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Important information for H-1B visa holders currently working in USA:

The US financial crisis has devastated the job market in the past year. Unemployment rate raised from the 6% in the end of 2008 to October 2009's 10.2%, highest in 26 years. Economists estimate that, based on the current situation, the unemployment rate will probably remain high until mid 2010.

If you are currently working in USA under H-1B you are facing the following risks:

1. According to US immigration policy, you will lose your status on the day you lose your job. You must file a valid status transfer within 10 days, or you may be subject to deportation.

2. If you can still maintain your job but your employer has just announced layoff, or announced "hiring freeze", the company's "Labor Certificate" application will be stopped by Department of Labor. This will seriously slow down the US green card process.

3. Even if you can still maintain your job and your LC has no problem, you may need to wait for a few years to file I-485 because of 5-7 years of priority date retrogression. Before you are able to file I-485, you will need to keep your H-1B status at all times. If you are laid off, your previous waiting time will be voided. You will need to apply for new LC and will be subject to the new priority date (provided that you can find a new employer quickly)

The Maple International Solution:

You can avoid these risks by getting Canadian Permanent Residency with the help of Canada Maple International Inc. The process takes 9-12 months. After you receive your immigration visa,

1. If your US status expires or is no longer valid, you can get a 10-year multiple-entry visa to USA from a US Consulate in Canada. On your first entry into USA from Canada, you will receive a Multi-Entry I-94 Card, which allows you to stay in US to find a solution. (Click here for more information.)

2. You don't need to move to Canada for approximately 4 years. You can still stay in USA and continue your work in USA .

3. You can apply for Canadian citizenship after 3 years. With a Canadian passport, you don't need visa to enter USA, and you can work in USA easily (under NAFTA Agreement)

About Provincial Nominee Program

The Canada federal government has announced a new federal skilled worker immigration policy that only accepts 38 occupations. Surprisingly, IT professionals and engineers are not in the list. However, besides the federal program, there are also provincial programs that applicants can choose. Under the agreements signed by each provinces and Canada federal government, each provinces can choose their own skilled workers. The provinces are only responsible for determining the eligibility of the applicant but has no power to issue immigration visa. The federal government is responsible for conducting medical examination, criminal check, background security check and immigration visa.

One of the provincial skilled worker programs is aiming to recruit H-1B workers in USA. The requirement is that you must be currently working in USA under H-1B visa, and work as one of the 80 on-demand occupations. This is a fast-track pilot program which the whole process takes only 9-12 months to complete. We do not anticipate this pilot program to last very long, as it may subject to quota and can be closed at any time. Under the current situation, we highly recommend that you apply as soon as possible.

About Canada Maple International Inc

With headquarter in USA and office in Canada, we are the largest firm specializing in Canadian immigration in North America. Helping US H-1B visa holders to get Canadian PR status has been our focus for the past 13 years. With over 13 years of experience, our team of Canadian immigration lawyers, former immigration officers and immigration consultants have processed several thousands of cases, with a success rate of almost 100%.

We know the issues. We at Maple International fully understand both US and Canadian immigration and visa issues. When you come to us, our senior consultants will work out a complete plan to help you secure your status in both the US and Canada.

We know the procedure. Canadian immigration is different from US immigration: Most applications for US immigration are filed with the USCIS inside the US. Applications for Canadian immigration, on the other hand, are filed and processed outside Canada, in Canadian consulates all over the world. For applicants in US and Canada, applications are filed and processed in Canadian consulates in US. If an interview is required, it is conducted in one of the four Canadian consulates in US (Seattle, Los Angeles, Detroit or New York). We at Maple International have a thorough understanding of the procedures and operations of these consulates.

We know the requirements. Because documentation requirements for Canadian immigration can vary based on locale, many applicants in the US will face difficult challenges when preparing these documents. For example, an applicant may have lost contact with previous employers or may not want the current employer to know of their Canadian immigration application. Our detailed knowledge of human resources management systems and business operations in US companies enables us to guide you through the documentation preparation process. The result is a set of documents that are easy to prepare and acceptable at Canadian Consulates in US.

We have US operation. If you were to choose an immigration representative registered only in Canada, you would be powerless to pursue them in the event of a legal dispute over their handling of your application. You will be unable to sue them in US, since your contract is only governed by Canadian laws, not under US jurisdiction. And you may not be able to pursue them in Canada, because your visitor visa could be denied based on your stated intention to immigrate to Canada. Since Maple International LLC has US office, we operate under US law as well and must answer to that authority.

Free Assessment Available

If you have H-1B visa and are interested to know if you are qualified under Provincial Nominee Program,  please go to our home page and fill out our free assessment form. We will evaluate your background and respond to you within one business day. This service is free.