This is true, unfortunately - at my last company two of us (me a Kiwi, the other guy was British) were being sponsored for an H1B. I got one and sadly he didn't

This is true, unfortunately - at my last company two of us (me a Kiwi, the other guy was British) were being sponsored for an H1B. I got one and sadly he didn't. The major differences between the two of us was that I had a comp sci degree, while his was in design and 3d animation, which weren't considered to be highly skilled / in demand enough. But if you don't have a degree you will definitely struggle for an H1B, as it's part of validating your visa-worthiness - my degree was certified as US equivalent by a professor at US university. Also, you need a lawyer who specialises in this stuff - the application is labyrinthine.