Canadian citizens moving to United States of America
Canadian nationals typically move to United States of America through its standard work, study, family, and skilled-migration routes rather than through a dedicated bilateral scheme. Eligibility and processing times are set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, so check each route below for its primary source.
We cover 14 United States routes — 5 can be started without a job offer, and 6 lead to permanent residence.
Tourist entry
No. Canadian nationals require a visa to enter United States of America, even for short tourism. A separate residence or work route is required for long-term stay.
Treaty & bilateral memberships
No nationality-specific treaty routes apply.
Consular processing: a United States of America consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence
What this means for Canadian citizens
Of the 14 United States of America routes we cover, 5 can be started without an employer sponsor and 6 can lead to permanent residence. As Canadian citizens, you may also have access to 1 treaty route (TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)) that most nationalities cannot use. Expect a language test or qualification-recognition step, since language alignment is only partial.
Headline figures — H-1B Specialty Occupation
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
US$62,000/yr
H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes)
Verified 1 July 2024 · DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search →
Government cost
US$3,595
Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium
H-4 dependants pay a $470 I-539 filing fee (each) plus $85 biometrics. Consular DS-160 fee is $205 each where applicable.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) →
How long it takes
2 months – 8 months
H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Case Processing Times →
Treaty and bilateral routes
These routes are available to Canadian applicants under specific bilateral agreements.
All United States of America routes open to Canadian applicants
General routes available to all nationalities. Click any to read the full guide.
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Job offer required · Temporary
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)
Intracompany transfer for executives or managers moving to a US office of a related multinational employer.
Job offer required · Temporary
L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge)
Intracompany transfer for employees with specialised knowledge of the employer’s products, services, or processes.
Job offer required · Temporary
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
Job offer required · Temporary
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers
Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification.
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
E-2 Treaty Investor
Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.
No job offer needed · Temporary
F-1 Student Visa (with OPT and STEM OPT)
Non-immigrant student visa for academic study at a SEVP-certified institution, with post-study OPT employment authorisation.
No job offer needed · Temporary
J-1 Exchange Visitor
Exchange visitor visa covering academic scholars, students, trainees, interns, researchers, au pairs, and other exchange programs.
Job offer required · Temporary
K-1 Fiancé(e) of US Citizen
Non-immigrant visa allowing the fiancé(e) of a US citizen to enter the US to marry within 90 days and then apply for a green card.
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
Spouse of US Citizen or Green Card Holder (IR1/CR1 & F2A)
Permanent residence for the spouse of a US citizen (IR1/CR1) or lawful permanent resident (F2A preference).
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 12 January 2026In force 1 March 2026
US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services → - 1 April 2024In force 1 April 2024
USCIS final fee rule takes effect
USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services →
Frequently asked questions
Can Canadian citizens enter United States of America without a visa?+
No. Canadian nationals require a visa to enter United States of America, even for short tourism. A separate residence or work route is required for long-term stay.
Which United States of America visa routes are best suited to Canadian applicants?+
Treaty routes (TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)) apply specifically to Canadian nationals. Canadian nationals typically move to United States of America through its standard work, study, family, and skilled-migration routes rather than through a dedicated bilateral scheme. Eligibility and processing times are set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, so check each route below for its primary source.
Where do Canadian applicants typically apply for a United States of America visa?+
Applications are typically processed at a United States of America consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence. Some digital and in-country applications can be filed directly with United States of America's immigration authority without a consular visit.
Do Canadian citizens need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not necessarily. 5 of the 14 United States of America routes we cover can be started without an employer sponsor, while the rest need a sponsoring employer or job offer. If you do not have an offer yet, the no-sponsor routes are the place to start.
Can Canadian citizens get permanent residence in United States of America?+
Yes. 6 of the 14 United States of America routes we cover lead toward settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
How much does the H-1B Specialty Occupation cost for a Canadian applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium) total about US$3,595. H-4 dependants pay a $470 I-539 filing fee (each) plus $85 biometrics. Consular DS-160 fee is $205 each where applicable. Figures from USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), verified 1 June 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
What salary do Canadian applicants need for the H-1B Specialty Occupation?+
The H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes) floor is US$62,000/yr, effective 1 July 2024 (DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the H-1B Specialty Occupation take to process from Canada?+
The typical published decision window is 2 months – 8 months. Canadian applicants usually file via a United States of America consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: USCIS — Case Processing Times, verified 1 June 2026.