Newbe here and some big questions

Hi everyone i am new here and reside in Nova Scotia and am planning to move to Las Vegas. I am a technician who has worked in the entertainment buisness for 15 years and vegas is defenatley the city of entertainment and am sure i can find work no problem as skilled technicians and stage people are hard to find (good ones anyways)...I also have severe back and joint problems / pain and when i go to the dry heat in vegas twice a year (usually for a week each visit) my body feels like a million bucks.

My question is this if i buy a house or condo in Nevada and want to try and work there what options do i have to do this correctly? this is all new to me and all these different visas?.

If a job is not an option to work there how long can i reside in the usa for without having to leave? 4 months? 6 months...and when i do leave can i just turn around at the border and return or it there a time frame to go back to canada?.

I suppose worst case i could work a few months in canada during the spring / summer and spend the fall / winter in nevada?...this way i would make all my cash working in canada and i would not need to work in the usa.

Anyways i am wondering how this would be possible to do...but my ideal situation would be to work in vegas on one of the numerous big stage shows.

My other question would be in regards to driving there? can i stay for a timeframe but leave my license and polates from canada? or can i change that even if i just live there part of the time?. I know there are lots of people who retire in florida / ect and they stay there full time.

Thanks very much for any help or leads.

Nevada is really tough on out-of-State drivers, there are various threads on here about it. If you move there to work you have to get a State DL as you become resident there, and they don't recognize Canadian tests so you have to do the State test. They're also really tough on making sure you are legally in the country.

When you say "technician" it depends on what your job is, there is a NAFTA job category for "scientific technician" but CBP are really tough on this category now, doesn't sound as though you fit it.

Failing that you could try for H-1B, but that means the job requires a bachelor's degree or higher and you must have the degree or equivalent experience (i.e. 12 years or more).

Thanks for the reply Steven,

I am a technician in the entertainment biz...sound, lighting, video and special effects,ect. I know the majority of the techs / performers are from out of the usa...and Cirque du Solei would be a prime example. Cirque is also a Canadian based company and i wonder if this may be a way in.

Lets say not working there aside... if i just Visited for 6 months while trying to find a suitable employer to work with me in the TN? process would i need a Nevada drivers license or could i use my canadian one?.

Thanks again,

If you're just visiting you don't need to do anything, but entering the US to look for work is illegal, although you can attend a specific pre-arranged job interview.

People who work for Vegas shows and the like usually go in as P-2 which is usually obtained (for Canadians) with the help of the relevant union. Only allows you to work for that show and only while it is actually going on.

OK that sounds good.so I have to pre arrange a job from within Canada?.

ON another note if i just wanted to not work there (lets say) and just owned a home in Vegas how long am i alloved to "Vacation" there before returning to canada? and how long do i need to stay in Canada before returning to las vegas????????.I hear of so many people retiring in florida / arizona and they stay all the time it seems.

Also if i keep my vehicle and DL all from Canada will i be able to use it for say 6 months of the year in Las Vegas?>

Thanks again,

-- Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:55 am --

Basically what i am saying is if I cannot get the work visa then i will just spend part of my year there either way.thanks,

OK that sounds good.so I have to pre arrange a job from within Canada?.

You can pre-arrange it from anywhere, but like I said, check with the relevant union they will have more information.

ON another note if i just wanted to not work there (lets say) and just owned a home in Vegas how long am i alloved to "Vacation" there before returning to canada? and how long do i need to stay in Canada before returning to las vegas????????.I hear of so many people retiring in florida / arizona and they stay all the time it seems.

As a visitor you can usually stay for six months a year maximum. But the important part of it is that you must maintain non-immigrant intent, i.e. maintain an abode in Canada, have sufficient funds to cover the vacation and be a visitor for pleasure. If you show up at the POE and say you want to stay for six months CBP will usually want to see some evidence of non-immigrant intent, so it's a good idea to have a current bank statement on you and other evidence you live in Canada, e.g. a property title or current lease. You can take personal effects across the border to furnish your vacation home, just be clear with them that that is your intent.

Although Canadian visitors don't have to have them, I personally think it's a good idea if you're staying for six months to ask for an I-94 which costs $6. This will have the date on it six months hence so there is no argument about your date of departure, and having an I-94 I find is quite useful because various State laws ask for it as proof of ID and banks and other companies sometimes ask to see it too.

Also if i keep my vehicle and DL all from Canada will i be able to use it for say 6 months of the year in Las Vegas?

Federal law allows visitors from Canada to visit for up to a year without formally importing their vehicle and Nevada State law is very clear that seasonal residents cannot get a DL there so the answer to your question is yes.

Thanks Steve,

What accually determines a stay of 6 month versus up to a year? and how long does one need to go back to Canada for?.

This I-94 seems like the way to go to keep things recorded and clear.This would also apply if i got tn visa?.

If you enter in any other category other than a regular visitor you have to fill in I-94. Canadian visitors are usually exempt, this is why it's a problem because anyone from anywhere else will have one and this confuses whoever you're dealing with (usually some sort of financial institution) when you say you haven't got it.

I seem to recall someone on here saying they were pulled up by a deputy Sheriff in Texas who wanted to see it and they got stuck in jail for two days because they didn't have their passport or an I-94 on them and the guy thought he was there illegally!

How the six-month limit works specifically is pretty complex, case law is that if you enter without getting an I-94 the overstay has to be determined by an immigration judge, this thread covers the subject.