I'm a Canadian veterinarian thinking about relocating to Tennessee, and would prefer to start my own practice if I do so. Does anybody have experience with this, either with TN or another state? I'm trying to figure out which visa is best to apply for, the most cost-effective way to do it, etc. Thanks in advance!
Have you thought about how you will enter the states and more importantly, what route you would take to stay in the US once you’re here? I don’t think it really matters what state unless you are serious about starting a practice.
Since you’re Canadian and a veterinarian, I think you can come in through a TN-1 visa, which I believe is at no cost to the employer. And it can be extended indefinitely, but it’s considered a temporary visa that does not lead to citizenship. You also need to work for a US employer and can’t be your own boss with your own practice. Look into this as it’s likely your best option. I dunno any Canadians so I’m personally not familiar with the process. I think your best bet is to come in through this route, and marry a US citizen or permanent resident. Then once you get your green card, start your own clinic. As a Canadian, I don’t think you’re eligible to enter the diversity visa lottery to get your green card (and even if you were, you’d have to be very lucky anyway).
Otherwise your best bet as a veterinarian is going through an EB2 employment based immigration visa and petitioning for a national interest waiver. I don’t know how successful you will be as a gp veterinarian, as you need to essentially make your case that being a veterinarian has intrinsic merit that is national in scope (that as a nation your job is needed) and that you are such a valuable veterinarian that you are substantially better qualified than your American counterparts such that it is worthwhile to give you a job in this field over other American vets. And you need many letters of recommendations from prominent people in vet med supporting the above. You also cannot apply for this if you are on US soil on a TN visa. You’d either need to be here on an H1-B which few veterinary employers are likely going to grant unless you are very valuable (e.g. specialists), or be back in Canada. Also it’s expensive. Went through it with my scientist husband and it cost a good $8k to go through it with a lawyer who did nothing, and I had to do a lot of the work. But highly recommend going through lawyer for a successful outcome since the real value is in the technicalities of filing. If you’re denied, you’re out of options other than marriage (which is the easiest way to begin with).
I would imagine it would be difficult to obtain a work visa to get here if you want to become your own employer and start a practice through an E-2 visa, and you would likely need quite a bit of capital to even consider it. And also, how you can then get a green card afterwards is another story altogether, and your choices are essentially the same as above. If you are considering something like this, I would call up an immigration attorney. With my husband, the initial consult was free since the firm he used won’t even take you on if you don’t have a good shot as they like to keep a high success rate for advertising purposes. They can at least tell you which paths are viable for you.
seriously, marriage is your best bet. At least as a Canadian, it’s much easier to come across the border to meet that someone?
and secondly, why on earth come to the US when you’re in Canada? ... and why Tennessee of all places? The pastures probably aren’t greener on this side (though I haven’t lived in Canada so I dunno I guess). Husband and I talk all the time about retiring in a different country in the EU because quality of life is low and cost of living is high here. The American dream is so ****ing dead. It’s unbelievable how much money you need to make to just cover the basics like healthcare, education, groceries, and even minimal retirement to be comfortable. And very little safety net. One unfortunate life event and you’re screwed.
