ATTENTION Canadian Students/New Grads studying in US Optometry Schools

[jc196]

As a pre-Optometry Canadian citizen, I've accepted an offer to a US Optom school beginning this fall..

I'd like to know what are the employment options once you graduate from a US school. (assuming you're studying in the USA via an I-20 form) .

• Are you allowed to work in a US clinic once you graduate?

• Do you need to find an employer that will sponsor you? Have recent grads been successful in this? Are employers willing to go through this process?

• Are you forced or better off to return back to Canada?

Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated!

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[socal2014]

You would have to get someone to sponsor you, but that could be done while you are in school and working in any field...but the employer has to show the government that they cannot find a suitable candidate except yourself.

I would not return to Canada...scope of practice is very limited, both provincial and national organizations are a joke, canada will soon be in oversupply with the influx of graduates thanks to the IOBP program, which is yet another scam....I would also expect the deregulation of optometric services, as what happened in B.C., to other provinces...this would allow opticians and more importantly online entities like 1800contacts to sell glasses and contacts to YOUR POTENTIAL customers at a hefty discount rate, making your practice more dependent on professional fees...but guess what, you get paid ~$50/eye exam on any individual under 18....try paying your overhead, your staff, your cost of goods, and finally yourself with that amount.

Just a couple of thoughts. Of course these are only my opinions, you can find out for yourself. But beware of the people who make Optometry look like a glorious profession....many of these individuals have special interests, as sad as it may sound.

 

[Caerulus]

Hi all,

I was about to ask similar questions as the thread started in a new post and decided to instead just ask here.

You would have to get someone to sponsor you, but that could be done while you are in school and working in any field...but the employer has to show the government that they cannot find a suitable candidate except yourself.

I am deciding between going to optometry school in Canada (Waterloo) and one in the US. The much lower tuition for the school in Canada is attractive, but I wish to work in the US after I graduate.

Is it better just to pay the extra tuition to go to school in the US since I will not have to worry about needing sponsorship from US employers? Or are employers happy to sponsor new Canadian grads?

Since I have been reading that optometry is getting more and more competitive, I guess I am asking if it is easier to get hired/started in the US if I go to an American school instead of a Canadian one. Will employers choose American grads over Canadian one?

Thank you for your help!

 

[CL Doc]

Hi all,

I was about to ask similar questions as the thread started in a new post and decided to instead just ask here.



I am deciding between going to optometry school in Canada (Waterloo) and one in the US. The much lower tuition for the school in Canada is attractive, but I wish to work in the US after I graduate.

Is it better just to pay the extra tuition to go to school in the US since I will not have to worry about needing sponsorship from US employers? Or are employers happy to sponsor new Canadian grads?

Since I have been reading that optometry is getting more and more competitive, I guess I am asking if it is easier to get hired/started in the US if I go to an American school instead of a Canadian one. Will employers choose American grads over Canadian one?

Thank you for your help!

I don't think it makes any difference where you go to school. If you are a Canadian citizen, you will need to find a sponsor. Going to school in the US doesn't change this.

 

[Squint]

An issue is Canadian/U.S. income taxes. Your tuition and education costs are deductible for income tax in Canada - whether you go to a Canadian or U.S. school. However for U.S. tax you would be a "non-resident alien" while going to school in the U.S. (assuming you are a Canadian citizen) and not be able to deduct your tuition costs for U.S. tax purposes. If you decide to stay in the U.S. after graduation, you become a U.S. "resident alien" but have no ability to deduct the tuition costs incurred while a student. This amounts to a big loss given U.S. tuition is $35,000 per year versus the much lower Waterloo tuition.

 

[Shnurek]

Exactly, and also the fact that you never gain in-state status in any USA school so you pay double tuition or whatever it is for all four years.

 

[Caerulus]

I don't think it makes any difference where you go to school. If you are a Canadian citizen, you will need to find a sponsor. Going to school in the US doesn't change this.

I guess the question I wanted to ask was does US sponsors be more willing to sponsor a Canadian student wanting to work in the US if he did optometry school in US instead of Canada?
Sorry I wasn't more clear.

Thanks for all the responses!

 

[itek2OD]

No, US sponsor will not be more willing to sponsor a Cdn student who has studied in the USA. What you need to discover is how to get a green card (permanent residence) in the USA. if you get that, you can work without a work visa. There are a few ways to get a work visa, but they are complicated, costly and imho, not worth it.
the easiest way for a cdn to work in the usa as an OD is to:
marry an american - get the green card and move on with life.
technically as an F-1 student one can work in the USA for a 1 year (OPTional training), but after that, it gets dicey getting a green card, or another fancy work visa.
its just cheaper and imho better to stay in canada.

good luck

 

[Squint]

I think the real issue is with U.S. immigration. If you go to school in the U.S., you can get a one year extension of the student visa to do additional training - residency. Then if you get a job offer, your potential employer can sponsor you through the immigration process and help you transition from student to the correct working visa. I think you'll have a tougher time getting a working visa just coming in cold from Canada as a Canadian graduate as there are unemployed U.S. graduates.