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Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

blog.garyroumanis.com

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Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#31

Post by neilk »

refurb wrote: post #22
neilk wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You cannot switch jobs and keep the same Green Card application. It's true you can transfer an H-1B between employers but any associated Green Card application is lost if you leave them.

This is only true during the labor certification or PERM part of the green card application. There are typically three phases to an employment-based green card app: 1. Labor certification/PERM (proof there is a need by the company) 2. I-140 application (proof you fill that need) 3. I-485 (formal application to receive PR) It's been a few years since I went through the process, but basically, as soon as you've complet…

I've never heard of this before, from either my lawyer or any of the lawyers for any of the firms I've worked for. And I have asked this question specifically, because in my case, it may take much longer than normal to get a Green Card. But I'll investigate.

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#32

Post by ktizo »

bosch wrote: post #18
tatsuke95 wrote: post #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 gr…

I don't understand why people are down voting this comment. It seems like the OP is a "citizen of convenience" like those in Lebanon who only wanted to make use of their Canadian citizenship when war broke out despite the fact that some of them hadn't been back to Canada in 5+ years. Not that this really has a place in the main discussion, although it does involve citizenship in a different way.

It seems like the OP is a "citizen of convenience" like those in Lebanon who only wanted to make use of their Canadian citizenship when war broke out

How unimaginably selfish of them, trying to avoid death by manipulating poor hardworking taxpayers with their use of "documents" and "citizenship" and other bits of magic paper.

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#33

Post by minwcnt5 »

throwaway1979 wrote: post #3

Sorry 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 s…

Your situation sounds extremely bizarre. There should be no reason to avoid traveling outside the US if you're a Canadian on an H-1B. Except maybe if it's about to expire and you have an application for an extension pending. (My employer's immigration team suggested I not travel under such circumstances.)

FWIW, I've travelled in outside of the US around 20-30 times on TN/H-1B status and never encountered problems. On most of these trips I've re-entered at YYZ (Toronto), and most of the time the border agent doesn't ask me any questions at all. Occasionally they ask me what I do, who I work for, or where I live. One time I was asked about what type of software I write and possibly what my salary was. I've never been asked for any more details than that.

I guess it's possible I just get an easier time than you because of profiling: white, male, well-known employer, typical Canadian/US accent, no trips to strange countries, etc.

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#34

Post by tatsuke95 »

ktizo wrote: post #28
tatsuke95 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Yes, how dare he go to school in the US while his mother was working there." Pull out as many straw-men as you want, big guy. I said nothing of the sort. Great tirade though. > "And then to go back to Canada and go to university there" I'm going to assume that you're not Canadian, since you seem to have no idea how this works. I don't care that he came back to this country to go to University. It's something we ac…

I am not an American, although Canadians are, last time I checked. And anyone can lecture on open borders and minds irrespective of nationality, that sort of goes along with the concepts.

>"I am not an American, although Canadians are, last time I checked."

I don't understand this...

>"And anyone can lecture on open borders and minds irrespective of nationality"

Absolutely. But if you're an American, your yelling at me on the internet about immigration is the equivalent of a Facebook "like" campaign to stop hunger in Africa. Plenty of work to do in your own back yard. I assume, with your passion and all, you're all over it.

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#36

Post by ktizo »

tatsuke95 wrote: post #34
ktizo wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not an American, although Canadians are, last time I checked. And anyone can lecture on open borders and minds irrespective of nationality, that sort of goes along with the concepts.

> "I am not an American, although Canadians are, last time I checked." I don't understand this... > "And anyone can lecture on open borders and minds irrespective of nationality" Absolutely. But if you're an American, your yelling at me on the internet about immigration is the equivalent of a Facebook "like" campaign to stop hunger in Africa. Plenty of work to do in your own back yard. I assume, with your passion and…

I don't understand this...

Well it is lucky I came prepared then. Here, I brought this map along. Have a look, this bit is a continent called "America". The bit at the bottom is what was first referred to as America by colonists from Europe, although the name was eventually used for the whole connected landmass, and the bit at the top is generally referred to as "North America", in which we have Mexico, the USA and Canada. But everyone in the continent are Americans, as they are all from America.

But if you're an American,

No, I am not an American. Which is why I said I am not an American. I can understand your confusion however, as earlier I think I may have slipped into a trance and started channeling the soul of Henry Kissinger. Sorry about that, it happens sometimes.

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#37

Post by brg »

grouma wrote: post #25
stblack wrote: post #23

The Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement was negotiated between 1985 and late 1987, and was signed in January 1988. The language of the treaty hasn't been meaningfully adjusted in over 25-years. Therefore when you are going through the process, you should relate what you'll be doing in mid-1980's terms, especially during questioning. For example, something computer systems analysts supposedly do in the 1980's is…

Very true. I tried my best to hit those bullet points but unfortunately failed.

Why did you continue to go to the same border crossing?

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#38

Post by [deleted] »

ktizo wrote: post #36
tatsuke95 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "I am not an American, although Canadians are, last time I checked." I don't understand this... > "And anyone can lecture on open borders and minds irrespective of nationality" Absolutely. But if you're an American, your yelling at me on the internet about immigration is the equivalent of a Facebook "like" campaign to stop hunger in Africa. Plenty of work to do in your own back yard. I assume, with your passion and…

I don't understand this... Well it is lucky I came prepared then. Here, I brought this map along. Have a look, this bit is a continent called "America". The bit at the bottom is what was first referred to as America by colonists from Europe, although the name was eventually used for the whole connected landmass, and the bit at the top is generally referred to as "North America", in which we have Mexico, the USA and C…

[deleted]

Re: Immigration Issues for a Canadian working for Microsoft

#40

Post by tatsuke95 »

ktizo wrote: post #36
tatsuke95 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "I am not an American, although Canadians are, last time I checked." I don't understand this... > "And anyone can lecture on open borders and minds irrespective of nationality" Absolutely. But if you're an American, your yelling at me on the internet about immigration is the equivalent of a Facebook "like" campaign to stop hunger in Africa. Plenty of work to do in your own back yard. I assume, with your passion and…

I don't understand this... Well it is lucky I came prepared then. Here, I brought this map along. Have a look, this bit is a continent called "America". The bit at the bottom is what was first referred to as America by colonists from Europe, although the name was eventually used for the whole connected landmass, and the bit at the top is generally referred to as "North America", in which we have Mexico, the USA and C…

>"But everyone in the continent are Americans, as they are all from America."

You're just itching to have a ridiculous argument, aren't you? Take your pseudo-intellectual nerd-rage elsewhere.

There are genuine problems with the immigration rules in the US. Some are described in this very thread. The author's case is marginal.

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