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Engineer's Guide to US Visas

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Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#91

Post by raverbashing »

bertil wrote: post #71
davidw wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree those things are less than optimal in the US, but at a personal level: 1) The visa stuff is a PITA, but if you are in a situation where you can tell some company to deal with it, it shouldn't be too bad. 2) You get pretty good health care working for most companies in the US as a programmer. If you lose your job, you can presumably relocate to where you were before that has a different health care system.

Most European countries have a health-care system that depends on you being part of the system: children of someone insured, student, employee, spouse, unemployed who was employed before and often manager of a company. Having worked abroad and recently coming into the country after non paying taxes (with presumably your life in disarray because the company you dedicated yourself too fired you, closed or proved to be…

In Germany if you are hired by a company you join the public health system (through a "public" health insurance company), you can pick a private insurer if you earn more than 5k€ per month if I'm not mistaken

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#92

Post by janantala »

tmich wrote: post #85

This thread seems like an excellent opportunity to ask for some advice. I'm a British software engineer based in London, while my girlfriend of 3 and a half years is an American working for a publishing company in NYC. We've been trying to work out whether we think the relationship will work out in the long term, but the only time we've ever been in the same city for more than 3 weeks was the 6 month stint we were at…

marry her

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#93

Post by turnip1979 »

DrJokepu wrote: post #86
raverbashing wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes I suppose one can make 100k in the valley. And pay how much again for rent? The pay and the opportunities are better, but they may not be significantly better to justify it. In the valley it looks like everything will get an angel round if it stands still long enough or go to enough CV meetings but it is not all there is to life or a career.

Rent is a day-to-day concern that does not matter in long term. Opportunities give you access to experience, connections and reputation that will stay will stack up and stay with you throughout your entire career. To put it other way: resources sunk into cost of living add up linearly over time, the benefits of (exploited) opportunities get amplified and yield exponential results over the years. You want to go for th…

I disagree. Day to day concerns are exactly what turn into 5-10 year issues. Non-software people get shocked when they hear you make over 100K and can't save much. I do agree that part of it is that what we take for being a normal standard of living is pretty up there. But still ... I find it sad/messed up that after working for 5+ years in a high income, high rent part of the country, I am no closer to buying a house/condo. I just have 50K in the bank. About 100K in retirement. Makes me want to cry :'(

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#94

Post by maccman »

kartikkumar wrote: post #31

This is the main reason I've given up. It's not an effective use of anyone's time to wade through the US immigration mess. My J-1 visa expired last October. I was in SF for my PhD research on a J-1 and had to suddenly return to Europe last April due to unforeseen family circumstances. I was in the process of filing for a waiver when I was in SF and had a long call with someone at Google about a position I'd applied f…

It sounds like you may be eligible for the O1 visa.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#95

Post by MRSallee »

nodemaker wrote: post #44
jbarham wrote: post #38

I'm Canadian and worked for over four years a software engineer in SoCal on work visas (TN then H1B). My wife, an Aussie and high school teacher with several years of teaching experience in top international schools in Asia, couldn't legally work in the US. So she volunteered teaching ESL at a local adult school. Ironically many of her students were Hispanics who had originally entered the US illegally. Doubly ironic…

Similar story here. Indian citizen with a US masters degree. Left after working in the US for a year, travelled around SE Asia ,and then moved to Amsterdam! Can choose to work four days a week, have side projects and take 26 days of vacation a year. H1B is totally a sucker's game.

You both mentioned being able to do side projects. Do US visas prohibit that?

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#96

Post by artmageddon »

Can someone further explain the dual-intent portion of this? I'm a US citizen and my girlfriend, who is from Iran, is working toward her PhD in CS here in the States. Currently, she's on a F-1 visa(the site says it's not dual-intent), and would like to remain in the states after she completes her studies to work at a US company(most likely in the valley). This caught my eye as a point of concern, so if anyone can elaborate it'd be greatly appreciated:

"If you're not on a dual intent visa then you may be asked to prove that you have significant ties to your home country, and no intent to reside in the US permanently or apply for a green card."

It's worth mentioning we will probably marry before she completes her PhD.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#97

Post by a-priori »

davidw wrote: post #55
buro9 wrote: post #26

There are two things that give me serious pause about living and working in the USA, and that have made me not pursue or accept opportunities that I've been offered in Seattle and San Francisco. 1) Visas & immigration 2) Health

I agree those things are less than optimal in the US, but at a personal level: 1) The visa stuff is a PITA, but if you are in a situation where you can tell some company to deal with it, it shouldn't be too bad. 2) You get pretty good health care working for most companies in the US as a programmer. If you lose your job, you can presumably relocate to where you were before that has a different health care system.

Speaking as a Canadian on #2, I have a couple problems there that prevent me even considering moving to the States:

1) My wife has a chronic health problem. What guarantee do I have that if she needed treatment, for that or something else, that insurance wouldn't find a way to weasel out of covering it? Also, eventually I would lose coverage under OHIP, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, after an extended absence (1-2 years? not sure exactly), so going back to Canada for treatment would not be an option forever.

2) My health insurance would be covered and sponsored by my employer. I'm already dependent on my employer for my income. In my mind, also depending on them for health care coverage is putting too many eggs in one basket.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#98

Post by botolo »

tn13 wrote: post #14

Please note that spouse can not do any consulting for home company. Spouse can do no productive work.

You're right. I have been a spouse of an H1B holder and I could not do anything, not even volunteering or starting my own business. Before doing any of this, please get the assistance of an immigration lawyer. Doing something wrong under your current visa can jeopardize future visas you may receive one day.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#99

Post by syntern »

huherto wrote: post #70
jbarham wrote: post #38

I'm Canadian and worked for over four years a software engineer in SoCal on work visas (TN then H1B). My wife, an Aussie and high school teacher with several years of teaching experience in top international schools in Asia, couldn't legally work in the US. So she volunteered teaching ESL at a local adult school. Ironically many of her students were Hispanics who had originally entered the US illegally. Doubly ironic…

Your situation is special because you were married to an Australian. How would it be if she was a US citizen? It would probably be easier for you to legally work in the US than in Australia.

Married to a US citizen seems to be more an exception than the rule, as most H1B folks I know (incl. myself) move with their wife.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#100

Post by falsestprophet »

This is a guide to US visa fraud.

Software developers are expressly excluded from the TN visa program. If you show up at the Canadian border as an American or the American border as a Canadian and announce you intend to work as a software developer, you will not be admitted. Of course many commit fraud and represent themselves as "Computer Systems Analysts" or "Management Consultants."

L1B visas are meant for those who possess special knowledge of "the petitioning organization’s product, service, research, equipment, techniques, management, or other interests and its application in international markets, or an advanced level of knowledge or expertise in the organization’s processes and procedures." If you announce you intend to work as a software developer you will not be admitted.

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