More Bad News - I lost my job ... again ...

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I've got some bad news that will effect my life.

I lost my job again. Everyone at the company I just started working at in January just got laid off today. The entire company is no more. Kaputt!!! Don't show up to work tomorrow morning, nobody works here anymore. It was a good job, so I'm bummed to see it go. Don't worry about the things you have no control over right? I might be up late tonight, so I'm thinking of sleeping in tomorrow.

I've been a temporary resident of the USA since 1998 working as a technology worker under a NAFTA TN-1 work visa. Now that I'm out of work, the INS says my work visa is no longer valid and I have 10 days to leave the country (no shitting you here). I'm not sure if my 10 days started today or if they will start tomorrow? But the clock is ticking. I knew these rules before I came here so I'm not surprised. I just got lucky with past job transitions. But not this time around and the INS isn't going to let me stay. So I will be leaving the country sometime within the next 10 days (I don't want to risk a permanent ban). The INS can be kind of anal if you haven't figured that out yet. Anyway, I will apply for a 6-month visitors visa and assuming I get it, it'll give me some time to settle my affairs here in the States and have a little fun as well. But I can't look for work under the visitors visa. So before the year is out, I will be back home in Canada. I'm thinking of selling my house in Calgary and moving to Vancouver as I think the jumping will be better in BC (plus I'll be close to the WA State jumping scene). So all is not lost.

Hmmm ... this sucks ... I'll have to change my screen name when I leave right?

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

oh no Steve.

When one door closes, another opens. Best wishes my friend. Hang in there.

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[crewkeith 0]

hey the dz needs drivers. its an instant job, will that keep you in the country???



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The skies are no longer safe

I'm back

[flyangel2 2]

You can be my pool boy My older son is moving out soon, you can have his room.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[tweak 0]

You can't look for work on a visitors visa?!?!?!?
That seems stupid!
Sorry to hear that. Hope everything works out! I'm sure it will. Hang in there!

[Girlfalldown 0]

Dude that sucks! If you need a quick marriage let me know.

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(Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.)

[crewkeith 0]

hey wait i wanna get deported too will you marry me???


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The skies are no longer safe

I'm back

[Girlfalldown 0]

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hey wait i wanna get deported too will you marry me???


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I duhno. Send me some nudie pics and I'll think about it.

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(Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.)

[crewkeith 0]

now we have so much in common it would be wrong to not get married.


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The skies are no longer safe

I'm back

[Frenchy68 0]

Talk to an immigration attorney. If you appeal, or apply for a change of status, the INS will probably allow you to stay while your case is being reviewed. If nothing else, it allows you to stall.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[ladyskydiver 0]

Sorry to hear. Good luck - hopefully something happens to allow you to stay in the US. If you get another job before the 10 days are up, are you legally allowed to stay?

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

Sorry to hear. Good luck - hopefully something happens to allow you to stay in the US. If you get another job before the 10 days are up, are you legally allowed to stay?

If I had a job offer with a company doing my type of work, I would still need to apply for a new work visa. But if I got the visa, then yes I get to stay for the time period of the work visa.

I posted a question on a website geared towards Canucklehead immigrants like myself (some immigration lawyer's website) and I might be mistaken about not being able to look for work while carrying a valid visitors visa. But I do need to act within the next 10 days. So we'll see. I've got enough savings to get me through a few rainy days and as long as I get a visitors visa, I can have some fun playing this summer.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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hey the dz needs drivers. its an instant job, will that keep you in the country???

Well if Frank wants to offer me a job where he pays me the same amount of $$$ that a software engineer would be paid, then sure I think we could possibly fool the INS/IRS. But if he won't, then let's never talk about this topic of driving vans at the DZ ever again.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[bob.dino 0]

Check your PMs.

[TAndrews 0]

There are different types of visitor permits, B-1 or B-2. A B-1 is for business visitors and a B-2 is for pleasure visitors, both have time limits of 6 months.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I believe that I'd be using the B-2. I have another question out on that immigration web site about the ability to look for work but not accept work while under a B-2.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Snowwhite 0]

what about an educational visa? We had a vietnamese student that came for one year, and stayed for 3

skydiveTaylorville.org
[email protected]

[peregrinerose 0]

Oh that sucks. I was laid off with three days notice. Within 2 days of finding out, I had part time work. Now I'm so killed with work that I'll have 4 days off the entire month of May, same in June. I'll be making more money with less commute 1/2 the week (the same 1.5 hrs the other 1/2).

Call everyone you know in your profession. That ripple effect works wonders in finding new work.

Other option, marry a US Citizen in Vegas

Jen

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I have gotten lucky in the past as well with job transitions. But times have changed and things are not so simple. In a nut shell I am fucked. One must understand how the INS views Canuckleheads like myself versus Mexicans, Europeans and well the rest of the world. The INS doesn't want to make it easy on Canadians, so options that are available to the other groups are not available to people like myself. After all I was a NAFTA worker. Now that my job ceases to exist, the INS says it's time for me to leave. There is a difference between being a Mexican who's willing to work for peanuts and a technology worker. The Mexican has more rights and more political power. But I knew the rules before I started all of this, so I can't cry over the spilt milk here. And getting married? Hmmm ... haven't we already discussed this in other threads. Whuffo women want nothing to do with a skydiver and BASE jumper like myself and well there just aren't enough sky-girls around to share with everyone let alone one who would be interested in me.

Looks like I can fill out the paper work to obtain a B-2 (visitors visa) without leaving the country. So as long as I can understand the legal mumbo jumbo, I will get that done today and shipped off with my taxes. And I'm getting conflicting replies in terms of looking for work under the B-2. So who knows what's going on there.

I don't know ... time will tell ...

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[DShiznit 0]

Good luck to you, man.

[riddler 0]

You at least get to enjoy the summer with us. Come to some boogies, do some jumping. Then if you have to go back, you can put together a boogie or two there in Canada and we'll all go (as long as it's in the summer!).

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[Slappie 9]

I'm really sorry to hear your plight.. That really sucks. I hope the best comes out of this for you and you dont have to return to the great white north. Good Luck man!

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The INS doesn't want to make it easy on Canadians, so options that are available to the other groups are not available to people like myself.

This goes both ways... Canada doesn't want us Americans up there taking skilled jobs from Canadians. I researched moving to Calgary about 5 years ago. Because I'm not a college grad only option I had was to get married to a Canadian or live on 6 month visitor visas and with a visitor you cannot hold a paying job.

"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them."

[riggerrob 562]

Dude, I feel your pain having worked in the US on a NAFTA visa. I also got laid off on short notice.
After you land in Vancouver, come jump with us in Pitt Meadows.
If you had an instructor rating, I might be able to find you a job.
Not to worry, there are plenty of computer jobs in Vancouver.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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After you land in Vancouver, come jump with us in Pitt Meadows.

LOL ... I was thinking that I needed to find a place in the Pitt Meadows area so that I wouldn't have to commute to the DZ all that far.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[GrumpySmurf 0]

Technology?
What do you specialize in?
Trane in La Crosse, Wi just opened a req for 5 more embedded s/w engineers. I hear decent salaries and good relocation benefits. Don't know if they sponsor TN-1 or H-1Bs though.