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Making the move from Canada to the States.

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Rog, Jun 15, 2011.

  1. Rog

    Rog New Member

    I'm a recent grad of a very good Broadcast Journalism program in Canada. However, I want to be a sports reporter in the US. I have ample experience in writing (news and sports) and also know audio and video (both shooting and editing). My problem is no green card. I have applied to a few jobs but haven't had much luck with callbacks. How much does that work against me? and can anyone suggest a best course of action for me to make the next move. I would be happy starting out anywhere... I just want the opportunity to get my foot in the door south of the 49th, and then take it from there.

  2. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    I worked in North Dakota and the company wouldn't hire a Canadian who didn't already have a visa. You need to save a bunch of money, or else marry an American.

    A small paper isn't going to pay thousands of dollars for you to spend a year or two getting your foot in the door.
  3. spaceman

    spaceman Active Member

    take off, you hoser.
  4. Rog

    Rog New Member

    A small paper is going to spend that money on whomever they hire, and many times it will be someone that is still learning the trade. Its the same as in Canada. I'm not getting on full time at the Vancouver Sun or the Florida Sun-Sentinel a year or two out of J-school. If you have the skills to make the paper better, shouldn't that be enough? (of course I could be wrong, I have no prior experience with work visas and that whole process)

    Very hilarious reference Spaceman. But that was before my time, and in retrospect, not a very funny movie or sketch. Besides, I'm from the West Coast.
  5. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    If you don't think Strange Brew is funny, then we don't want you. Seriously, you really think newspapers have the money to give some Canadian a chance? Making a hire isn't always about making the paper better. A better feature or gamer isn't going to draw in subscribers and advertisers. An f***ing stud would get hired on by the big papers, but unless you get lucky, I don't see how you'll get a visa with plenty of authorized out of work journalists needing job.
  6. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Hey, if you don't think Strange Brew is funny, Canada doesn't want you either. ;D

    Oh, and you won't get a visa unless you make a name for yourself in Canada first - develop serious name recognition, win awards, whatever. No American company is going to want to spend the time and money to sponsor you when it can hire a qualified American who will be able to start working right away. Unless, of course, it's to their benefit to spend time and money on you because you would bring something to the table that an American journalist doesn't or can't bring.

    Just do what I did - find a loophole that allows you to be a citizen.
  7. spikechiquet

    spikechiquet Well-Known Member

    I'm sure enough money could encourage a young lad to hook you up with a civil union in San Fran...but tape the whole thing...I've been waiting for the sequel to "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry"
  8. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    This amy sound simplistic but called the non-immigrant visa section of the U.S. conuslate and ask. Would not be surprised if they refer you to a website but that is a start.

    There are two types of visas. A visa where the employer sponsers you. Doubt if a newcomer could find such an
    employer to do that.

    But I think each foreign country gets a quota of immigration visas to hand out. While in third world countries these visas are very difficult to obtain not sure how hard they are for Canadians. Not that many Canadians want to move south so the demand is not as high.
  9. RedCanuck

    RedCanuck Active Member

    I, too, had dreams of heading to the United States after j-skool, then 911 (and the recession) happened and things seemed to really tighten up. When you look at the number of students in journalism schools in the U.S. — and it seems to me many of them are cranking out grads who have more experience than many do coming out of Canada (daily campus papers versus weekly, for example in print), it's a hard market to get into.

    What I've been told is that, much as Double J said, you have to be able to do something an American cannot or will not be able to match to even get consideration for a green card in this field. Some media outlets have been able to recruit "hockey experts" or other sport-specific guys from here, but even that would likely be rare.

    I have heard about some green card lotteries, maybe you can go down, make a living doing something else and look to crack into the field, but the odds are long.

    Your good broadcast journalism school - and I'd be interested in hearing which one - probably should have alerted you about this situation, however, it's been like this for a while.
  10. jlee

    jlee Well-Known Member

    Yes, but they won't be spending extra to bring someone in from another country. They'd be spending new-guy-prepping money plus immigration expenses. They'd be breaking in a new reporter plus dealing with mounds of paperwork.

    It is the same in Canada, when they hire Canadians.
  11. Rog

    Rog New Member

    Thanks for the input everyone... I'll definitely look into the logistics of the Visa situation. There just seems to be so many markets in the US that care about all sports, while with Canada being so hockey-centric. I'm a sports fan...not just a hockey fan -- and I feel almost alienated because of that.
  12. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    You shouldn't. There are all kinds of places in Canada where other sports are just as prominent as hockey, maybe even more prominent.
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