US immigration policy is ..... do they have unique skills / money, if so, let em in. If not...forget it !! The lop hole here is student visas (F1) and it costs an arm and a leg to study here. A work exchange program (like camp America) may also be an option.

I am on an H1 visa (despite being married to a person from Pittsburgh) because the naturalization process is a) expensive and b) very invasive and although we have nothing to hide I really don't appreciate being told (or my wife being told) to drop 'em and bend over by anyone !!

click here for more info.

http://www.uscitizenship.info/?ad=overture&keyword=ins&OVRAW=INS&OVKEY=ins&OVMTC=standard

I have really enjoyed being in the US and it has been very good to me. However, unless you have some unique skills or earn more than $100 000 a year / have friends in congress I'd think long and hard about Canada !!