Becoming a Touring Pro

Question
I am a Canadian and just graduated from a U.S. College.  I would like to stay in the States and play golf with the goal of making it a career.  I might need to work part-time to pay expenses until such time as I make enough money from playing. What are my options?

Answer
My Apologies Gary;

I was certain I answered this back in June.

I would love to answer the entire of this question.  But I have been advised that until your status has actually changed, any advice I might give would be contradictory and it could involve illegalities.  That is the maximum that my scope of legal knowledge will allow me to say.  Since I am not a lawyer, I am hesitant to go any further.  

I can give you this information though.  First, you will need to change your visa from a student visa to a work visa.  From what I have heard...to go to work under a student visa would violate it's provisions.  In other words, if you did do that, and you were to get caught, you could be deported back to Canada, possibly never allowed to apply for citizenship, or maybe never even allowed back in to the states.  I would hate to see that happen.

From a standpoint of the Canadian Tour, I can answer it in this fashion.  The CPGA Tour Does hold events in the US.  And there are many numerous other tours and events out there as well.  IF, you did have conditional or exempt status on any US Tour it would be a different story, as you would probably already have the proper entry/exit visa's and tax documents needed and allowed.

Thanks for the question and I do hope you understand.
Good Luck out there.

Robb Nunn
PGA Professional.