What are some recommended alternatives for act, if any?
I’ve been a long time user, but I’ve run into tons of problems with act over the last year and am wondering if there are better alternatives out there.
Currently ts-fsrs and rs-fsrs support FSRS 6 and py-fsrs should also support FSRS 6 in the next day or so. Also, both py-fsrs and fsrs-rs include the ability to optimize the FSRS model from your past reviews!
I used this for spaced repetition for opening training on Chessbook, can vouch that the Rust package is excellent. Easy to use and immediately lowered the training load on our users while keeping retention high. FSRS is awesome.
I use Chessbook and mostly like it, but I wish there was a way to configure the spaced repetition parameters. In particular, I find the frequency of reviews too low to retain well, especially for recently added moves.
I'm a Canadian software developer who'd like to join an American startup so naturally I've been applying to a bunch of jobs. More specifically, I'm looking to go with TN visa.
In most job applications, I need to answer the two following questions 1) Are you legally authorized to work in the US? and 2) Will you now or in the future require sponsorship? I'm looking for advice on how I should be answering these questions.
For example, I believe I should technically be answering NO to 1) and YES to 2), but I'm slightly unsure about this.
I've heard recently that some Canadians actually recommend answering YES to 1) as getting a TN visa is very simple and not too much harder than just hiring an American. The idea is that when you answer NO to 1) that recruiters (and especially startups who are often more naive about visas) will lump you in as being hard to hire like immigrants who come to the US on the H1B and then filter out your application.
As for question 2), because the TN is a "Nonimmigrant" visa, does this technically mean I can answer NO here?
Basically in summary, how would you recommend I answer these questions? I don't want my applications to get auto filtered, but I'd also like to be as honest as possible.
Hi, I just spent 2 months interviewing and hiring candidates for 4 open (remote) eng positions at a US startup. Answering "Yes" to 1 when you don't have a green card or US citizenship would be a way to guarantee that I would rescind your offer and make a mental note to never trust you. I don't think you should do that.
We actually hired some Canadian talent -- we just used an EOR in Canada. The EOR cost us about $600 a month per head as their cut, but it was worth it to get the excellent developers we have through that deal.
The reason why some/many firms would filter out anyone saying NO to (1) is that getting a visa sponsored requires significant work of a specialized nature and our company certainly is not equipped to do that because we don't have people who have the time and skills to deal with the insane demands of our government to obtain the necessary document (This is not a new or partisan issue btw, I remember losing a great developer in the Obama years due to the feds giving her the run-around).
TN is not a visa and all you need to get this status is a job offer. There's really no work of any specialized nature but some companies do get legal advice to help streamline the process and get better outcomes like reducing the probability that the person would be denied.
(EDIT: it is sometimes referred to a visa and sometimes as a status but at any rate as someone who had TN status with two different US startups there was very little process around it)
I am a Canadian working in the US on TN status too (and yes, despite my opinion on it they call it a “status” not a “visa”). I can’t emphasize enough how light of a burden it is on employers to hire a Canadian on TN status. There’s no limit on the number of people who can come in, and it’s issued literally as you travel across the border.
The paperwork is very basic. It’s essentially just a letter signed by the employer that describes what you will be doing. I put it together myself, but an immigration lawyer can help you with it for a couple of hundred dollars if you need it. It’s issued at the border, you just tell the immigration/border guard that you’re getting a TN, then you go into the office, they review the paperwork and put a stamp on your passport. It took about 20 minutes when I did it in Toronto a couple of weeks ago.
Post on the /r/tnvisa sub on Reddit please, make the process transparent and most importantly VISIBLE so we Canadians dont have to pay a lawyer, this is a community process thanks.
Brief reading of reddit posts by people who actually did this almost always included that the company's lawyers wrote them letters and prepared packets of materials for them to provide CBP. We don't have any lawyers. We're simply not employing people who don't have green cards. We don't have time or money to play games with the government.
One important thing in seeking TN status is that the title of degree matters immensely to your employability, which goes entirely against what I stand for, as if you have a degree in economics or no degree but do a great job of writing code, I'd want to hire you. The law contains vagaries and there is a "memo" which suggests that they use common sense, but it's all up to a random border guard who might not know any of that to interpret everything.
Anyway, you're not automatically legally allowed to work in the US and lying about it won't help. We can agree to disagree on whether we "should" deal with all that stuff or if we're missing out, but lying to get halfway in the door is the worst way to change an employer's mind, especially in this economy when plenty of domestic candidates are available.
I agree with you about the dishonesty of saying yes (as I replied in another comment).
That said this is a choice you're making from what sounds like more religious reasons. Your company and your choice but it's not hard to employ TNs in a startup (and I know because I had TN status with two startups so I'm a little ahead of "brief reading of reddit posts").
TN status can also be applied for in advance by the way, doesn't have to be at the border. This wasn't an option when I had TN status but now it is.
While I was only speaking in hypotheticals about companies that only want to hire people who have legal status (no one has asked us to help them get TN status), I'd rather do zero paperwork by hiring people with existing status, than (allegedly) "not hard" work to support TN hopefuls, especially given the US government is liable these days to randomly change things around and cause chaos - especially in areas likely to score political points like immigration. POTUS could declare tomorrow that every TN (in a certain industry? state? whatever) has to go home in 10 days.
My attitude would certainly change though, if/when we can't find skilled people with existing work authorization, or if I had an incredibly strong personal referral.
Well, if you read through your link, you'll understand what parent comment is talking about.
> Requirements for Canadian Citizens
> A visa is not required for a Canadian citizen entering the United States as a USMCA Professional, although a visa can be issued to a qualified Canadian TN visa applicant upon application at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
> A Canadian citizen can apply for TN nonimmigrant status at a U.S. port-of-entry. Learn about these requirements on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) websites. More information about receiving TN status without applying for a visa is also available on the U.S. Embassy Ottawa website.
You guys are talking about two similar and related but different things.
TN is both a "nonimmigrant classification" and a visa. The TN nonimmigrant classification is what is what grants a Canadian citizen eligibility to enter into the U.S. without a visa. A TN visa also grants a Canadian citizen entry into the U.S., and is required for TN nonimmigrants to enter with family members. In a nutshell, you establish your TN classification at your port of entry with (a) proof of Canadian citizenship, (b) letter from employer or prospective employer, and (c) any required credential and fees. You can acquire a TN visa the same way, or (recommended) at a U.S. consulate or embassy prior to your trip, and the primary difference is that the TN visa takes a little more time and paperwork.
Prior to this administration, TN status was a simple and short process; we had dozens of Canadian employees visiting the U.S. every week. However, the current administration does not believe in following established laws, so our legal counsel has been advising us to apply for TN visas for Canadian employees visiting the U.S prior to their trips to avoid any surprises at the border.
Note: Mexican citizens don't get TN nonimmigrant classification status. They must apply for the TN visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy in Mexico prior to their departure for the U.S. They must then apply for admission (aka, a visa) into the U.S. again when they actually arrive (basically, they need a TN visa to get a visa. It is as ridiculous as it sounds.)
Canadian employees visiting the united states is usually not a situation requiring a TN. That said most of the time this happens the visitors are indeed breaking the law. So one could argue that the current administration does believe in following the law.
One of the situations when I had a TN was exactly like that. Canadian employees of a US startup needed to get a TN so they're not hassled at the border.
Many administrations ago. Before the first Trump presidency.
Either way getting your Canadian employees TN status is easy and is probably a better solution.
A TN visa is a visa, but what someone is “on” is a status, not a visa. Visas are only relevant to the moment of entry. You need a visa of type X to ask to enter with status X.
The exception to that is Canadians like OP, they don’t need most visa types (the E investor/trader visa is the exception—but TN, H1B, etc., don’t need).
"If you are a Canadian citizen, then you are not required to apply for a TN visa at a U.S. consulate.
You may establish eligibility for TN classification at the time you seek admission to the United States by presenting required documentation to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at certain CBP-designated U.S. ports of entry or at a designated pre-clearance/pre-flight inspection station. You must provide the following documentation to the CBP officer:"
"You may be eligible for TN nonimmigrant status, if:
You are a citizen of Canada or Mexico;
Your profession qualifies under the regulations;
The position in the United States requires a NAFTA professional;
You have a prearranged full-time or part-time job with a U.S. employer (but not self-employment - see documentation required below); and
You have the qualifications to practice in the profession in question."
"If a CBP officer finds you eligible for admission, you will be admitted as a TN nonimmigrant. "
The main point is this has none of the process usually related to "visas" and even if that term is sometimes used along with "TN status" it's its own special thing. Canadians don't need a Visa to visit the US and I am not a lawyer. Mexicans might be in a slightly different situation. Either way, the proper legal answer has no influence whatsoever on the points being made.
Being pedantic, the authorized admission into a country is a visa.
TN status is a special thing. A TN visa is just a non-immigrant visa given to a TN-eligible Canadian or Mexican citizen.
Canadian citizens don't need to receive a visa prior to their departure for the U.S.; they can get a form of "visa on arrival" through their TN classification. Mexican citizens need to get a TN visa in order to be eligible to get a visa on arrival when they arrive.
> Answering "Yes" to 1 when you don't have a green card or US citizenship would be a way to guarantee that I would rescind your offer
This might actually violate EEOC. You would discriminating on the basis on nationality. The question that was asked was "Are you legally authorized to work in the US?" and Canadian have a limited legal right to work in the US under NAFTA.
The question is usually understood to mean "on an ongoing basis" and it's essentially lying. The system may not be correct or kind, but I'd have a lot of trouble trusting someone whose response to "the system isn't fair" is "I'll lie to get around it and achieve the outcome I believe is right" enough to hire him.
I could see that, but given that jobs are all at-will it's hard to argue the employer would have any damages for a contract that can be terminated with literally zero notice.
Most employment is at will, but salaried employees usually have specified severance in case of termination for convenience. Misrepresenting qualifications does in fact create a case for damages unless the employee is literally perfect. But civil aside, and ethics aside, it is fraud and could conceivably be prosecuted accordingly.
I personally wouldn't have a lot of faith in the abilities and judgement of someone who doesn't leverage an unfair system to their advantage despite there being basically no downsides to doing so unless im hiring a middle manager to sort through excessive bureaucratic bloat.
> Answering "Yes" to 1 when you don't have a green card or US citizenship would be a way to guarantee that I would rescind your offer and make a mental note to never trust you.
I wouldn't trust you either. The question is ambiguous when it comes to NAFTA and applicants are worried about being filtered out despite not needing visa sponsorship. TN is not a visa it's a status based on a free trade agreement.
Ugh, arguing over the simple meaning of factual statements on the Internet is my biggest pet peeve. If you don't have an appropriate work visa, permanent residency or citizenship, and you answer yes to the question of "Are you legally authorized to work in the US", you are just a liar, plain and simple.
> If you don't have an appropriate work visa, permanent residency or citizenship
Well, TN is none of those, and here I am authorized to work legally. If I apply for another job elsewhere, the honest answer to this question is yes, despite the fact that I will be required to get a new TN.
> The nonimmigrant USMCA Professional (TN) visa allows eligible citizens of Canada and Mexico to work in the United States as USMCA professionals in prearranged professional level business activities for U.S. or foreign employers.
When I looked at working in America several years ago, many people I spoke to and people commenting about it on Reddit/HN/Blind emphasized that it's TN status, not TN visa. They even suggested that calling it a visa when trying to enter the US could get your application rejected. I'm not sure if things have changed since then but if so there's probably lots of people who heard that same advice in the past and haven't learned the updated info.
Visa and status are different things and exist simultaneously. A visa is used to cross the border, a status is what enables one to be in the country. Many people on H1B don't have a physical H1B visa either as they have "adjusted status" from some other status to H1B without leaving the country and hence cannot possibly have a visa, which can only be issued in a US consulate, which don't exist in the US per se.
Colloquially people refer to a status granted through a particular visa category as "visa" e.g. "I am studying on F-1 visa", "H-1B visa employees" etc.
You’ve now been informed by an immigration lawyer that that is not an honest answer, so were you to answer “yes” you’d be demonstrating you’re either willfully ignorant or dishonest.
If those are remote positions, why do you care about any of this at all? Make it clear that the applicant needs to handle taxation in their home country themselves, and that’s that. I know many software engineers working remotely for companies outside their home country. One would typically set up an LLC or equivalent, and be employed by that.
Any options agreement would be with the private individual to not mess up the cap table.
Thanks Peter for your answer. I’ll be sure to apply this advice going forward.
With that being said, from seeing the replies to my original question, would you mind expanding on your answer a little more? I’m sure many of the other commenters in this thread would appreciate some more clarity here.
Peter already replied to this elsewhere in the thread. To a question
"Maybe a dumb question, but... I'm a Canadian who would qualify for a TN visa if I worked in the States, but don't currently have a visa or green card. On the online submission form for job openings, it always asks 'Are you legally entitled to work in the US?'. Am I meant to answer yes or no to that?"
Peter replies:
"Unfortunately, the correct answer is No because until you have the TN, you are not legally entitled to work in the U.S. Of course, this means that you will be excluded automatically for consideration of certain jobs."
He won’t answer the question from a strategic perspective. He will answer only from a legal standpoint. That’s the only perspective he is an expert in.
I think It's not sponsorship in terms of what you hear about for h1b. But if you need a "Job Offer" before getting a TN (as someone upthread mentioned) that itself is a form of sponsorship, since you still need something from that company before you can work.
"Sponsorship" is not a legal term but like an H-1B, it requires a job offer so it is not just an individual filing. Broadly, there are two ways to get a TN, one by applying with U.S. Customs and Border Protection with a letter from an employer and the other is for that employer to file a TN petition with USCIS. When the latter approach is taken, the employer must complete, sign, and submit forms as the petitioning (read, "sponsoring") employer and these forms are many of the same forms that an H-1B petitioning employer must submit. So, "sponsorship" by an employer is required for those seeking to work in TN status.
> “People should stop training radiologists now,” Geoffrey Hinton said, adding that it was “just completely obvious” that within five years A.I. would outperform humans in that field.
I'm starting to notice a strong trend where non-domain experts will confidently assert that X field will be replaced by AI.
Hinton is a domain expert in AI, case in point Scott Aaronson cites AI revolutionizing protein-folding research, putting many protein-folding academics out of jobs.
I'd argue that AI experts and CS theorists are in a better position to speak about technological change than the domain experts who are trained/selected mainly to practice the status quo.
> putting many protein-folding academics out of jobs.
Has this actually happened? I'd wager it's more like in OP's article, AI as a helper that speeds up research, enabling bigger or different research questions. Reliable prediction not of protein shape, but of protein-protein or protein-mRNA interactions, for example.
Isn't this a common trend with CS? It seems like there's just constant over hype that drives booms and crashes, even to such a degree that if something was there it can't even be built. We have billionaires and hundred millionaires that made their money on VR, blockchain, and Web3. The wealth comes even when no product does and that seems like a big issue that's being exploited
This is from 2023 and you still need to request approval for an organization. The approval process is also very slow (my friend requested an organization for us last fall and we still don't have it).
I don’t think they’re attached to YouTube too rigidly. (Well, I hope at least.) In theory this should work with any platform that provides subtitles. But I think if YouTube falls, or blocks their API access, they would just start hosting the videos themselves.
> In theory this should work with any platform that provides subtitles.
Streaming platforms can vary quite a lot in how they choose to distribute subtitles. I've worked with scraping subtitles from both Youtube and Netflix and I will say that these platforms distribute subtitles very differently!
Yes! It will take some time to write a scraper for another platform (probably not Netflix haha), but after that it’s plug-n-play.
And of course, if they decide to host videos on their own platform, they can just import subtitles from srt/vtt/ass which should be easily possible with some open source library.
Yea YouTube is only one format we support. Users can also upload pdfs, mp4, docx, pptx, etc. And we already do support video hosting ourselves. It wouldn't be great if YouTube decided to part ways with us, but we'd be just fine.
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