kokolino23

Hello,
I've got a job offer from a US company willing to sposor me. The trouble is that they insist to apply for a H1B visa and despite pointing out that they're suspended (with relevant links), they say is not ?! They trust their law attorney more than Google and what others immi sites are saying.
As far as I know, H1B visa is like a lottery because the cap is 65k visas and the applications are well in excess of 200k. The applications has to be filled from 1st of April each year and you can only go there next year (if approved!). So even if H1B were not suspended, they couldn't apply for it at this time of the year.
Taxes are also higher for a non immigrant on H1B visa.
I'm married with 2 children so I will then need to apply for a H4 visa for them but my wife won't be allowed to work. A lot of hassle IMO.
By the looks of it, EB visas are not suspended but the law attorney doesn't advice them to approach that route.
The salary is higher than in UK but the taxes and cost of living are also higher (around Philadelphia).
Doesn't look very appealing TBH.
Thank you

scrubbedexpat099

EB is an immigrant visa gets you a Green Card, which then allows you to work anywhere. So not very attractive to an Employer.

Not all H1b's are subject to the cap.

Winston_the_Great_Dane

With respect to your package being offered, you say the salary is higher, but; take what you make in the UK, multiply it by 1.8 and put a $ in front. If that number is less than the salary you're being offered then it isn't a pay raise.

Good luck with whichever route you choose

SanDiegogirl

Taxes are also higher for a non immigrant on H1B visa.

Never heard that someone on an H-1b pays higher taxes.....

christmasoompa

Maybe that's what they mean - that they're suspended until the end of the year, but they plan to apply under the 2021 quota?

They are suspended, under the same proclamation that the H1-B's are suspended - https://www.whitehouse.gov/president...irus-outbreak/

HTH and good luck.
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christmasoompa

Are you sure? The only EB's mentioned as exempt in the original proclamation are EB-5's, unless there's been a subsequent update I've missed.

I've just Googled and can't find any mention of them being allowed now, have you got a link?

steveq

You're right. Corrected.

christmasoompa

Thank you.

Pulaski

Yes, we had an "extraordinary ability"/ NIW holder here on BE a couple of weeks ago, who was recently recruited as a doctor/ medical professional .... he was banned from BE a couple of days later.

neill

Yeah, H-1Bs are pretty crappy for most of the reasons you mention but are often the only way many get to work in the U.S. and often the only route to permanent residence companies are willing to offer. (Some that are REALLY keen will offer straight-up immigrant sponsorship for a job, but this happens very infrequently.) With any luck, the H-1B situation will be resolved by mid 2021. FWIW the situation is the same with EB permanent visas, no-one can gain entry at the moment.

steveq

Maybe NIW get a pass ? You'd kind of think so

retzie

Don't jobs related to fighting the pandemic have an exemption? I don't know if that is via the NIW avenue or more generally.

kokolino23

Thank you for the reply. H1B might not be attractive for the employer but why would be for the employee ?! Tax is higher because is a non immigrant visa and my wife has to apply for H4 visa with no right to work. Fair enough as long as we know from the beginning what to expect. Then we can clearly balance out if the move is worth it.
Cheers

kokolino23

When I went to a tax calculator, was a drop down box that mentioned non immigrant. H1B visa being a NI one, I presumed the tax is higher because when I chosen that option, the net salary was lower compared to a normal tax.

kokolino23

My job is not related to Covid so as far as I'm aware is still suspended.