H1B or Canada PR

[skyhope]

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and really appreciate the selfless work being done here.Kudos to all !

I am in a dilemma whether to accept the job being offered for US under H1B or to go ahead with Canada PR (for which i have made my profile already - 462 points....no job yet)

Please share your opinion guys

Thanks

 

[murtazajaffri_cca]

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and really appreciate the selfless work being done here.Kudos to all !

I am in a dilemma whether to accept the job being offered for US under H1B or to go ahead with Canada PR (for which i have made my profile already - 462 points....no job yet)

Please share your opinion guys

Thanks

I will suggest H1B if your job and landing is ready in USA, as for Canada PR you'd require PR under FSW and have to quality 67 points. As per current trend FSW category is slowest to be processed.

Senior members may advice well

 

[245east84]

Congrats on this fortunate dilemma! Go ahead and accept the job in US and let them apply for the H1B. But at the same time you can apply for Canada PR. With a CRS score of 460+ you will definitely be given an ITA. Once you get the PPR you can land in Canada for only a week and you will get a green card and then you can return to the United States.

I have worked in the US on H1B and you should understand that it is a very restrictive visa. You will not be able to change jobs in the US very easily because most US companies don't want to hire a H1B holder. So it makes sense to have Canadian PR as a back up plan.

 

[bhavcaluk]

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and really appreciate the selfless work being done here.Kudos to all !

I am in a dilemma whether to accept the job being offered for US under H1B or to go ahead with Canada PR (for which i have made my profile already - 462 points....no job yet)

Please share your opinion guys

Thanks

i suggest go for both . Accept H1 b ,get usa experience which shall be helpful in Canada. The processing of Canada PR shall takes minimum 6 months.You can visit canada and get PR card . Later on you can decide.

 

[skyhope]

Thanks 245east84

That is my main worry as my spouse will be on H4 and i will have to stick for 6 years with the same employer.
I am worried about the restriction.

Can you please elaborate this a bit more "Once you get the PPR you can land in Canada for only a week and you will get a green card and then you can return to the United States "

Thanks

Congrats on this fortunate dilemma! Go ahead and accept the job in US and let them apply for the H1B. But at the same time you can apply for Canada PR. With a CRS score of 460+ you will definitely be given an ITA. Once you get the PPR you can land in Canada for only a week and you will get a green card and then you can return to the United States.

I have worked in the US on H1B and you should understand that it is a very restrictive visa. You will not be able to change jobs in the US very easily because most US companies don't want to hire a H1B holder. So it makes sense to have Canadian PR as a back up plan.

 

[skyhope]

Hi murtazhajaffri

I qualify under FSW1 stream ....the only worry is securing a good job in Canada

but when i compare the benefits of being a Canadian citizen i get confused.

I will suggest H1B if your job and landing is ready in USA, as for Canada PR you'd require PR under FSW and have to quality 67 points. As per current trend FSW category is slowest to be processed.

Senior members may advice well

 

[245east84]

Can you please elaborate this a bit more "Once you get the PPR you can land in Canada for only a week and you will get a green card and then you can return to the United States "

You are welcome. Well you may already know that once you are invited to settle in Canada, they give you the Green Card (permanent residence card) as soon you land in Canada. In fact they ask for your mailing address at the airport so they can send you the PR card. So if you are working in USA, then you can briefly land in Canada and give the address of a friend/relative in Canada. Then you take the next flight back to USA. I assume you know someone reliable in Canada who can receive your PR card at their address and forward it to your USA address?

The Canada PR card has an expiry date of 3 years. So once you receive the Canada PR card, you can continue working in the USA for up to 3 years but after that time you must decide whether to move to Canada permanently or try to get the Green Card in USA. You already know that getting a green card is a long process in the US.

 

[MooseNBooze]

Congrats on this fortunate dilemma! Go ahead and accept the job in US and let them apply for the H1B. But at the same time you can apply for Canada PR. With a CRS score of 460+ you will definitely be given an ITA. Once you get the PPR you can land in Canada for only a week and you will get a green card and then you can return to the United States.

I have worked in the US on H1B and you should understand that it is a very restrictive visa. You will not be able to change jobs in the US very easily because most US companies don't want to hire a H1B holder. So it makes sense to have Canadian PR as a back up plan.

This. I am assuming you've just been offered H-1B sponsorship. By the time the actual application is lodged in (early April), and by the time you actually get the H-1B visa (October, assuming everything works out and you get approval), you could expect Canada eAPR to be processed. When you get COPR, you need to "land" in Canada, after which you get the actual PR card (mailed to a Canadian address). The "landing" process is a mere formality at the border/customs and you can do that by flying in or by driving through. In fact, you could even fly in and fly out in a day, if you need to be back at your job in the U.S.

So, yes, you should proceed with both options. After you get Canada's PR, you will have to maintain status (2 out of 5 years residence, not necessarily consecutively). At that point - after you "land" and get PR status - you could look for comparable jobs in Canada while you're on H-1B in the U.S., and move permanently once you (and/or your spouse) find a good job.

I hope this helps. Best wishes to you.

 

[skyhope]

Hi MooseNBooze

Thanks for you reply.

Isn't It necessary to stay in Canada for few days once i land...sorry for silly ques but i don't have much idea about the landing and staying rules at the moment.I am educating myself by going thru this forum.What if i decide to come back to Canada ...Will it make my file weak that i moved to US just after i landed in Canada.

This. I am assuming you've just been offered H-1B sponsorship. By the time the actual application is lodged in (early April), and by the time you actually get the H-1B visa (October, assuming everything works out and you get approval), you could expect Canada eAPR to be processed. When you get COPR, you need to "land" in Canada, after which you get the actual PR card (mailed to a Canadian address). The "landing" process is a mere formality at the border/customs and you can do that by flying in or by driving through. In fact, you could even fly in and fly out in a day, if you need to be back at your job in the U.S.

So, yes, you should proceed with both options. After you get Canada's PR, you will have to maintain status (2 out of 5 years residence, not necessarily consecutively). At that point - after you "land" and get PR status - you could look for comparable jobs in Canada while you're on H-1B in the U.S., and move permanently once you (and/or your spouse) find a good job.

I hope this helps. Best wishes to you.

 

[bhavcaluk]

Hi MooseNBooze

Thanks for you reply.

Isn't It necessary to stay in Canada for few days once i land...sorry for silly ques but i don't have much idea about the landing and staying rules at the moment.I am educating myself by going thru this forum.What if i decide to come back to Canada ...Will it make my file weak that i moved to US just after i landed in Canada.

The pr visa shall be valid for one year from your medicals.Assuming visa processing takes 6 months, you will have 6 months to land after getting visa. It is not mandatory to stay in Canada after landing. You can return even same day.To meet PR residency one has to stay 2 year out of five .

 

[skyhope]

Thank you so much ...Its really commendable the kind of help people provide here

The pr visa shall be valid for one year from your medicals.Assuming visa processing takes 6 months, you will have 6 months to land after getting visa. It is not mandatory to stay in Canada after landing. You can return even same day.To meet PR residency one has to stay 2 year out of five .

 

[chiyakam]

Like some other people suggested above, you could think of accepting the US offer and see for yourself how it goes for you there. Since H1B would be valid for a few years, you can file for Canadian PR anytime you feel ready for it, once you get your PPR you can accept the PR and decide later on when to immigrate.

 

[ag2015usa]

As someone on an H1B visa in the US, I just want to add that while it is true that the visa is restrictive in the sense you can work only for the sponsoring employer but depending on your field it is very easy to switch employers. If you're in the tech industry (not IT consulting), it quite easy to switch jobs. I have been on an H1B for ~4 years and I'm on my 4th job.

 

[skyhope]

Thanks for your reply ag2015 ...well i am not at all in tech industry ...My job falls in code 0601 or 0621..hows is it for this code in US market...or in Canadian job market..Any views??

As someone on an H1B visa in the US, I just want to add that while it is true that the visa is restrictive in the sense you can work only for the sponsoring employer but depending on your field it is very easy to switch employers. If you're in the tech industry (not IT consulting), it quite easy to switch jobs. I have been on an H1B for ~4 years and I'm on my 4th job.

 

[245east84]

Thanks for your reply ag2015 ...well i am not at all in tech industry ...My job falls in code 0601 or 0621..hows is it for this code in US market...or in Canadian job market..Any views??

Cool skyhope, that is the same NOC as mine. We should stay in touch. My gmail address is 245east84@gmail.com.

Based on my 4 years in the US, I found that changing jobs in the US is relatively easy in some industries where foreign workers are quite common e.g. Tech Industry and Management Consulting. However, outside of those industries I saw that it was quite hard (but not impossible) to change companies. And most small companies with less than 500 employees avoided hiring H1b unless they had no other choice. Small firms usually lack the legal expertise (and the money) to process these visas.

One last problem with H1b is that if there is a recession and layoffs start occurring, the H1B holder is in a lot of trouble. (Even a great employee can be laid off if the company is not doing well overall) And in these circumstances the H1b holder has <60 days to find another job or leave the US. Finding a job in a recession in <60 is almost impossible so many H1B holders like to have Canada PR as a back up option.

Hope I was clear in my above discussion.