[flagged]
We advise them to comply with all laws.
I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
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Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#12[flagged]
This is a very loaded question. I’m not sure what type of answer you expect to get.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#13I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: years ago, Peter helped me secure authorization to become employee #1 at one of the most successful AI companies to come out of YC. Without his advice, I honestly don’t think I’d have the career I have today. Since then, he has guided me and many friends through complex immigration processes, always flawlessly and on time. I’d strongly recommend listening to his advice and…
Thanks. That's very kind of you. I hope that all is well.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#14[flagged]
Please don't waste community time and space by posting unsubstantive comments.
Edit: Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments and flamebait generally? You've unfortunately been doing it repeatedly, and we've already asked you more than once not to.
If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd be grateful.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#15Have there been any meaningful changes in denial rates, processing times, or petitioning processes for L1 visas?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#16The current administration has made it very hard for tech workers to get perm status. Many larger companies are no longer sponsoring perm applications for workers on h1-bs because it is so difficult to meet the new requirements. Which of the new requirements is the most difficult for companies to meet and have you seen any creative solutions, especially for smaller companies and startups trying to get their H1-B folk…
The challenges I see with green card applications now are not with PERM applications (yet) but with EB1A and NIW applications. The primary stumbling blocks for PERM applications are layoffs, which require companies to suspend and pause the PERM process. This is a big issue with big tech because of the constant downsizing over the past couple of years.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#17Our small company offers a remote paid mentorship for students anywhere in the world - often times, international students in the US want to apply but then there’s substantial confusion on whether they can be paid without jeopardizing their status. The stipends we pay are all 1099 and it’s mostly self-directed work so we’re a bit at a loss in regards to the CPT/OPT qualifications. Many end up forgoing their stipend which sucks for students in an expensive place.
Any thoughts there?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#18What are you seeing with the new $100k H1B fee? Is it being applied only to people currently outside the US? Do you have any estimates on whether it's likely to be renewed in September and/or struck down?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#19Hi Peter, have you noticed either increased processing times or denial rates of N400 applications? I know about several people waiting to have a citizenship interview scheduled for 12 months or even longer, this seems out of the ordinary. Thank you!
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#20What's the best path from zero to a fully legal status (visa first I imagine, but eventually citizenship) in the US for someone coming over from the Western Balkans (non-EU), with a bachelors degree in EE or CS and no prior work experience? Thanks for doing this.
The options are limited: an H-1B for employment (which involves an annual lottery), an F-1 for schooling, or a J-1 for internship/training (which requires a "host" company/employer).
OP didn't state their exact country, but E-2 visa may be applicable. It's not just for investors/business starters. Companies that are privately owned by people from E-2 countries can transfer/hire citizens from other E-2 countries. Probably the most realistic option for a junior/mid-level developer IMO. See if your country is an E-2 country and apply to companies that qualify. E-2 is a non-immigrant visa so moving onto green card is more difficult but not impossible.
There's also the L1B Company transfer, if you work for a company with offices in the US and they would be able to transfer you after a year. Bit of a gamble to find a company that would be willing to do this though, and you gotta work for probably years to find out.
H-1B, if you're not already in the US has a 100k fee attached to it. Though AFAIK that was a proclamation that expires at some point, but probably won't. So it's really not an option for 99% of people.
I'm not a lawyer, so definitely verify what i say, but i'm pretty sure these are also valid options.