H1B For Canadians?

[White-Tiger]

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This is my current situation, I am an undergraduate at a canadian university. I don't have american citizenship.

Now, I know that it's hard for Canadian Med School Grad to get into a residency that will sponsor them for the H1B right off the bat? However, if I graduated from a US Med School and extended my F1 visa for the first year of residency, would I then be able to get the hospital I am resident for to sponsor me for the H1B?

Would this work even in very competitive residencies such as dermatology, radiology and all?

 

[fourthyearmed]

From what I understand from a classmate who is a Canadian citizen, when you apply for residency, check with the schools you are interested in and see if they do H1 visas. Some do, some don't, and some only do them if they really want you so you might need to do a sub-I at those schools.

 

[White-Tiger]

Umph.
Then was it the advantage of going to a US Med School as a canadian, except not losing a year after med school because of Visa issues?

 

[xylem29]

It seems we get screwed both ways - which doesn't make any sense to me b/c Canadian and US schools are both accredited by the same body. Even worse, you'd think that if we went to a US school that would be enough to put us on par with our american peers for residency, it's not even a matter of skill or ability, differences in education or clerkship training!!!!!!! It's just a stupid VISA that limits our ability to match into whatever residency program we want.

Then in reverse, the PD's at Canadian schools give preference to Canadian graduates!!! This makes no sense to me. We get screwed by both countries when we go to a US school, where the education is the same or even BETTER at some schools than at the best Canadian school - totally bogus.

 

[Llenroc]

It seems we get screwed both ways - which doesn't make any sense to me b/c Canadian and US schools are both accredited by the same body. Even worse, you'd think that if we went to a US school that would be enough to put us on par with our american peers for residency, it's not even a matter of skill or ability, differences in education or clerkship training!!!!!!! It's just a stupid VISA that limits our ability to match into whatever residency program we want.

Then in reverse, the PD's at Canadian schools give preference to Canadian graduates!!! This makes no sense to me. We get screwed by both countries when we go to a US school, where the education is the same or even BETTER at some schools than at the best Canadian school - totally bogus.

I don't think anyone is out actively to screw you. If Canadian residencies give preferences to Canadian graduates, that's likely due to political pressure from Canadian doctors who are graduates of local schools. It has nothing to do with America.

And America is not Canada, so of course you will need a visa to come here and work. Still it's about 10 times easier for a Canadian to immigrate to the U.S. (especially as a doctor) than it is for someone from India to come here.

 

[mmed]

This is my current situation, I am an undergraduate at a canadian university. I don't have american citizenship.

Now, I know that it's hard for Canadian Med School Grad to get into a residency that will sponsor them for the H1B right off the bat? However, if I graduated from a US Med School and extended my F1 visa for the first year of residency, would I then be able to get the hospital I am resident for to sponsor me for the H1B?

Would this work even in very competitive residencies such as dermatology, radiology and all?

Has nothing to do with the specialty, it is the policy of the institution. If they sponsor H visa they will sponsor you if you qualify (passed step3) and PD agree. There are many problem with H for the programs; a lot of paper work, the salary showed be above certain limit, three years for sponsorship despite the yearly renewal of contract ….. etc. So, programs try to avoid this headache especially in competitive residencies where many highly qualified candidates are already out there with no visa issue.

 

[Wrigleyville]

I never cease to be amazed that Canadians require visas to work in the U.S. I remember in college we decided to drive up to Windsor to do some gambling, and one of my classmates forgot to bring his drivers license on the trip. He had nothing but cash his Notre Dame student ID with him. The Canadian border guard asked him if he seriously wanted to cross an international border with nothing but a student ID, my friend said "yes", and the guard waved us on through. No problemo.

Neighbors shouldn't require nonsense red-tape like these visas.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

It's a fairly case-by-case basis. UCSF, I know, will not grant H1-B's at *all*, but will make exceptions for students who graduate from LCME institutions (i.e. USA or Canada) under the F-1 visa. I suspect many schools are like this. You just have to preface it by saying you're NOT a foreign medical graduate, which is what they're afraid of getting.

However, some hospitals have a very strict hard line. Barnes-Jewish at WashU will not grant H1-B's under any circumstances.