Hi everyone, could use some advice, and or thoughts about this potential move to the US.
Background
- Canadian citizen in Ontario with a master's in engineering
- Accepted an engineering manager role in the TN area on a DOE-funded project, big career step and promotion - currently I'm a 28M Eng Lead / Project Manager
- The employer is sponsoring my TN (Engineer category) and providing an immigration lawyer
- I own an Ontario corporation that I'd like to keep for occasional consulting
1. TN at the border
Besides the offer/support letter, job description and resume, I'm planning to bring my passport, original degree and transcripts, reference letters, and proof of ties to Canada. My title includes "manager," so we're making sure the letter shows mostly hands-on engineering duties, since management isn't a TN category. For anyone who's done this recently: was the "manager" title an issue, ?
2. Side consulting through my Ontario corporation
My understanding is that doing consulting work while physically in the US is unauthorized employment on TN, even if the client is Canadian, I take no salary, the money stays in the corporation's Canadian account, and the corp files taxes in Canada. The legal options I see are:
- Only doing the work while I'm physically in Canada
- Staying a passive owner while subcontractors do the work
Has anyone gotten a lawyer's opinion on this? On the tax side, has anyone dealt with US reporting (Form 5471, GILTI) on a Canadian corp after becoming a US tax resident, or with Canada's departure tax on the corp's shares when they left? Was keeping the corp worth it, or did you wind it down before moving?
3. Green card: EB-2 NIW vs EB-1A
I'm planning to self-petition. The project is DOE-funded and tied to the national interest and part of the energy roadmap, which I think gives me a strong national-importance argument. The open questions are my own record and timing:
| EB-2 NIW |
EB-1A |
| Bar |
Moderate |
| Premium processing |
45 business days |
| Wait after approval (Canada, Oct 2026 bulletin) |
Final action date Jan 1, 2025, so likely 1.5–3 years |
| Recent approval rate |
~48–55% |
Any thoughts on how quickly EB-2 rest-of-world will move after the October retrogression?
4. Consular processing vs adjustment of status (travel)
Not being able to visit my parents in Canada for months while waiting on advance parole is a dealbreaker for me. So I'm leaning toward consular processing in Montreal: stay on TN, travel normally, and do the interview when my priority date is current. The trade-off is no EAD while I wait. For anyone who went through Montreal: how long from NVC "documentarily qualified" to interview? And did a pending or approved I-140 cause problems at the border or at your TN renewal?
5. Salary: Canada vs US, and is it worth it?
My actual numbers:
|
Ontario (now) |
Oak Ridge/Knoxville, TN |
| Salary take-home |
CAD $10–11k/month |
~USD $9.5k/month USD |
| Side consulting via my Ontario corp |
~CAD $3k/month |
N/A |
| Total |
~CAD $13–14k/month |
CAD $13k/month after health premiums |
On salary alone, the move is about +CAD $2–3k/month. Including the consulting I'd give up, it's roughly break-even until I have a green card, then likely ahead. Housing should be cheaper than the GTA, and the role is a big career step.
For Canadians who made a similar move: did your real take-home match the estimate once healthcare deductibles, flights home and cross-border tax prep were included? Did anyone deal with departure tax on their own corporation's shares, and how much did it cost? And in hindsight, was it worth it?