I don't know if the person who posted originally is drowning, however, I have personally seen Canadian immigrant families with a spouse either not working not just making minimum wages. Such families even with one spouse in IT struggle with Toronto or Vancouver's Cost of Living, in such scenarios having taken a TN visa to work for a US employer at a higher pay has been a boon to them. The issue with TN is spouse cannot work but can use the ample opportunity in the USA to reskill and get her/his own TN visa. If the same family has college-going kids, fees can turn out to be high. But if both partners make good money in the uSA by then it should ok.But OP also mentioned he feels like "drowning", which sort of implies he's had a hard time coping with Canada's current economic environment, and is looking at the US as an escape hatch -- something I can relate with. Sure you could look at roles that are more fit to what you can currently do but in doing so, you're also also putting yourself out of the radar from big tech companies who can actually sponsor you to the US. Either OP puts up the work to make himself "more sponsorable" in the eyes of US companies (MS/PhD or by any other path, although I feel MS is cheapest and fastest), OR learn to cope with Canada's economy -- pick your poison....... or maybe fly to Mexico and join the other immigrants crossing the border for asylum, that might be faster.. jk.
If he's already a US citizen then I agree with you, why put yourself in all that hassle, if you can instead capitalize in your existing skillset AND leave Canada's economic environment with no legal hurdle. If the OP goes down the bootcamp route, or through a career shift, as a PMO, etc. how does that make him closer to a green card? AI is big right now, and companies are willing to sponsor at least for the time being until we get a fresh wave of MS/PhDs that specialize in it. If OP is looking to migrate south why not consider that bandwagon while it's still hot?
Agreed, it's not about the tech, it's about the making $$$ from tech.
A family making a minimum of 250+ CAD otherwise is doing well here in GTA or BC itself. However individuals is struggling in Canada I agree with you will be a sore loser in the USA also, it is only going to become worse as work for him/her USA needs more intense work and skills compared to Canada.