Canadians becoming US soldiers??

[ChrisRobin]

So...with the high demand for US soldiers, do you think it's possible for Canadian citizens to hop over the border and enlist???

[BurlyShirley]

Yeah. I knew a couple canadians and a couple australians in the Marines. Not sure exactly what steps you have to take, but I know you can do it.

[MikeD]

Not hard at all. Foreign nationals are welcome in the US military. You don't have to be a citizen or become one, but it opens the door if you want to be. Cross the border, walk near a recruiter's office, and let them come at you slavering.

MD

[ChrisRobin]

Hmmmmm.... I'll start calling tomorrow to see what I have to do. Thanks!

[N8]

Wow... this is a reversal of the 'norm'...

:)

[Changleen]

He's a spy! :)

[Transcend]

Not hard at all. Foreign nationals are welcome in the US military. You don't have to be a citizen or become one, but it opens the door if you want to be. Cross the border, walk near a recruiter's office, and let them come at you slavering.

MD

not quite, you have to have a work permit. The US military cannot get one for you (I know, i inquired when i was living in colorado)

[MikeD]

But how hard is it to get a work permit? I thought that was a fairly straightforward process...

[Transcend]

But how hard is it to get a work permit? I thought that was a fairly straightforward process...

As most americans do, but it is an extremely screwed up process. BAsically, impossible to get just to get without a sponsor.

[flat broke]

Then the question would be. Do the Marines sponsor H1 visas? :D I bet they might.

Chris

[Transcend]

Then the question would be. Do the Marines sponsor H1 visas? :D I bet they might.

Chris

No, I just pointed that out. The millitary cannot sponsor you for a work permit. You must already have one.

[Changleen]

Visa etc. are increasingly hard to get. A few friends of mine who work for consulting companies in the UK and who often have the need to visit the US to oversee various projects have tried to get various visas with very little sucess. 1 guy got a 6 monther, 3 others got nothing. This year the allocation of H1s was reduced (65000 total I think) and they were all allocated on day one after their release.

Actually I think it depends where you apply from as well. The US allocates green cards and visas to Countries inversly proportional to the number of people from that country already in the US because of the 'diversity program' - where a country has lot of nationals are already in the US (such as the UK) new applicants have a much harder time.

[Transcend]

Visa etc. are increasingly hard to get. A few friends of mine who work for consulting companies in the UK and who often have the need to visit the US to oversee various projects have tried to get various visas with very little sucess. 1 guy got a 6 monther, 3 others got nothing. This year the allocation of H1s was reduced (65000 total I think) and they were all allocated on day one after their release.

Actually I think it depends where you apply from as well. The US allocates green cards and visas to Countries inversly proportional to the number of people from that country already in the US because of the 'diversity program' - where a country has lot of nationals are already in the US (such as the UK) new applicants have a much harder time.


The US just added an additional 20 000 H1 and H1B visas, to go into effect retroactively this year. This was about 3 days ago I believe at the lame duck sesson.

They also eliminated the need for a visa at all for many foreigners whose higher education was done in the US. In effect, it stems the loss of tax dollars invested in foreign students. They train here, now they can also work here without a hassle. Very good plan.

[Changleen]

The US just added an additional 20 000 H1 and H1B visas, to go into effect retroactively this year. This was about 3 days ago I believe at the lame duck sesson.Yeah, I heard about this too, but I was under the impression that it still might not actually get signed due to some other dubious tax stuff on the same bill and even if it is they are not going to be released for some time?

The legislation contains provisions that will open up more H1Bs to some applicants. However, at this time no additional H1Bs are available because the Bill has not been signed into law by the President. If it is signed into law, the measure will exempt up to 20,000 foreign nationals with Masters' degrees or higher from U.S. institutions of higher education from the H1B cap. Even if the Bill is signed, this provision is not expected to be effective until 90 days after the date it is signed into law.

However another site says the H1Bs will be effective immediatly if it is passed. That site is even more down on the chances of it getting passed though because of said tax BS.

Anyway, there used to be like 195,000 of these H1s issued each year, but then they have been reduced in 2004 for some reason to 65000 (possibly plus these 20000 for those with US degrees). Being as these 65000 went in one day I'd say there is still going to be a drastic oversubscription for these visas so the chances of actually getting one is slim.

[Transcend]

Yeah, I heard about this too, but I was under the impression that it still might not actually get signed due to some other dubious tax stuff on the same bill and even if it is they are not going to be released for some time?



However another site says the H1Bs will be effective immediatly if it is passed. That site is even more down on the chances of it getting passed though because of said tax BS.

Anyway, there used to be like 195,000 of these H1s issued each year, but then they have been reduced in 2004 for some reason to 65000 (possibly plus these 20000 for those with US degrees). Being as these 65000 went in one day I'd say there is still going to be a drastic oversubscription for these visas so the chances of actually getting one is slim.

From what i understand what i read this morning on my PDA while on the subway (gotta pass the time somehow), it is actually gonna slide through. The part about anyone being able to see your tax returns is going to be curtailed. How they will rewrite it in time, i have no idea.

They were reduced DRASTICALLY due to complete abuse of them. They were the easiest to get as employers did not need to prove the worker would not be stealing an otherwise american staffed job. EVERYONE and their mother was getting the, on dubious pretenses.

The actual needed number is actually something like 90k i believe.

Oh also, it is not expected to be effective until 2005 at the earliest, but what they will do is tack on that 20k for 2005, and then also grant 20k more retroactively from 2004 applicants. Go government. :(

[ChrisRobin]

That's unfortunate....

If you look at the French Foreign Legion, you can be straight off the boat from where ever and they'll take you (I wouldn't want to do that because you just end up becoming infantry which is not exactly what I'd want to do). You can even change your name if you wanted to! You become a French citizen after a while. I was half expecting the Marines to like that for some reason...It's not like I'm worried about giving up my CDN citizenship.

[blue]

Yep...Just need a green card...Join the canadian military :p :thumb:

[ChrisRobin]

Yep...Just need a green card...Join the canadian military :p :thumb:


Nah, you'll become sooo bored, you'll develop a drinking habit.

[Pedalist]

Contact a recruiter for which ever branch of service you are interested in and I am sure that they can give you all the info and maybe a few contacts to assist you.

[MikeD]

You don't want to be an infantryman? Most people trying so hard to get into the military generally want to do something like that...what are your desires/intentions?

MD

[ChrisRobin]

You don't want to be an infantryman? Most people trying so hard to get into the military generally want to do something like that...what are your desires/intentions?

MD

Nope...no infantry. Sure it's cool and everything but I'd rather use the education I already have. I'd rather go towards something like Military Police. I was supposed to leave in September for officer training for the cdn military. Long story short, at the beginning of the process, I applied for MP officer with the recruiters telling me there were plenty of openings and I'd have amazing chances with my education and background...blah blah. Several months later at my interview, the officer there tells me they would only take me for my second choice (infantry officer) because there were never any openings for MP officer...there are 'maybe' one or two a year and they're usually internal transfers. So...at the last minute I remember how my knees suck under extreme physical stress and I opted not to go. So...the backup plan is to scratch some money together, pay off my bikes, and move out to Vancouver to try for the police there.