

My cofounder is Canadian, how do I get him into the US? - chrischen

My cofounder is a Canadian citizen and he lacks US permanent residency. What's the easiest way to get him here? Can startups sponsor foreign nationals?
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JimmyL
If he's got a degree and a decent resume, look into TN-1 status as a "Computer
Systems Analyst".

When doing this, however, you have to be very careful with the job description
- the CBP manual specifically _excludes_ programmers from the CSA definition.
CSAs can do some programming as a part of their job, but that cannot be their
principal function. If your cofounder has an engineering degree (and is a
EIT), they may be able to get a TN-1 under the much-broader classification of
"engineer".

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odvious
Obviously you should talk to a lawyer; most immigration lawyers will give you
a free hour of consultation to ask the general questions.

That said, there are any number of valid ways. If they're not taking a salary
from the startup, for now they can enter on a basic business visa (B2 I
believe) while they "explore opportunities", but they cannot make _any_ money
from a US source. If they are making money, you may be able to get them a
basic employment visa. You might also be able to set up a Canadian corporation
and they can be a transfer from one entity to the other. If they have enough
money they can get an investor visa (E2 I think, takes anywhere from $500k -
$1M)... Like I said, there are a huge number of different options, only a
lawyer can advise you on which one is best/easiest/most appropriate.

