
Ask HN: Working in the USA as a young Canadian, no degree - EC1
I&#x27;m working with someone in the US, remotely, on a side project. We believe this will turn into something legit, at which point we&#x27;ll have to work in the USA.<p>How would I go about working in the US as a Canadian with no degree?
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whitef0x
Best bet would be looking to the TN Visa (which engineers/developers are
eligible for) which is probably the most painless solution. I don't think a
degree is nessecary although it would be best to check on the us immigration
site.

If you can't get a TN Visa, your best bet would be a HB-1 or a greencard. -
both if which are hard to get and require a US sponsor. For HB1 I've heard the
for companies under 5 yesrd in age it can be difficult(and expensive with
lawyer fees) to sponsor a candidate. However if you plan on living in the US
beyond your visa both the TN and HB-1 won't help - you cannot seek P.R. wih
these visas, so st this point a greencard is your best bet.

The fastest way to get a green card is to "be a notable person" which means
you have to have at least two articles written about you and/or have
publications in field that you are studying. At this point I would really talk
to an experienced immigration lawyer (preferably wih experience with startups)
to advise you on the best plan of action.

~~~
EC1
TN Qualifications [1]

\- the profession is recognized under NAFTA; and

\- the alien possesses the specific criteria for that profession [2]; and

\- the prospective position requires someone in that professional capacity;
and

\- the alien is going to work for a U.S. employer.

[1] [http://canada.usembassy.gov/visas/doing-business-in-
america/...](http://canada.usembassy.gov/visas/doing-business-in-america/tn-
visas-professionals-under-nafta.html)

[2] [http://canada.usembassy.gov/visas/doing-business-in-
america/...](http://canada.usembassy.gov/visas/doing-business-in-
america/professions-covered-by-nafta.html)

Perfect. I have to see if I can cash in the 3 years I did of software
engineering for some diploma or certificate at a local college, which I'm sure
I can.

The U.S. employer. If my friend incorporates, then brings me on board, is that
viable?

~~~
shortsleeves
I suggest you first consult with a US immigration attorney for these sorts of
questions. The internet is full of bad advice. Work visas generally have an
emphasis on being a skilled professional (i.e: education and/or many years of
experience). FYI - TN status is granted when you cross the border, entirely at
the border official's discretion.

~~~
cwzwarich
As of October 2012 you can now apply for TN status in advance by mail.

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madamepsychosis
If you manage to get $100k in funding (from a VC, sales, crowdfunding,
whatever), and you own 50%+ of the company, you can get an E2 visa to
temporarily operate in the US. Wait times for the required interview are about
5 months & the amount of paperwork means you'll need a lawyer. IIRC its valid
for 2 years but you can extend it. The emphasis is on bringing jobs to the US.

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dmix
I was in a similar situation, Canadian and had a fulltime job by legit US
company, but no unversity degree. Lived in SF for 4 months. We hired a good
immingration lawyer who specialized in tech workers.

After months of work we weren't able to get a Visa. H1B and others are pretty
dependent on having a degree or involved gambling that you could make it
through the border and get a TN visa.

Otherwise you need 12 years work experience. 1 year of school is equivalent to
3 years experience (in their eyes), and you need 4 years of school to get
entry via advanced degree.

It didnt matter that I had all of the required skill and a strong job offer.

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ryanobjc
As others noted, the system is heavily based on degree status, but there is
one visa class that isn't:

[http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-1_visa](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-1_visa)

But it's tricky and may not apply.

Consider getting a degree, they're cheap in canada.

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ishake
I would suggest you research further but they are usually strict in your
degree matching your occupation. I'm almost certain a degree is a requirement
in each scenario.

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stopachka
I got an offer from Uber...and it looks like I won't be able to take it for
the same reasons :(

