TN or J1 for Canadian postdoctoral researcher

D

Desi-Rom

New Member
Hello all,

I have been offered a position as a postdoctoral researcher in biology at US state university. As a canadian citizen which type of visa will I get? If I get J1 do I have to come back after 2-3 years or is it possible to transfer J1 to some other type to stay in US? Is there any way that I can get TN or TN1 visa? I will appreciate any suggestion.

Desi-Rom
 
Try to stay away from the J1. As you know, it can oblige you to return to canada for 2 years for a number of different reasons:
- goverment (e.g. NIH/NSF) funding for your position
- your job being on the 'skills list'

Sometimes, people who based on their visa paperwork didn't think they had a 'foreign residency requirement' ended up incurring one inadvertently, e.g. by their PI accepting some NIH money to defray travel cost etc.

Once you have a foreign residency requirement, you would need to get it waived before you can change to another visa that allows work. This waiver process is often pretty straightforward, but at times can be a RPITA.

As a canadian, you might be able to get a TN. Don't know what the downside would be.
 
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