sneezy47

Dear all

Please can anyone help/advise me. I am a British Occupational Therapist (OT) who has completed & passed the American OT conversion exam via NBCOT. I also have a Visa Verification Certificate via the NBCOT & a Florida state license pending. However I understand that without a sponsor none of the above can be used. preventing me to be employed.
What I would like to know is
(1) As anyone else completed this process?
(2) if so did you find a sponsor?
(3) dO anyone know of a medical agencies who assists in obtaining H1B visa`s

I love my job as an OT & my clinical area is Stroke rehabilitation. I have taken a six month career break from my job in the UK to come to the USA on a tourist visa hoping to seek sponsorship & change my visa status....

Thank you in advanced to all who reply.

md95065

Do you actually have the "tourist visa" yet and, if not, what makes you think that you will get one?

alan280170

Do you actually get a 6 month toursit visa??? thought it was 90 days max on the waiver scheme.

GeoffM

Agencies might be able to find you a position but they certainly take a chunk of your wage packet for a couple of years while you're tied in to them. One quote I saw for my wife (critical care) was $28ph agency or $42ph employed direct - for the same position!.

I don't know if OT is part of the nursing retrogression (no visas available for perhaps a decade or more from now). That's different from H1B but recession may equally affect your chances there. After all, if there is an unemployed OT who can start work tomorrow with no visa hassles, why employ somebody from abroad who'll need visa sponsorship and several months before they start?

ian-mstm

Sorry, but it was a really bad idea to put your career on hold before you have a visa in your passport. Moreso in these hard economic times.


If you qualify for the Visa Waiver Program, you are unlikely to get a B-2 visa. The VWP will give you a maximum of 90 days in the US.


Just so you know, it is illegal to enter the US as a visitor with the intent to stay and adjust your status.

Ian

Noorah101

That's true, but I think what the OP had in mind is coming to the USA as a visitor, in hopes of finding an employer willing to hire him, then he could *change* his status to a work visa (not adjust status to permanent resident). That would be OK.

Rene

traceym

If you look at post 30 in this thread seems OP is here
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...=691136&page=2

sneezy47

Hi

Yes I am currently in the USA on a Six month tourist Visa

Best Wishes

sneezy47

Hi

I could have a 90 day waiver but I applied and got accepted for a B2 Tourist Visa

Best Wishes

sneezy47

Thanks GeoffM
Interesting to know about possible lock in with an agency..Not came across that before.

Thanks again

Best Wishes

sneezy47

Dear Ian-MSTM

I havent put my career on hold. I have taken a six month career break to

travel the USA, as a tourist. When I started the NBCOT process it was with a

few of possible immigrating to the USA. I know longer want to immigrate.

It is my understanding from the USA Immigration I dealt with that providing I

dont work it doesnt prevent me from looking for work & the future option to

change visa status. My plan is to return home at the end of my trip. I am

interested to establish if options of employment are viable & how difficult it is

to obtain a sponsor. As I feel that the information given by the NBCOT my be

mis-leading.

Best Wishes

tonrob

Bless you.

Bob

Find a job isn't the issue...it's finding someone who'll jump through hoops and spending several thousand to bother with sponsorship when there are thousands of bodies overly qualified, experienced and without the need for sponsorship and relocation that's the issue.

You can go looking for a job on a B2, but you can't accept a job and changing status isn't that easy nor without other issues even if you found one.

meauxna

How so?

scrubbedexpat099

and you have no idea?