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What are effective approaches to getting a greencard/ having the flexibility to apply to any US based company to join the job market there? (I am based in the U

What are effective approaches to getting a greencard/ having the flexibility to apply to any US based company to join the job market there? (I am based in the UK with a British passport). Thank you for putting time and effort in this.

keerthiko 5y ago
For the typical (strong) passport holder, one of the most reliable routes is to get employment at an offshore office of a US-based company with significant international operations (eg: Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc). Working for their London office should be tenable. Once there, aim for a transfer to HQ or US-based office via the L1 visa (higher likelihood than other US employment visas). From there, with a UK passport you will have a much shorter/non-existent queue to apply for and be granted a green card (within 2-4 years of L1). From there, you have full employment (or non-employment!) flexibility within the US. The whole timeline should be about 4-8 years from getting your UK-based US-company job, which isn't short or quick, but far more reliable than many other options. If speed is the priority, you have to take some risks. - You can shoot to get an H1B but it's the biggest lottery shitshow. Large employers are generally unwilling to spend much effort on this these days, they may try once and then rescind the offer if the application fails. - You can try to start a business, raise US investment, and then qualify for IEP (see other thread here) - You can find a US-based cofounder(s), start a US-based business, and then try (probably multiple times) to file an H1B for yourself as an employee of your business. You must hold less than some % of the business to be above board. - Above, but try for an O1 instead of a H1. Lower chances, but more flexibility once you get it. Green card is an option immediately. - You can be an impressive individual by filling the criteria and apply for an O1.
proberts 5y ago
Short of qualifying for an O-1 visa, from a long-term standpoint, the best options are probably working for a company in the UK (ideally in a managerial capacity_ and then transferring on an L-1 visa to a related in the US (ideally also in a managerial position) or getting an H-1B visa but this is subject to a lottery and the odds continue to get worse.

keerthiko 5y ago

For the typical (strong) passport holder, one of the most reliable routes is to get employment at an offshore office of a US-based company with significant international operations (eg: Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc). Working for their London office should be tenable. Once there, aim for a transfer to HQ or US-based office via the L1 visa (higher likelihood than other US employment visas). From there, with a UK passport you will have a much shorter/non-existent queue to apply for and be granted a green card (within 2-4 years of L1). From there, you have full employment (or non-employment!) flexibility within the US. The whole timeline should be about 4-8 years from getting your UK-based US-company job, which isn't short or quick, but far more reliable than many other options. If speed is the priority, you have to take some risks. - You can shoot to get an H1B but it's the biggest lottery shitshow. Large employers are generally unwilling to spend much effort on this these days, they may try once and then rescind the offer if the application fails. - You can try to start a business, raise US investment, and then qualify for IEP (see other thread here) - You can find a US-based cofounder(s), start a US-based business, and then try (probably multiple times) to file an H1B for yourself as an employee of your business. You must hold less than some % of the business to be above board. - Above, but try for an O1 instead of a H1. Lower chances, but more flexibility once you get it. Green card is an option immediately. - You can be an impressive individual by filling the criteria and apply for an O1.

proberts 5y ago

Short of qualifying for an O-1 visa, from a long-term standpoint, the best options are probably working for a company in the UK (ideally in a managerial capacity_ and then transferring on an L-1 visa to a related in the US (ideally also in a managerial position) or getting an H-1B visa but this is subject to a lottery and the odds continue to get worse.