jen25

Hi

I am going to be studying in a florida college as a medical/surgical assistant in April this year. I went out there and was interviewed and thought the college seemed nice and the people were friendly. They told me I will be state registered as a medical tech after I have completed the course, and will do the paperwork necessary for me to get that.
After I graduate I will have an Associates Degree.
Just so you know - I do also have ten years nursing experience in hospitals in the UK, but I'm not actually a registered nurse in the UK.
My cousin lives in florida now and I will stay with her and their family while I am studying.

I have all my paperwork through from the US immigration people now and my
F-1 Visa. It states that I am allowed to be in the US 30 days before I start my course. So it's all systems go.

My F-1 visa is for 3 years, even though my course is only 2 years overall.
The college have told me (during my interview) that on average the students that graduate with them have about a 90% success rate of getting a job after graduation which I thought was pretty good.
Obviously I am syudying there because I want to actually work and eventually be able to live in the US permanently after my graduation. The work would be possibly in either a plastic surgeons practice or in a hospital. Of course I would be glad to accept anything for a start just to get work experience. I know it's not exactly high tech rocket science, but it is a career.

My questions are
Will I have problems changing to an H1-B visa (or should I try an H1-C) after I graduate?
Will the Associates degree be enough to get it and a sponsorship?
And in the opinion of anyone that has experience in this, will I be able to get a job that will eventually lead to a greencard?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Jen

My

dreamercon

I would be much more skeptical about your chances of finding employment after your graduation in the US. Getting a four year nursing degree would provide a much better chance of finding employment, though this is still far from guaranteed. There are countless international students that have graduated from top US schools and couldn't find jobs - in fact, the majority.

Ozzidoc

The only hope that you have is falling madly in love with a local and getting a green card through the fact that you're married to a US Cit.

You dont have a hope in hell in getting a job in the USA with the background you have and the course that you're intending to do.

Sorry.

jen25

So getting the H1-B or H1-C is unlikely?
The college almost said that with their foreign students there is usually not a problem, and that a lot of their students are from overseas, especiallly as there is a shortage of nurses. In fact they have a lady that helps with the paperwork on the visa's.
I suppose I have 2 years to try and work things out.

Not sure that I could do a 4 year degree, or that I qualify to do one.
I could also get my courses and qalifications from the UK transcripted.

jen25

You're certain of that? So the college is actually misleading me?

Maybe I ought to just use the times when I'm not studying as a 2 year way to meet a citizen then?

scrubbedexpat099

H1 B is possible, but you do not seem to meet the educational requirements

Not just meet, you need to go a bit further....

elliep

I would seriously reconsider doing a 4 year degree- you should be able to transfer to a 4 year school after your Associates degree and will be in a better position to apply for jobs.

I'm on an F1 and would like to work afterwards but I'm not kidding myself as to how hard it is; Once I've completed my 4 year degree, I'll do an MBA and take my CPA exams as something I can fall back on if law school doesn't work out. In total it will probably take me 6 years or more to be in a position that I would even consider applying for jobs, even then, I'm not overly optimistic.

Once you're over here, get socializing with the locals

jen25

Thanks for your advice!
Even more school after 2 years doesn't sound fun to me though....
Ok, I think i can do the socializing thing without too much problem

jen25

Yes, that's what was worrying me after looking at all the information out there and on the USCIS site... that an Associates Degree might not be enough.
Wonder why the college didn't just point that out, instead of saying that it shouldn't be a problem.

fatbrit

Yep!

A good clue with a private college recruiter is if you spot their lips moving.

Scott33

It sounds more like there is a miscommunication somewhere. Colleges tend not to arrange visas for foreigners, nor do they know the lengthy process involved in obtaining them. All they are looking for, is that you are in the country legally and allowed to undertake study at their institution.

Did the college happen to mention how many of those foreign students who don't have a problem, already have family in the US, or were allowed to reside by other means not available to UKCs?

Like you say, you have plenty of time to look at your visa options for employment while you are here studying. I agree though about the comments that socialisation should be one of your main priorities - as your qualification will be not be visa-worthy on its own.

Good luck.

Silverdragon102

There isn't a shortage of nurses no matter what people tell you, many US nurses are struggling for work and there are also many foreign nurses waiting in a long long queue due to retrogression.

Duncan Roberts

Sounds like a weird choice you are making. Spending a crap load of money on a qualification that won't get you into the US and likely won't mean a whole lot in the UK. Are you sure you are thinking with your head and not with your heart? Also, just so you know, US education is a business. They are after as many students as possible and will have a sales pitch to get that business.

DeanUK2US

Yeah, I have a cousin who is training to be a ward nurse in NYC and is a USC... jobs are a little tight out there and she is having to work her ass off to prove herself.

Not promising for a non-USC, IMO.

jen25

Well it's not exactly "a crap load of money" as such, but I do see what you're getting at.
The thing is as part of the course, I'll do a 6 month externship at a hospital or doctors clinic. I was hoping that I could make an impression in there in that time and maybe they'd see how good I was and want to hire me at the end of it?
Like I said, I've been nursing in the UK for a long time and have qualifications that the college say would cancel out some parts of the course if I was to have them transcribed.
Am I thinking with my head and not my heart? You know.... that is a good point. At the moment I'm not sure. What I know is that from what I've read and what people have said here, I'm a little concerned that I stand a good chance of NOT getting an H1-B (or C) afterwards.
I was under the impression that hospitals here didn't have to pay fees to the US government for sponsoring nurses, and that made it more feasable for them. Now I suppose someone is going to tell me that's not true either. See in the UK that's how it works.
Thanks for the tip on the sales pitch that colleges have too. I wasn't aware of that.

Would it be ok if I was to private message you in the future for advice?