Emigrating to USA?

stainluss

Know anyone who did it?Did you do it?How did they get in?Is it hard to get sponsored for a work permit?

silja

I did it, via a spousal visa (my husband is a US citizen). We moved from Dublin to Arkansas late last year.

Getting a work visa is difficult unless you are very highly skilled professional (IT, chemistry, speech therapy etc). Work permits usually only last for as long as you are employed with the employer that got you the permit. Other options are student visas (quite easy to get, but going to uni in the USA is expensive) or the diversity visa lottery.

Darren1o1

silja wrote: »

I did it, via a spousal visa (my husband is a US citizen). We moved from Dublin to Arkansas late last year.

Getting a work visa is difficult unless you are very highly skilled professional (IT, chemistry, speech therapy etc). Work permits usually only last for as long as you are employed with the employer that got you the permit. Other options are student visas (quite easy to get, but going to uni in the USA is expensive) or the diversity visa lottery.

The sponsored visa's (H1b) are quite difficult to get even with a sponsored company and a good qualification. I believe last year the chances were 50% (Visas are decided by lottery) assuming you got your application in on April 1st. This year I would imagine is less competitive considering the economy.

J1 is relatively easy if you are a study or have graduated in the last year. Another one is the diversity lottery which I do believe is very difficult to get.

stainluss

Darren1o1 wrote: »

The sponsored visa's (H1b) are quite difficult to get even with a sponsored company and a good qualification. I believe last year the chances were 50% (Visas are decided by lottery) assuming you got your application in on April 1st. This year I would imagine is less competitive considering the economy.

J1 is relatively easy if you are a study or have graduated in the last year. Another one is the diversity lottery which I do believe is very difficult to get.

50% for the H1B last year wasnt too bad though was it?Couldnt you apply again the following year?

Benedict XVI

stainluss wrote: »

50% for the H1B last year wasnt too bad though was it?Couldnt you apply again the following year?

I don't believe that H1Bs are issued on a lottery basis.

They are work permits. The employer submits a application and that is approved or rejected based on a number of criteria, the most important one being 'can the job not be done by a US citizen ?', that is why the area where H1Bs are most prevalent are high tec industries

There is a quota for the number of H1Bs that can be issued each year.

The employee has no input in the H1B process, the employer has to submit the application.

My advice for some one who is trying to get into teh US on a H1B is to just put your cv on monster.com and see what happens, and employer might pick you up and put in an application for a H1B for you.

the H1B is valid for 3 years and renewable for another 3, and you can only work for the employer who gets you the H1B

Once you get a H1B you can apply for a Green Card (not through the DV lottery) which takes about 5 years and costs a fair bit in legal fees, but it is an option you have.

stainluss

Benedict XVI wrote: »

I don't believe that H1Bs are issued on a lottery basis.

They are work permits. The employer submits a application and that is approved or rejected based on a number of criteria, the most important one being 'can the job not be done by a US citizen ?', that is why the area where H1Bs are most prevalent are high tec industries

There is a quota for the number of H1Bs that can be issued each year.

The employee has no input in the H1B process, the employer has to submit the application.

My advice for some one who is trying to get into teh US on a H1B is to just put your cv on monster.com and see what happens, and employer might pick you up and put in an application for a H1B for you.

the H1B is valid for 3 years and renewable for another 3, and you can only work for the employer who gets you the H1B

Once you get a H1B you can apply for a Green Card (not through the DV lottery) which takes about 5 years and costs a fair bit in legal fees, but it is an option you have.

if all else fails, il just have to outstay my welcome:p

Benedict XVI

stainluss wrote: »

if all else fails, il just have to outstay my welcome:p

Yea you could do that but your job choices are very limited as are other aspects of living in the US

stainluss

Benedict XVI wrote: »

Yea you could do that but your job choices are very limited as are other aspects of living in the US

thats true... i guess its just low-pay jobs?as for those who do outstay their visa.. do they have any chance of becoming citizens?i guess just by marriage at that stage?

acontadino

jaysis your fairly ****ing desperate aren't ya.

stainluss

acontadino wrote: »

jaysis your fairly ****ing desperate aren't ya.

lol, no i dont think i could ever marry some random girl to live there thats too far:p

Darren1o1

Sorry, I did say you need to be sponsored for a H1B. My lawyer did say there was approximately a 50% chance of me getting it last year. After you apply and the quotas for postgrads, trade agreements and other areas have been filled, then the rest comes to a lottery this is how it is done according to my Lawyer. We were in on the first day last year and did not get it (Despite being a qualified engineer with a sponsored company). Hopefully this year will be different.

stainluss

Darren1o1 wrote: »

Sorry, I did say you need to be sponsored for a H1B. My lawyer did say there was approximately a 50% chance of me getting it last year. After you apply and the quotas for postgrads, trade agreements and other areas have been filled, then the rest comes to a lottery this is how it is done according to my Lawyer. We were in on the first day last year and did not get it (Despite being a qualified engineer with a sponsored company). Hopefully this year will be different.

i wonder what the quotas for postgrads are?i was thinking of staing on an extra year..
good luck with getting in this year:D

Darren1o1

stainluss wrote: »

i wonder what the quotas for postgrads are?i was thinking of staing on an extra year..
good luck with getting in this year:D

Thanks. 20,000 AFAIK, I am half way through mine too.

Darren1o1

Benedict XVI wrote: »

Once you get a H1B you can apply for a Green Card (not through the DV lottery) which takes about 5 years and costs a fair bit in legal fees, but it is an option you have.

3 years with a bachelors, 2 with a postgrad, according to lawyers.

Benedict XVI

Darren1o1 wrote: »

3 years with a bachelors, 2 with a postgrad, according to lawyers.

I did not know it was based on education, I though official bureaucracy was the main reason for the time it took to process applications, good luck with it.

Darren1o1

Benedict XVI wrote: »

I did not know it was based on education, I though official bureaucracy was the main reason for the time it took to process applications, good luck with it.

You can get fast tracked with a higher education, similarly you have better chances at H1B for a higher level education.

veritable

Benedict XVI wrote: »

I don't believe that H1Bs are issued on a lottery basis.

They are work permits. The employer submits a application and that is approved or rejected based on a number of criteria, the most important one being 'can the job not be done by a US citizen ?', that is why the area where H1Bs are most prevalent are high tec industries

There is a quota for the number of H1Bs that can be issued each year.

Incorrect. There is a lottery held each year for the H1B visa. There are roughly twice as many applications for the H1B than there are allocated visas.

There is a separate H1B for people who have done masters degrees. The allocated visas are 20,000 for this but over 30,000 applied last year.