Canadians

Despite the close ties between Canada and the United States, Canadians get very few breaks in immigrating to the United States.  They can come as tourists without obtaining tourist visas, but, like everyone else in the worlds, they cannot work in the United States without a temporary work visa or permanent residence (green card).  Canadians must qualify for permanent residence in the same manner as nationals of any other
country.

Canadian citizens do get some special treatment in obtaining temporary working visas.  Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) some professionals can obtain working visas (TN visas) in one day without satisfying the technical requirements for an H-1B visa.  There is a list of professional positions that are eligible for TN visas. 

If the Canadian has a degree in a related field, and an employer in the United States seeking to hire that person in a professional-level position on the list eligible for TN visas, that individual can enter the United States with a work permit  by simply presenting a letter from the employer and a copy of the university degree at a port of entry (airport or border crossing).

The list of professions eligible for TN visas is quirky - it is difficult to understand why some professions are included on the list (Land Surveyor, Landscape Architect) while others are not (Secondary and primary school teachers, business professionals).