Ask HN: Why won't US Companies hire remote Canadians?

6 points by andrew_wc_brown 8 years ago | 5 comments

For the 10 years I've been on hacker news and this is the first time I felt compelled to ask a question.

I see tons of remote full-time jobs especially on StackOverflow in the US for 100-120K USD which to a remoting Canadian is an insantity and never once will I get a reply. If its a contract job then yes I'll get a response, or if its Canadian company I always get a response but a US startup wants US only employees. The Canadian salary wage for programmers is paltry especially for remoting. It sits between 55K-70K CAD. I regret not moving to San Francisco years ago and the only way to get a fair wage was to go self-employeed and load up on 4-5 contracts a time and now you're running a business. Its not even hard to hire a Canadian since you can just contract them out.

How can you get US companies to consider hiring a remote Canadian? There must be a way to hack this.

CyberFonic 8 years ago |

In order to be employed by a USA company the employer needs to file several forms for federal and state taxation, insurance, etc. These forms require a SSN and relevant authorisation to work in the USA. I fail to see how living in Canada and not holding the appropriate permits that any employer would want to go through all the trouble of hiring you.

As you have found, contracting is probably your only option if you want to work for USA companies and even then you might benefit from incorporating in a suitable USA jurisdiction.

In my experience, the amount you are paid generally reflects the cost of living where you work. Although you might earn far more in SV or SF, your living costs will also be much higher. In the long-term you might not have been able to save any more money.

aurizon 8 years ago |

Open a US corporation that you invoice under so you are tax compliant. American money laundering restriction processes are onerous and add all manner of hassles to US companies paying foreigners. All the usual deductions have to be held back and remitted in strange ways that most are not familiar with. This means the company registers with the IRS and gets it's compliance account then pays you and you get aware of all these deductions, and pay them. There is a tax treaty so you are only taxed once.

greenyoda 8 years ago | |

But invoicing through a corporation could only get him contracting work, not a full-time job.

aurizon 8 years ago | | |

Now he has nothing, if he gets hired as a contractor he may be able to prove his chops and escalate to a foreign hire and show their payroll dept the procedures to follow

CyberFonic 8 years ago |

Any hack of employment and taxation laws is likely to be illegal.

What are you offering an USA company that would make it worthwhile for them to break the law(s) ?