ihe

Hello,

Well I've finished my exams (M Eng Computer Science fingers crossed) and got a 4 month J-1 visa to work in the States over the summer.

I came into the degree with 15 or so years IT experience. I wasn't going to apply this year because I was too busy with exams but I hear they are still accepting H-1B applications. I've been looking on Dice but there are very few jobs that are willing to sponsor.

All suggestions appreciated.

ihe

Bob

A shit hot resume, buckets of niche skills and a lot of contacts....otherwise it probably won't happen, IT folk are dime a dozen here and there's less places able to sponsor these days.

helmet

finding someone willing to sponsor you may be difficult , i think only 45000 out of 65000 h1b's have been issued compared to the last few years when they were heavily over subscribed . Keep looking and perhaps think about saying you will pay the fees around $5000 including attorney fees this can only help . If you need the name of a reliable attorney let me know .

scrubbedexpat099

Sounds like:

A Illegal

B Spam

Bob

Indeed...they can offer to pay the legal fees and premium processing and that's about it...but would you really want to move half way around the world for a company that will be nickle and diming you before you've even moved? Wouldn't scream stable and reliable to me...

ihe

niche skill - will machine learning do?

md95065

Well it certainly helps that you aren't just another database administrator but you would still need to find an employer that actually needed those skills and a lot could also depend on the kind of experience you had prior to doing the M Eng.

The big problem is that lots of companies are laying people off and the few that are still hiring are not hiring very many people.

Bill_S

Maybe, but keep in mind you'll be competing for jobs against the many tens of thousands of Americans who have been laid off in the last six months. People who don't need visas and can start tomorrow. Good luck.

henryh

Thought about doing graduate research for a year or two at a US university? Could be interesting, and a good way to build contacts.

ihe

Yes. I tried unsucessfully in March. Will try again. It's competitive to get in if you need to be funded.

caleyjag

Probably not much more competitive than getting an IT job.

Getting research work in US universities is relatively easy if you have appropriate qualifications, solid references, go about it the right way and are prepared to work in a field of research that is currently well funded.

Of course, most faculty will want to see evidence that you want to work with them due to legitimate interest in the research they are pursuing, rather than as a ticket into the United States.

caleyjag

Also the applicant already has a Masters.

He'll be looking at 4 years roughly for a PhD provided he can dodge the first two years or so of graduate instruction, possibly as much as 6 or even more if he has to take classes.

However there are exceptions. I have met research staff at top institutions who do not hold PhDs - their experience comes from time in industry, so OP may be able to get contract work at a university with that in mind.

dbj1000

If you can't answer that question then the answer is "NO". Are you one of the best of the best at machine learning? Only you can tell us if your skills are exceptional and in demand.

It's a damned sight more competitive to get sponsorship for an H1-B visa. You're in competition with tens, even hundreds of people with skills in your field who don't need the company to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a visa and relocation costs.

ihe

Well I'm a new grad and I am not a PhD so I am obviously not one of the best in my field. On the other hand - machine learning is mathematical/statistical AI - so it's not an everyday dime a dozen IT skill - that applies both to demand and supply.

I have a J-1 for the summer so I won't need to be relocated as I will already be in the US.

I think the suggestions to go the educational route are good ones but it is a long commitment for one who is no longer in the flush of youth.

caleyjag

It's not necessarily as simple as that.

As for skills, nothing to stop you looking for work in the US- you never know what might pop up - but I think in the meantime you should concentrate on finding gainful employment in the UK to help your nurture niche skills and make a name for yourself. If you join an appropriate global firm in the UK you could potentially transfer on an L1 after a few years, if you are good at your job.

Either way I wouldn't knock the university route. There are no quick ways to get into the US, so you are going to have to take a long-term, 5-10 year plan no matter what you do.