Need some help and guidance for enrolling into a university in the US or Canada.

So, I currently live in Malaysia and doing A levels as a private student, meaning I'm studying at home and I will sit for my exams as a private student, for those who are unsure of A levels are, It's basically the last thing that comes before university so I will be all set to enroll into a university.

I recently started doing my A levels and it has two parts, AS and A2. I will give my AS levels in may/june 2025 and then my A2 in oct/nov 2025.

I want to study in the US, so that's currently my goal but I'm just unsure of what steps I should be taking to enroll into a university and study for mechanical engineering.

I'm currently 22 years old so I really can't afford to lose much time and start university as soon as possible.

Can someone guide me through what the best course of action for me would be, the visa process, when is the best time to submit my application to the university, what are the requirements and what should I be mindful of?

I would really appreciate any help. Thanks