H3 Visa
 

I guess I should post this on the Immigration site also, but everyone seems so knowledgeable here too, I thought I would run this past you and find out what anyone knows....

My J1 expires October 2005, and my employer wanted me to try for H1B but of course it is a long shot as I don't have a degree and was going to try on the 12 yr work experience route, but after doing lots of research, it seems it is not going to be too realistic. In the last few weeks, I got accepted on a 2 yr MS research study in St Louis, MO, and am going to get a free MRI 7 times a year, the drugs for the whole term (had those anyway) so as you can see, I have more reason than just my job to stay here now... I can't possibly imagine going home, it's amazing to me how settled i feel now, my boss is amazing, have girlfriends that are just like my best friends at home too :) and there is a new man on the horizon LOL. ANyways, enuf about that!

Another attorney mentioned the H3 visa to my boss saying that this may be a possible route for me to go down - my boss and his "friends" in the business know little about immigration law, simply that they had a friend who had an employee come in this way. Seems the H3 is another "trainee" visa... they are willing to pay for me to go to college/uni to do a paralegal course, or if necessary a degree to help me get the H1 eventually - although H3 is only valid for 2 yrs. There seems very little info out there about it - and I keep thinking something is bound to not apply to me - it requires a strucutred trianing plan, class hours etc - and the US employer to state what benefit they are getting out of it etc. There is no limit to the amount of H3s you can have, unlike J1 although I am sure you woudl have a hard time saying you needed that amount of training LOL.

Any thoughts - or knowledge about this category? I have been trying to find stats on the cap (if any) and processing times, and if I would simply have to apply for adjustment of status and apply for this - should I do it now, or wait till closer to expiry of J1 to maximise length of time here?

Thanks :)