I'm a Canadian Citizen looking to go into the states for work, mainly IB/ PE. I have good experience in the field. Is there any way to get a visa into the US without sponsorship? And what is the easiest way for a firm to sponsor?
I've had issues with this and it's SO FRUSTRATING. Anything helps, thanks.
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An immigration lawyer would have the most accurate info for this type of stuff.
TN for Canadians but seems like firms are less willing to do this lately.
Yeah I had a firm's HR say that TN may be possible but then turned me down because of it. Do you know why firms are more reluctant now?
It’s a cost to get you your visa. I know some coworkers on 5yr Visa’s and the bank waits last minute to renew just so they don’t have to pay right away
You need to get smart on this stuff - you will make a very poor impression if you don't come across as well-researched, further down-spiraling your chances. I understand that's what you're doing by asking on WSO, but would encourage doing a deeper dive on threads already written (believe someone with the pseudonym "TorontoMonkey" with some numbers at the end of their name did a great job a few years ago)
In short, your main options are the TN, H1-B, OPT/J-1 or L-1.
The TN is the most common for younger professionals and historically has been the most sought-after for Canadians given the ease and expediency (different judicial body handles the TN as it is under NAFTA vs the general immigration visa office). However, it's drawn greater scrutiny since Trump implemented policies to insulate US workers (by rejecting foreign ones; outlook has improved since Biden, but damage has been done. Many firms that used to be very pro-Canadian like JPM remain cautious ever since a wave of interns / FTs got denied at the border in 2017/18). It is very easy to do poorly, so you really need a good immigration lawyer to do your application, because a few rejections (for whatever reason, the USCIS or border guards can deny on a whim if they want) increases the chance that someone blocks you (this is the worst case scenario, where you can't apply for ~10 years or so). The first one is the hardest to get; subsequent ones (anecdotally) seem easier / more of a cursory review
The H1-B is the only visa that you can apply for perm residency on. This is a lottery every year (which includes all internationals, so your chance in any given year is probably <25%) and is the most costly, so usually firms will not sponsor this unless said person is already working at the firm on 1 of the other visas
The OPT is reserved for those who pursued schooling in the US, and gives them time to work in the US proportional (or close to) the years they spent in school. It is solely a temporary visa, whereby recipients hope to get the H1B in the following years; if not, the Company usually moves them out the US in one of their abroad offices. It is seen as an expansion of the J-1 visa, which is solely available for students OR interns looking to work/study in the US on a finite time frame (eg. 10-week internship)
The L-1 is an intercompany transfer usually meant for more seasoned professionals (eg. a Toronto MD looking to help open/expand the NY location).
Your best option is the TN if you don't/haven't gone to school in the US. Generally speaking, firms will tell you if they're receptive toward sponsoring at the beginning of the process (it is in your favor to be honest, to not waste everyone's time). If they are, you need to really stand out against the domestic pool of applicants, as the threshold to onboard the latter is much lower. The route to the US is not an easy one, as you'll face a mix of getting barred at the beginning (will not look your way) in addition to not being perceived as good enough to be worth the hassle. Anecdotally, every Canadian I've met in NY is an absolute killer - extremely sharp and hungry - which aligns with such an intensive vetting process. The bar does seem to lower a tad at the IB Associate+ level (due to need), but I cannot under-state how extremely competitive and difficult it is to a) do IB analyst years in the US and/or b) be a PE/HF junior in the US. In some ways it's a Catch-22 because visa costs matter most to smaller firms (which may be more willing a hire an unconventional candidate) whereas the biggest firms care less about the costs, but obviously have the best talent applying
My advice: you need to look at it like you're running a sprint where only 1st matters, and everyone else you're competing against was able to get a jump start on you. Every little thing you do (work on your resume, practice interviewing, networking, etc) can get you closer to being on a level-playing field, but you still have to out-run everyone else at the end of the day so there is no guarantee that your hard work will ever translate to anything. You have to be prepared to lose 25 races in a row and still believe in your preparation that enables the confidence to win the 26th
Little correction on L-1. They are dual-intent so you can apply for a green card right away and they're not just for very senior people. They're either for 'specialized knowledge workers' ie a coverage banker that isn't senior or as you described, for senior people in leadership roles.
Thank you - depth on that (since it was not applicable to me) was lacking on my end; good to know
I also would like to go to the US. Have you heard of anyone getting rejected using a TN the border and not being able to come back for 10 years?
I've used TNs a bunch before. No problems in ~5+ years of TN usage.
Great info above, truly a bit surprised a firm got offput when you mentioned the TN. The TN is very difficult for non-engineers in banks now starting out. But your title says you are in PE therefore you should be a knowledge worker. Was the firm very small and never dealt with this?
The firm is $100B+ AUM. I looked them up on the H1B database and it just seems like they don't sponsor at all. They have no Canadians in current and past employees on LinkedIn either (filtered by target Cdn universities) which is a shame.
Usually you can just explain the TN as being a process that takes 30 mins at the border. However, you do have to quit your job in Canada when you go through the border, so if you don’t quit and they call your employer to find out you’re still working then they will deny it.
Get a lawyer and do the heavy work for the firm regarding sponsoring, including being willing to pay for the process (make sure u indicate this). And pick a good border crossing because some are harder to get past than others. The costs are peanuts compared to pay bumps and opportunities
TN is the best option and immediate; L-1 is also very viable if you're willing to do a year or two at a US BB in Canada. It says "executive or manager" but I have seen many analyst/associate transferred over on the L1. But it has to be a US-based company, ideally a BB where they hand L-1s out like candy
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