What is the easiest path to US permanent residency for skilled workers?

Immigration attorney here (though this is general info, not legal advice). As a Canadian software engineer, you actually have some good options. **Your main paths:** **1. TN Visa (fastest, but temporary)** - Only for Canadians and Mexicans - Valid for 3 years, infinitely renewable - Software engineer qualifies - Can get at the border same-day - Downside: Not a path to green card directly, technically "temporary" **2. H-1B (common but competitive)** - 6 years total - Requires employer sponsorship - Annual lottery (30% chance) - CAN lead to green card - Canadians sometimes skip this and go TN **3. EB-2/EB-3 Green Card (permanent)** - Employer-sponsored permanent residency - EB-2 for advanced degree or exceptional ability - EB-3 for skilled workers - Timeline for Canadians: ~1-2 years (no backlog) - Requires labor certification (PERM) **Best path for your situation:** TN now -> EB-2/EB-3 Green Card process 1. Enter on TN (immediately) 2. Company starts PERM process 3. File I-140 (immigrant petition) 4. File I-485 (adjust status) 5. Get green card **Timeline:** - TN: Can be same-day - PERM: 6-12 months - I-140: 4-8 months (or 15 days with premium) - I-485: 8-15 months - Total to green card: 1.5-3 years **Important:** Canadians have virtually no wait time for green cards, unlike India or China (where it's 10+ years). Talk to your company about starting the process. Most tech companies have immigration lawyers on retainer. It's less complicated than it seems once the process starts.