Quote:
Originally Posted by
jefferyd 
So other than getting married, what do you think is easiest? (No sarcasm, I'm genuinely interested)
I'm not an immigration lawyer, nor should this be construed as legal advice. I also warn that my info may be outdated since I haven't kept track of new changes in the past year or so. Consult a specialized lawyer for real advice. Assuming OP is Canadian, I'd say getting work to apply for a green card for him (though having the H-1B as a safety net helps a lot, even if it's not as efficient nowadays) is the easiest. After that, I really don't know. Maybe he has family in the US. My point with the H-1B is that they always run out so it's hard to get in on the quota unless you work for a huge firm (those with over 15% of their workforce dependent on H-1B). Once you get it there's a huge backlog of others applying for the green card through that avenue. That in turn causes more H-1B renewals which make it even harder for others to get in. Ignoring the fact that he's not a professional, if he gets TN status he could also transition that into a green card (I-something form as well as EAD, IIRC), though it is a lot more riskier. It's easier nowadays after TN changed from 1 year to 3 years (to give him more time), but it's still risky since you can't apply for TN again after you have applied for residency once (you have shown your intent to not be a temp worker). On the other hand, once he gets his EAD he is free to switch jobs and employers. There's really no "easy" way short of marriage.
