Port-of-entry adjudication involves the CBP processing charge at admission; an I-129 petition carries USCIS filing fees set in the fee schedule. Professional fees and credential evaluations are separate in both routes.
Budget by route, then add the optional items
Canadian citizens have two procedural doors. Presenting at a port of entry means paying the CBP fee at admission and receiving an adjudication there, although a complete file does not guarantee an immediate approval. Filing Form I-129 with USCIS means an eligible U.S. petitioner pays the petition fee and any optional premium-processing charge listed on Form G-1055, then the applicant enters after approval. Neither route ordinarily requires a visa stamp for a Canadian. Beyond government charges, the contractor may need certified translations and advice on structuring the employer and client evidence. For this foreign-employer arrangement, the parties must identify an eligible U.S. petitioner before choosing Form I-129, and current fees should be taken from the official schedule.
Budget the filing path separately from the employment decision. A CBP admission request and an employer-filed USCIS petition involve different government charges, preparation time, and evidence presentation, while neither charge replaces the need for a qualifying position. The employer should also identify who pays travel, credential evaluation, licensing, and any later extension costs in the written arrangement. Hypothetical example: a hotel manager receives a ten-month project offer from a resort operator. Before accepting, she compares the border-processing cost with the petition route and asks the operator to confirm whether its reimbursement policy covers the required professional records.