UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU
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Uncle Sam
wants you! Study and work in the U.S. Ever considered studying in the United States? Whether you want to experience a new environment, enjoy the wealth of American universities, or just be closer to studmuffin Jake Gyllenhaal, you’ll need a study and work visa to make it past the border check. There are several different types of U.S. study and work visas available to you. Scott Feekan, consular officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto, explains, “The most common visa that’s used for people to study in the U.S. is called an F-1 student visa and that would cover studies in secondary school, university, undergraduate or graduate programs.” By: Alyssa Ouellette
To apply for a visa, you first have to identify the school you want to attend in the U.S. From there, the university sends a form called an I-20 and enrolls you in the Student Exchange and Visitor Information Program. “This program allows the government to make sure the school and the student are both being compliant with U.S. immigration law,” says Feekan.
“I wanted to go to the U.S. to study at an Ivy League school, and compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 league.”
With the I-20 form, you can actually start applying for the visa. “What (students) would do, here in Toronto for example, is go online — all the instructions are on our website — schedule an appointment, and pay the requisite fees for the visa. Once they’ve done that, they can schedule an appointment (with a consular officer),” says Feekan. After that, a consular officer reviews your I-20 form, confirms you paid their fees, and that you can pay for your classes. At the end of the interview, the consular officer gives his or her opinion on whether or not your visa application will be accepted.
“The way the process works is an employer in the U.S. has to file a petition for a worker overseas,” says Feekan. The U.S. Department of Labour has to confirm that there aren’t enough people in that job market to fill that position in the U.S. “Once that process is complete, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved the petition, the applicant can schedule an appointment for their visa overseas.”
Work visas also come in many different categories. The broadest category is for temporary work in the U.S. The most common visa category is the H-1 visa for a skilled or specialized workerS.
“In 2010, worldwide, the Department of State issued 715,000 student visas, exchange visas, and vocational visas,” says Feekan. In the same year, 86 percent of student visas were approved, worldwide, and Toronto would fall in line with that.
Obtaining any kind of visa can seem overwhelming, but there are exceptions to some situations. Murray Grondin is a creative director at an advertising agency in Detroit, Mich. Grondin, originally from Canada, says, “Obtaining a work visa is a long, slow, expensive process. Luckily, I got a transfer from my employer in Canada to the same employer in the U.S. They hired the lawyers and did the paperwork.”
Exploring all of the options available to students today can help you get the best education for yourself. Catherine White chose to leave Ontario and study at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
If you want to make an exciting change in your life and study or work in the U.S., then get started today. The information and resources are available at your fingertips.
JOBPOSTINGS.CA | 2012