I'd have to get some kind of sponsorship and visa to work and live there. I'd go there in a heartbeat if there was opportunity there.
Don't get me wrong. I lived in Vancouver all my life. I love it, it's home. But we also have the lowest salary in the country in the tech industry, we have zero protection from exploitative employers, crowded labour tech market with a small job market.
Well about the time I was out of university in Victoria, I got a few linked in recruiter pings from Seattle, and then a few months later 'the flood' started and I started getting a lot of interest. I would really consider just contacting Seattle recruiting firms directly, you might just not be visible to them because you don't have any us linked in connections. What are your skills?
I'm really surprised that Vancouver is so low, since your just a relatively instant TN visa away to Seattle a 2hr drive away. The only people who would be 'stuck' there are non-canadian immigrants, and I'm guessing that's relatively low.
Oh yeah, at the border, only say your job description to them when they ask. So if your TN visa letter says 'software engineer', do not say 'software developer'. Your job description to the border people is only what is officially allowed for your job category in a TN visa too. Make sure the employer's letter is done properly by a lawyer.
The basic process is:
1. Get an email invite for an interview
2. Print out this email and tell the border people your only going for an interview and they'll do the proper TN paperwork in the country afterwards while you wait in Canada
3. They should mail/email you the TN offer letter, tell how the process works if they decide to hire you.
4. You go to the border with the TN visa letter, you tell the border people your applying for the TN status/visa. You'll walk into the office, they'll review it, might make you do a bunch of shit and answer questions and if they accept they'll stamp your passport with the TN status.
Don't get me wrong. I lived in Vancouver all my life. I love it, it's home. But we also have the lowest salary in the country in the tech industry, we have zero protection from exploitative employers, crowded labour tech market with a small job market.