Cleared the final hurdle in my quest to move stateside this morning: I got my TN Visa. It's been a long time coming. Approximately three months ago I was contacted by my new employer. Two phone interviews, and seven hours - in one day - of face to face interviews later I had a job offer. After some minor negotiating I accepted. All that remained was the work visa. For a computer programmer with a four year bachelor degree this is typically not much of a hurdle but because I only have a two year diploma I needed to compensate with ample work experience. After collecting reference letters from employers covering the past six years I sent all my documentation to the lawyer provided by my employer. What came back was a carefully crafted letter stating their interest in me, the position I would assume, and my qualifications. Armed with that letter, my diploma and transcript, reference letters, the degree of my manager, my resume, his resume, and the original offer letter, I made my way to the border.

"When is your start date?"

My first attempt at getting my visa was thwarted by my answer to this irrelevant question. "Two weeks from now", I said. "Come back in two weeks" was the customs officer's response. He then proceeded to do me a "favour" and look through the rest of my application to ensure I wouldn't be turned away two weeks later. He rattled off a half a dozen various issues with my application right down to the quality of my emplyer's letterhead on the offer letter.

It turns out the Peace Arch border crossing is somewhat notorious for being difficult. The lawyer felt that none of the customs officer's complaints were valid and that I should try again, in Toronto.

So, the morning after a release night at Telus (meaning I got very little sleep) I departed for Toronto. Arrived at 8:23pm local time and was scheduled to depart for Seattle at 6:25am the next day. Thinking the visa process could take some time I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare - 4am. I then waited in line for almost an hour. At the front of the line. The ticketing agents didn't start work until 5am. Got my ticket, went to customs, said I needed to apply for my TN Visa.

First woman I talked to asked to see my degree. I handed her my diploma. "This is not a degree" she said. Luckily she was not the one processing my application. She took my diploma, transcript, and letter from the lawyer to another agent and asked me to wait. I watch the agent flip through my paperwork, type away at his computer, go back to the paperwork, pick up his phone, go back to the paperwork, and then another agent joins him. This guy looked at my diploma and said, loud enough for me to hear, "no". Looking through the offer letter and transcript elicited anjother four or five no's. Then I got called in.

"Under this classification of Scientific Technologist you need to be assisting a degreed engineer. You'll need his degree". I hand him my manager's degree. He walks away. Few minutes later tells me I need to pay $50 and that I got my visa. Warns me that it only authorizes me to work in the states and does not guarantee me entry.

Now I am flying to Seattle to negotiate my start date with Amazon.com.