

Ask HN: Canadian junior dev wanting to move to the US. need Visa advice - jambaroon

Hi everyone, I completed a web development bootcamp and around 8 months ago and have been working in startups in Hong Kong. I&#x27;m looking to relocate to the states (LA, San Francisco etc.) soon. I&#x27;m a Canadian so I do have an advantage in attaining a work VISA, but I dont know how much. My questions are:<p>1) How easy would it be to get a work visa?
2) Where should I be looking for jobs at?
3) I&#x27;m a junior level developer, looking to target front end jobs in javascript&#x2F;jquery&#x2F;angular, but have some experience with javascript and ruby backends... are people only wiling to give VISAs to more experienced people?
4) How much would it increase my chances if I were to fly over there without a work visa and job search then, so that I can interview face to face?
5) What kind of companies should I target? Big companies like GOogle I&#x27;m probably not qualified for, but companies that are too small may not offer work visas
6) Any other advice would be great.
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danpat
As a Canadian, the TN visa is by far the easiest get. If you qualify, you just
get it at the border when you enter. You typically need a job offer, be
qualified for the job, and the job needs to be on this list:

[http://www.nafsa.org/_/file/_/amresource/8cfr2146.htm](http://www.nafsa.org/_/file/_/amresource/8cfr2146.htm)

The TN visa has the advantage that the company doesn't need to do anything
really, just make sure the job description ticks all the boxes for the
immigration officers at the border. Other visa classes are more complex and
costly (H1-B) and usually have the same kind of qualification requirements.

"Computer Systems Analyst" is the usual job title for programming jobs, you
will need either a degree, or some post-secondary school training + 3 years
experience. You can probably word your degrees + training to satisfy the
education requirement.

The steps to get this visa are outlined here:

[http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/naf...](http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/nafta.html)

~~~
jambaroon
i have a degree in Statistics (from a college in the states), and a master of
science in e-commerce (from a college in HOng Kong). Does that qualify me for
the "computer system analyst" bit? im currently based in Asia, should I
consult the local US consulate?

And if I get this TN visa, if I switch jobs, I dont need to renew it right
away or anything right?

~~~
danpat
You need a new TN visa if you change jobs. You can do it by mail, or by
leaving/re-entering.

It's up to the border officer to decide whether you meet the critera or not.
They're not experts in any particular field, so generally, they look to make
sure that all the right keywords are hit in the job application and your
qualifications.

Contacting USCIS will generally only get you generic advice. An immigration
lawyer, while not necessary to do the paperwork (it's pretty easy) should be
able to give you a reasonable opinion as to whether you'd be successful or
not. They're the only people that deal with this often enough to have a feel
for when an application might be successful or not.

Do some google searching on "TN visa" and "web developer", there are lots of
stories out there that should give you a feel for what's involved.

------
sylvainkalache
2) Where should I be looking for jobs at? Look at
[https://techmeabroad.com/](https://techmeabroad.com/) a tech jobboard that
only lists jobs coming with a working visa.

------
coryl
Do you have an engineering or CS degree? That would help your chances a lot.

Most developers get into the states with either a TN Visa or H1-B Visa.

~~~
jambaroon
Hi, I do not have a CS/engineering degree. I have a BS in Statistics from a
top 20 University, and masters in e-commerce... does that help?

What kind of companies should I target though? I'd love to work in a start up
but would they bother with helping potential employees with visas? Should I
target bigger companies? Or do they have too many applicants to even look at
mine?

