FSW WORLDWIDE

[GandiBaat]

Been in Canada 4 years. Student to PR and also studied in US as undergrad. Yes, pay is lower in Canada on average but those who are adequately skilled are able to get US jobs and work remotely from Canada such is the new norm post covid. The integrated NA model that many companies use greatly benefits Canada. I used to think I should've done my Master's in US but now I think I made right decision in Canada. I live stress free with regards to my legal status and but am in a company where I know I can apply for internal US positions. Best of both worlds.

To be very honest, masters etc get you your first job. Thats the end of it. Afterwards its just a piece of paper, your work matters more. Your relationships matter more. I mean, at one point of time I considered doing a degree in Japan, if not for anything then just for living there for sometimes. In my field degrees have limited value at entry level. May be certain other fields have different perception.

And yes, Canadian citizenship opens doors.

 

[ivicts]

If you need a degree, get it from the US. Get OPT visa, work in US get some experience and if your GC does not work out, go to Canada, get Canadian passport and get a free ticket entry to USA via NAFTA visa.

I guess my dilemma is about the order:
1. Go to grad school in the US -> Chase GC -> Doesn't work out -> Canada PR -> Canada Passport -> TN -> Chase GC
2. Go to Canada with PR -> Canada Passport -> TN -> Grad school in the US -> Chase GC
3. Go to Canada with PR -> Cheaper grad school in Canada -> Canada Passport -> TN -> Chase GC

I can do grad school in Canada while I am a PR since it's cheaper.
Which one is better? I am ROW, not from India or China.
I guess (2) is a slow but sure path, but I am doing a roundabout way.
(1) is an uncertain path, in the end, it's also a roundabout way if I don't get GC or H1B.
H1B chances are ~10% this year.
Also, what are the benefits and drawbacks of US and Canada dual citizenship that I need to take note of?
Tax?

 

[ivicts]

Been in Canada 4 years. Student to PR and also studied in US as undergrad. Yes, pay is lower in Canada on average but those who are adequately skilled are able to get US jobs and work remotely from Canada such is the new norm post covid. The integrated NA model that many companies use greatly benefits Canada. I used to think I should've done my Master's in US but now I think I made right decision in Canada. I live stress free with regards to my legal status and but am in a company where I know I can apply for internal US positions. Best of both worlds.

Were you born in India or China? If you studied in the US as an undergrad, so you were out of luck for your H1B during your OPT and needed to move to Canada? or you haven't used up your STEM OPT and directly went for master's in Canada?

 

[cdl22]

Hi guys, I have a question regarding SIN, sorry if this has been answered before.
I'm planning a soft landing in BC in late August and want to get my SIN while I'm there. Do you know if I can get it at a WorkBC centre or if I have to go a Canada Service Centre? The information in my COPR letter and what I find online is kind of contradictory... Thanks!

 

[qdee]

I guess my dilemma is about the order:
1. Go to grad school in the US -> Chase GC -> Doesn't work out -> Canada PR -> Canada Passport -> TN -> Chase GC
2. Go to Canada with PR -> Canada Passport -> TN -> Grad school in the US -> Chase GC
3. Go to Canada with PR -> Cheaper grad school in Canada -> Canada Passport -> TN -> Chase GC

I can do grad school in Canada while I am a PR since it's cheaper.
Which one is better? I am ROW, not from India or China.
I guess (2) is a slow but sure path, but I am doing a roundabout way.
(1) is an uncertain path, in the end, it's also a roundabout way if I don't get GC or H1B.
H1B chances are ~10% this year.
Also, what are the benefits and drawbacks of US and Canada dual citizenship that I need to take note of?
Tax?

I don't understand (2) though, why do you need a canadian passport and a TN visa for grad school in the US? Shouldn't you just apply for a student visa, and try to maintain your Canadian PR status as a backup plan(e.g. going back to canada to work through the summer holidays/Canadian internship/hang out during weekends/wait 3 years for your Canadian passport)?
Does a TN visa even help with GC? Pretend you're there to make money and then ask for a H1B when they like you enough

 

[ivicts]

I don't understand (2) though, why do you need a canadian passport and a TN visa for grad school in the US? Shouldn't you just apply for a student visa, and try to maintain your Canadian PR status as a backup plan(e.g. going back to canada to work through the summer holidays/Canadian internship/hang out during weekends/wait 3 years for your Canadian passport)?
Does a TN visa even help with GC? Pretend you're there to make money and then ask for a H1B when they like you enough

It doesn't help.. just for safety when you don't get selected with the lottery..
If you go back to Canada and only work in the summer, you cannot even maintain 2 years residency requirement after 5 years.. so we cannot have it both ways..
and there is no summer when you work full time jobs..

 

[ivicts]

Top US grad school wont help with GC. It will help with employment and then maybe a path to gc through employer but if you were born in india even that path is closed.

I am not from India or China.. so my path is wide open?
If I need to take a 100K loan for a top US grad school, is it worth it with uncertainty to get GC?

 

[imransyed]

I am not from India or China.. so my path is wide open?
If I need to take a 100K loan for a top US grad school, is it worth it with uncertainty to get GC?

Thinking about something on the similar lines, may I ask what industry are you in and what education are you planning to get in the US?

I'm in Canada as a pr, mentally and financially preparing to get masters education but friends who have studied from top universities in Canada feel like they shouldve done their masters in the US because apparently US employers don't think Canadian education is on par with the top American education (except uoft)
My friends are from consulting/strategy backgrounds though, not IT or other fields.

 

[ravyn]

If you need a degree, get it from the US. Get OPT visa, work in US get some experience and if your GC does not work out, go to Canada, get Canadian passport and get a free ticket entry to USA via NAFTA visa.

May I ask why the NAFTA visa is considered a free ticket? I understand that it makes it possible for Canadians to find work in the US, but some of my Canadian-born friends have tried this and it is not necessarily so easy. US employers need to prove why they can't hire a US citizen for the job, similar to LMIA here. After having no luck with this route a couple of my friends ended up marrying into the US instead.

 

[CNP]

Hi guys, I have a question regarding SIN, sorry if this has been answered before.
I'm planning a soft landing in BC in late August and want to get my SIN while I'm there. Do you know if I can get it at a WorkBC centre or if I have to go a Canada Service Centre? The information in my COPR letter and what I find online is kind of contradictory... Thanks!

for SIN, you can walk in OR book an appointment (https://eservices.canada.ca/en/service/) OR apply online (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html)

If in person, you need to visit Service Canada office - https://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/tbsc-fsco/sc-hme.jsp?lang=eng

 

[Shravan_Kumar]

https://www.cicnews.com/2023/07/canadas-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-to-shuffle-his-cabinet-this-morning-0736367.html#gs.3m0yqe

Sean Fraser is out and Marc Miller from Quebec is the new immigration minister. God knows what new changes we can expect and what happens with the category based draws now !!

 

[imransyed]

Fraser era comes to an end. Now it's Miller time.

Funny that Fraser is now the housing minister. He did a good job at immigration, will he be able to fix housing and affordability? (will he even need to given the upcoming Capitulation in the real estate market?)

 

[imransyed]

May I ask why the NAFTA visa is considered a free ticket? I understand that it makes it possible for Canadians to find work in the US, but some of my Canadian-born friends have tried this and it is not necessarily so easy. US employers need to prove why they can't hire a US citizen for the job, similar to LMIA here. After having no luck with this route a couple of my friends ended up marrying into the US instead.

I don't think so, you only need a valid job offer and your passport at point of entry to get the TN visa.
Job market in Canada is so bad that there are people who legit move here to get the passport and work in the US.
And I'm not talking about just Asian people, many Europeans/British people do it too.
Edit: there's a list of occupations that are eligible for this visa and if yours isn't on the the list then tough luck.
I'm assuming your friends are in a non stem background?

 

[ivicts]

Thinking about something on the similar lines, may I ask what industry are you in and what education are you planning to get in the US?

I'm in Canada as a pr, mentally and financially preparing to get masters education but friends who have studied from top universities in Canada feel like they shouldve done their masters in the US because apparently US employers don't think Canadian education is on par with the top American education (except uoft)
My friends are from consulting/strategy backgrounds though, not IT or other fields.

I am in biomedical research industry, thinking of doing master / Phd in CS / biomedical informatics / computational biology / bioinformatics. What sectors are you in? So you don't think that you should go to Canada master even if they are cheaper since you are a PR?

 

[andrews17]

Any hopes for a new draw today? Last one was two weeks ago, on a Wednesday. I believe they will run a no program specified draw, but the cut out will be very high (around the 500+ pts).