To work legally in the US, you must apply for a valid US work visa. Some benefits of working in the US include high salaries, medical coverage, global networking opportunities, and other employee benefits.
The US offers different types of work visas, both temporary and non-immigrant visas, and permanent or immigrant visa categories. The temporary work visas issued by the US allow individuals to reside and work in the country for a specific period, while the immigrant work visas allow individuals to permanently work and immigrate to the US based on their skills, qualifications, and job offers. To apply for a non-immigrant work visa, you must secure a valid job offer in the US.
The table has a complete overview of the different types of US work visas:
| US work visa | Required for immigrants in Canada | Required for Canadian citizens |
| H-1B | Yes | No (Canadian citizens can enter the country with the H-1B Approval Notice (I-797) and have an USCIS-approved temporary worker petition (Form I-129) |
| TN (NAFTA) | No (The TN visa is particularly for Canadian and Mexican citizens) | Yes |
| L-1 visa | No, not all immigrants require a L-1 visa to work in the US | Yes |
| O-1 visa | Yes | No (Canadian citizens can enter the country and work with O-1 status depending on the O-1 stamp) |
The requirements to apply for a US work visa may differ based on the applicant's status. However, given below are the requirements to apply for a US work visa for both immigrants in Canada and Canadian citizens:
Immigrants in Canada who want to work in the US must apply for a valid US work visa, including temporary work visas such as the TN visa and immigrant visas such as the EB visa.
The US work visa requirements for immigrants in Canada are as follows:
Canadian citizens usually require a work visa to work in the US; however, there are certain visa exemptions. Canadian citizens can enter the US for business or tourism without a visa, but cannot work during this period. The TN visa (Trade NAFTA visa) is one of the most common US work visas for Canadian citizens.
Canadian citizens must fulfill the requirements to apply for a US work visa:
To apply for a US work visa, you must first acquire a valid employment offer from a US employer, who will then file a petition with the USCIS on your behalf.
You can refer to the steps below to apply for a US work visa from Canada:
Step 1: Obtain a valid job offer in the US
Step 2: The US employer files a petition with USCIS
Step 3: Upon approval of the petition, you can apply for the work visa
Step 4: Complete DS-160 Form for non-immigrant visas & DS-260 Form for immigrant visas
Step 5: Complete the visa fee payment
Step 6: Schedule and attend a visa interview at the nearest US consulate
Step 7: Await the visa status
Canadian citizens applying for a US work permit require an employment offer from a registered US employer, who will file a petition with the USCIS. You can apply for a work visa at the local US consulate or get admission at a port of entry.
You can follow the steps below to apply for a US work permit as a Canadian citizen:
Step 1: Obtain a job offer in the US
Step 2: Select the work visa that best fits your requirements
Step 3: Arrange the visa requirements
Step 4: Apply for the work visa
Step 5: Complete the visa fee payment
Step 6: Schedule and attend a visa interview at the nearest US consulate
Step 7: Await the visa status
The cost of a US work visa ranges from $160 to $825, and it may vary depending on the type of visa.
The table below has details of the different US work visas, along with the visa costs:
| US Work visa | Processing fees |
| $460 | |
| L-1 visa | $825 |
| TN visa | $160 |
| O-1 visa | $190 |
The average processing time for a US work visa may take 15 days to 9 months, depending on the visa you have applied for. The processing time may vary depending on factors such as the total volume of applications, visa type, completeness of the application, and authenticity of the documents submitted.
| US Work visa | Processing Time |
| H-1B visa | 3-9 months |
| L-1 visa | 2-6 months |
| TN visa | 15 days |
| O-1 visa | 2-3 months |
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The US work visa cost differs based on the visa type you are applying for. The table below has details of the different US work visas:
| US Work visa | Processing fees |
| H-1B visa | $460 |
| L-1 visa | $825 |
| TN visa | $160 |
| O-1 visa | $190 |
To apply for a US work visa from Canada, you must obtain a valid job offer from a US employer.
You can follow the steps below to get a US work visa from Canada:
Step 1: Get a job offer in the US
Step 2: The US employer files a petition with the USCIS
Step 3: Choose the US work visa type based on your purpose
Step 4: Apply for the work visa
Step 5: Await the visa status
You can follow the steps below to submit your US work visa:
Step 1: Choose the visa type
Step 2: Get an employment offer
Step 3: The employer will file a petition with the USCIS
Step 4: Complete the visa application fee
Step 5: Schedule a visa interview at the nearest US embassy in Canada
Step 6: Arrange the visa documentation
Step 7: Attend the visa interview at the US consulate
Step 8: Await the visa status
Some of the benefits of working in the US are as follows:
The duration of the US work visa varies based on the visa type you have applied for.
The table below provides details of US work visa validity periods:
| US Work visa | Validity |
| H-1B visa | 3 years + 3 years |
| L-1 visa | 5–7 years |
| TN visa | 3 years |
| O-1 visa | 3 years |
The average processing time for a US work visa, depending on the visa type, may take between 15 days to 9 months.
The table below provides details of the processing times for different US work visas:
| US Work visa | Processing Time |
| H-1B visa | 3–9 months |
| L-1 visa | 2–6 months |
| TN visa | 15 days |
| O-1 visa | 2–3 months |
The US work visa requirements for Canadian citizens are as follows:
There are two types of US work visas: temporary (non-immigrant) visas and permanent (immigrant) visas.
Below is the list of different types of US work visas:
