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I am a Canadian in his second year at University College Dublin in Ireland. I want to write the USMLEs and get an internal medicine residency in the US on a J-1 visa. I hear the H1-B would be really hard for me to get as there are only certain residency programs in certain states that sponsor students on this visa. In addition, I would need to take a year off in order to write the USMLE step 3 that is required to obtain the H1-B visa. This is because I would need to graduate and get my ECFMG certificate before being eligible for this visa. For these reasons I am planning on doing my residency on the J-1 visa at the moment.
Anyway after I finish my residency on the J-1 visa it seems like I would have 2 options
(1) I could get a J-1 waiver and work in the US in an underserviced area for 3 - 5 years on an H1-B visa. I could then eventually obtain a greencard.
(2) If I didnt get the J-1 waiver I would have to return to Canada for 2 years and do a fellowship, research, or observerships before I could apply back to the US for a job in internal medicine and have a hospital sponsor me on the H1-B. It is also possible that I could find work in Canada after my US residency but I am not relying on this as an option because Canada has very strict regulations against foreign medical graduates no matter what their background. I know of a few Canadians who could not find work back in Canada after a US residency so I dont want to consider this an option. Besides, Id rather work in the US for financial and personal reasons anyway.
RECENTLY I HAVE BECOME WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A JOB IN THE US AFTER MY US RESIDENCY. If I get a J-1 waiver I would be able to get a job in an underserviced area but if I go back to Canada for 2 years and then apply for IM jobs in the US after my 2 years return of service in Canada WOULD I BE ABLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT AND A HOSPITAL TO SPONSOR ME ON THE H1-B?
Many Canadians from Ireland have taken this route on the J-1 visa in the past BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF CONTACTING THEM TO SEE IF THIS ROUTE ACTUALLY WORKS and if they are getting jobs in the US after their two years back in Canada. I am wondering if anyone knows anything about this? Do you think if I did an IM residency in the US and returned to Canada for two years that I would have any problems obtaining a job in the US afterwards? Are there any Canadians that have proven that this route is possible or know of any Canadians that have successfully done this? How hard would it be for me to obtain a job in an underserviced area in the US on a J-1 waiver so that I wouldnt have to return to Canada for 2 years?
Please note that I was born and raised in a small town and would have no problem working in an underserviced area in the US at any point in my career.
If there are any Canadians IMGs who are: (1) almost done their US residency, (2) have done their residency and are back in Canada or on J-1 waivers (3) have finished their 2 years return of service in Canada and are now practicing in the US (4) aware of any other IMGs in any of the preceding situations .. could you please shed some light and concrete evidence on this issue for me.
Thank you very much
Anyway after I finish my residency on the J-1 visa it seems like I would have 2 options
(1) I could get a J-1 waiver and work in the US in an underserviced area for 3 - 5 years on an H1-B visa. I could then eventually obtain a greencard.
(2) If I didnt get the J-1 waiver I would have to return to Canada for 2 years and do a fellowship, research, or observerships before I could apply back to the US for a job in internal medicine and have a hospital sponsor me on the H1-B. It is also possible that I could find work in Canada after my US residency but I am not relying on this as an option because Canada has very strict regulations against foreign medical graduates no matter what their background. I know of a few Canadians who could not find work back in Canada after a US residency so I dont want to consider this an option. Besides, Id rather work in the US for financial and personal reasons anyway.
RECENTLY I HAVE BECOME WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A JOB IN THE US AFTER MY US RESIDENCY. If I get a J-1 waiver I would be able to get a job in an underserviced area but if I go back to Canada for 2 years and then apply for IM jobs in the US after my 2 years return of service in Canada WOULD I BE ABLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT AND A HOSPITAL TO SPONSOR ME ON THE H1-B?
Many Canadians from Ireland have taken this route on the J-1 visa in the past BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF CONTACTING THEM TO SEE IF THIS ROUTE ACTUALLY WORKS and if they are getting jobs in the US after their two years back in Canada. I am wondering if anyone knows anything about this? Do you think if I did an IM residency in the US and returned to Canada for two years that I would have any problems obtaining a job in the US afterwards? Are there any Canadians that have proven that this route is possible or know of any Canadians that have successfully done this? How hard would it be for me to obtain a job in an underserviced area in the US on a J-1 waiver so that I wouldnt have to return to Canada for 2 years?
Please note that I was born and raised in a small town and would have no problem working in an underserviced area in the US at any point in my career.
If there are any Canadians IMGs who are: (1) almost done their US residency, (2) have done their residency and are back in Canada or on J-1 waivers (3) have finished their 2 years return of service in Canada and are now practicing in the US (4) aware of any other IMGs in any of the preceding situations .. could you please shed some light and concrete evidence on this issue for me.
Thank you very much
