high standard of living is not just a good salary, but also good living conditions of those around me. If Toronto is to be the next Bay Area, and I have to walk over the homeless to get to work, I'm out of here.

If you're an American you need 6 figures to pay back your $100k+ student loan debt. It's not like these young tech employees are living high on the hog. They move to these tech centers because they have to.

Student loans of 100k+ are very atypical for an American graduate. The average undergraduate indebtedness at graduation is closer to 30k.

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

#224
post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you lived in Toronto? Houses in the city average over 1M CAD and there are tons of vagrants on the street.

I currently live in Toronto, but I didn't buy a house. My monthly expenses would be nearly 30% higher for a morgage and condo fees for the place I'm renting now. I rather invest that in a business. As for people living on the street. According to wikipedia the estimated homeless population in San Fransisco is between 7000 and 10000. The estimated number in Toronto is 5,253 (source: Toronto.ca), but since Toronto has…

Have you considered Seattle? I used to work in Toronto and I am currently living here and I love it.

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

#225
post #220
post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've lived in Toronto and Portland (Oregon). Portland had more vagrants than I've experienced in Toronto. I'm sure the absolute number is probably higher, but the distribution doesn't seem the same. From what I hear, SF also has a large problem with vagrants / homeless. I'm not sure that "move to SF" is the solution to the "I don't want to be around these vagrants" problem.

Just making sure, my point was not "I don't want to be around these people". My point was that I don't want to partake in a system which such a big income-gap. In the Netherlands (where I come from) the average saleries for programmers are even lower, but in return you get a pretty great social system and a much saner work/life balance.

I wouldn't assume that Toronto does a better job at income equality, just that the weather is significantly harsher.

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

#227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interestingly this is almost the same commentary for every "next silicon valley" city we read about here. I think sometimes people are trying to cash in on the ideal before it's even been formed. Why is everyone so rushed to be the next SV anyway? Why not be the best Toronto, or whatever city of focus that happens to support entrepreneurship through whatever programs. I feel like being a next SV town is sort of like…

> Interestingly this is almost the same commentary for every "next silicon valley" city we read about here. That may be true, but you have to realize even the other "next silicon valley" contenders in the US can easily offer more than double the salary to developers compared to Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver. Toronto is not even playing in the same league in that aspect.

Outside of silicon valley and New York salaries in the US are not actually that great. According to glassdoor the average junior developer is actually only 60k when you consider the whole country. Junior software engineer on payscale is median 55k.

Also, in some place like San Fransisco the cost of living is going to be 2x or more, so that 2-3x higher salary will end up translating into maybe 1.2x. Salaries in Toronto are still low, but not nearly as much as some people make it out to be.

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

#228

Waterloo has been investing heavily in improving their public transit infrastructure in recent years: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_rapid_transit http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/projectinformatio... Once it is completed, I think this will make Waterloo and Toronto feel a lot closer together. Note that the 'transit hub' mentioned above is a 2 minute walk from communitech ( https://www.communitech.ca/ ),…

Those are local projects (Waterloo/Kitchener/Cambridge), right? Are they actually planning on improving the very slow and intermittent rail connection to Toronto?

That hangs on whether or not Metrolinx can purchase the rail between Georgetown to Bramalea.

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/corridorowne...

This article states that they want to bring 2-way all day service... someday.

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

#229
post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Waterloo is over 100km away from Toronto

Which is similar to the distance between Santa Clara and the Golden Gate Bridge, for what it's worth.

Does driving between Santa Clara to the Golden Gate Bridge include farmland in the middle?

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

#230
post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what happened in that last paragraph, can you elaborate?

What precisely could benefit from clarification?

You're obviously referring to something very specific, while being vague enough that people that are not 'in' on it don't understand.
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