I think this might be it. Can't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner!

Any specific suggestions?

I've been applying to relevant government contractor jobs for 9 months, and my only guess at this point is that HR for these places just automatically filter out applicants that are also citizens of another country(Canada). Most everything I'm applying for has a security clearance of some sort.

Definitely something I'd consider.

I've never done it because it seems like it is a really hard job to get if you've never done it before. Does it typically pay at least $15/hour? I hear lots of stuff about tips and wages so I wonder if making pizza at domino's for $15/hr might be a safer bet.