Work and Student Visas Needed for a Foreigner in Different Countries?

[Ann Paige]

Canadian Fashion Job Search

I am a fashion design student at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario and I am graduating this April. I have been trying to look for jobs for the past couple of months and I haven't really found much at all. I was wondering if any one knew of any good companies to look at who are hiring. I am willing to travel out of Toronto and also to New York when I get my passport. Any help/advice would be great.
Thanks!

 

[BetteT]

Welcome to the Fashion Spot!

If you plan on coming to the States to work ... it's a very complex and long term process. You must find an employer who will more or less sponsor you to get a work visa. Both you and your employer must prove that you are skilled (as in have a professional reputation established) enough to be more desirable than the recent college grads who are US citizens or permanent residents. So ... that might have to come later, after you've established yourself in Canada.

 

[kickassgood]

i go to school in massachusets but i'm an international student. do you think i would be able to intern at a an agency in NY over the summer or even over the month of January. How long are internships usually?

 

[*Bianca*]

To intern as a non-american citizen, you need a Visa that will allow you to work, even for internships without pay. Perhaps you already have a study and work one combined? Find out what you currently have, then go from there... ask your school etc.

 

[zolaisabella]

Hey guys, I graduate with a Bachelor of Communications with a major in PR at the end of this year and would really like to get into fashion PR in the US. Thing is, I'm not a citizen so I'm wondering if I can start job-hunting with a tourist visa or will I have to get a work visa before even starting to look?

I have a couple of internships under my belt, most recently in-house PR/Advertising with Prada and hope to do in-house again for my first job. Any advice is appreciated! x

 

[BetteT]

I think you can probably job hunt without a visa.

But, if they hire you, you will have to produce legal documents that prove you are either a legal permanent resident ( your "green card") or they will have to sponsor your work visa and that will take about 90 days. So you must have something really special for them to want to do that.

In most cases, for the government to give you a work visa, you must already have a strong working track record in your own country (not internships) because part of the process is that the hiring company must be able to proove why they need you, specifically, rather than just any educated US Citizen. So, I suggest that you get at least one or two PR jobs under your belt in your country, first.