matthemod

Hey there everyone!

Am a new forumer, having come across this website while researching moving to the United States (Chicago in particular) in a work capacity, and found it a tremendous help in allowing me to realise what exactly needs to be done to get back over there. I've got a few questions I was wondering a few of you more experienced with the visa process could perhaps answer, as i'm finding it hard to get a definitive answer upon receiving mixed signals from various other sources.

First of all let me set the scene! My name is Mathew Price and I have recently graduated with a 2:1 hons in American Studies, basically interdisciplinary but focus on History, firmly in the humanities/liberal arts categories. I was able as part of my course to study in the states for a year, of course which is why i'm so enticed to return there. It's pretty much the only thing that's inspiring me to actually try and get some work considering the dire circumstance for grads where I live back home. So here are my questions.

I'm aware that you need a H1-B visa to work in the United States, and this is supported by the sponsor, but is it a legal requirement for the employer to have to pay the sponsorship? What I mean is, is there no technical way I could fork up the necessary amount if I was actually able to get a job?

Secondly, another friend of mine (who i met in America but is an Indian national) found work after he graduated claiming, as he said how if the company was "an equal opportunity employer" I may have more of a chance. He implied that there are in fact some companies that specifically recruit foreigners to promote diversity." I'd like to perceive this to be true, but that is my question, are there companies out there that specifically hire foreign nationals to promote diversity? Are they rare?

Finally, and this is my last and perhaps most damning of questions, considering I have a bachelors degree in American Studies (history), is there even much hope for me finding a job considering the prevalence of other liberal arts degrees of native citizens? Is writing "Second class upper" on my resume even going to get translate?

I look forward to your responses and I hopeIi've not come across as entirely desperate! I'm just at a point (of applying for work/internships but coming up short) for about a month and a half where I'm beginning to lose hope.

Jscl

I think companies might encourage diversity by hiring *Americans* with diverse backgrounds, but not hiring foreigners. To get an H1-B approved the company has to prove that they have tried to find an American worker to fill the position, but have not been able to, which actively limits them hiring foreigners.

To be honest I think you would have a very hard time getting an H1-B with an American Studies degree and no work experience to show how important the skills you learnt in that degree were to a specific job that, in the US, is difficult to find employees for.

But I know nothing about your degree or jobs that it would be required/useful for, so the above is more a guess than anything.

Noorah101

I'm American and I have no idea what that means, so my guess is that it doesn't translate well.

So what kind of job can you do with your degree? You've mentioned your degree, but not exactly what the job or work would be.

Rene

GeoffM

H1-B isn't the only possible visa (look at the stickies at the top of the forum thread lists). But yes the employer is supposed to pay the fees. The employer must also pay you the prevailing wage which means you can't say "I'll take a pay cut for 2 years until my fees are paid off".

If the company wasn't an equal opportunities employer then they probably wouldn't last for long. It's one of those meaningless phrases that state what they have to be anyway.

Maybe there are such companies but as rare as hen's teeth. Why would a company spend tens of thousands of dollars every year just to recruit foreigners? Not to mention the time it takes to actually start work (a recent experience quoted on this forum was about 6 months). I think there is some sort of limit on the number of H1Bs in a company, or at least some serious questioning on why a company is unable to fill its positions with Americans.

Perhaps - and no disrespect to him - he is referring to the Indian consulting companies that have a somewhat dubious reputation. Applicants somehow don't turn up to the job they are supposed to have been recruited for and presumably work elsewhere.

Good luck.

BMP

I think this may appear to be true in the top Management Consulting Firms - McKinsey, BCG, etc.. who use H1-Bs.

In reality these firms pick off the top MBA students from the top schools regardless of nationality. In addition many of the firms have an international client base so it pays to have staff from a variety of backgrounds.

I hope this doesn't sound negative, but I suspect your best approach is to find a UK employer with significant interests in the US (either the owner of, or owned by), put in 2 or 3 years hard work and then look for a transfer.

(Thats what I did - FYI)

Also I'd read the H1-B article on Wikipedia.. it has a lot of the answers to your questions!

Marocco

Equal opportunity means giving everyone an equal chance. It doesn't mean giving preferential treatment to foreigners.

MsElui

and there are already plenty of foreigners living legally within the US if they wanted to go that route.

newXgate

Note that this is not a requirement unless the employer is considered 'H1-B dependent', which usually means that 15% or more of their employees have H1-B's.

Gingerert

My degree was in American Studies, and it was also a 2.1. Matt, to transfer your degree level I'd put that it was roughly a 3.6 GPA. You can visit some sites where they'll charge you a fee to have your grades "officially" transcribed, but it's all a load of bollocks basically and an American company will care more about your job experience than your degree level.

Rene - You can do a bunch of stuff with an American Studies degree, including journalism, teaching, politics... anything you could do with either a History or English degree, basically. I went into writing and publishing, but I think the OP will have a tough time moving over here immediately using ONLY his degree. It's a great field to study, but it won't get you an H1-B on its own merits.

matthemod

Thank you all for your insight and help, I really appreciate your responses, some of them were more of a wake up call than others but it is something I will have had either way!

So to update, I recently got into contact with my University, Indiana University that is, the one I studied with for a year, and inquired after a prospective American History Ma/PhD. They effectively sold the idea for me, after I became aware that no company would hire a bachelors degree student, when there are a thousand equally qualified Americans available.

To do a MA would allow me to come over on an F-1 Visa, and would allow me to "work study" as tuition, however, which is where this gets interesting, following my receiving an MA, I would be applicable to enter the "Optional Practical Training" capacity, which would in turn change my F-1 into an H-1B for a year.

My main goal is to eventually be allowed to remain on that H-1B following the year, however my Immediate aim is to search for a Spring Internship abroad in the U.S. while waiting for the Fall term entrances (that is hoping I've gotten in!).

Again thanks for all of your insight, it has been enlightening and has allowed me to get the somewhat far fetched idea of working over there straight away out of my head!

ian-mstm

Umm... no, it wouldn't. You'd still have an F-1... but you'd be allowed to work.

Ian

Duncan Roberts

I wouldn't be so sure about that either. Remember, the F-1 is primarily a visa for studying, not working. There are some provisions for working whilst on one but during the course of study they are very restrictive, especially during the first year.

meauxna

As an F-1, I believe the limit is 20 hours of ON-campus work per week.

OPT does NOT become "an H-1B". It's a temporary work situation for "training" (IE the name of the program). It *does* put you in range of an employer who might be willing to petition you for an H-1B, but don't confuse the two.

scrubbedexpat099

What visa are you looking at for the internship?

meauxna

I'm hoping you'll read further on this; forgot to post it earlier. It does not do what you & your friend think.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect you against employment discrimination when it involves:

* Unfair treatment because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

* Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in your workplace, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

* Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that you need because of your religious beliefs or disability.

* Retaliation because you complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.