Canadian IT consultant here, and I don't even look at opportunities in the US anymore. I used to respond to the recruiters with "Do you know I live in Canada", and the conversation would end (I think most of them don't know Canada is not a State). Now I just delete them from my inbox. It's next to impossible to cross the border for work as an independent. Big IT still sends resources across for projects, but I haven't met any independents in years who have worked down south.