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As a european developer and HN reader I've recently been wondering how feasible it is to move to the states after I finished university. It seems the general t

As a european developer and HN reader I've recently been wondering how feasible it is to move to the states after I finished university. It seems the general trend would be something in the like of getting a visa, start looking for a job and be lucky your employer can get you a green card. After this 5 years of living in the states before you can become an American citizen. Please do correct me if I'm wrong!

ropiku 13y ago
H-1B is an employer sponsored visa, valid only for working on a specific job (though it's possible to transfer to a different employer) so it's getting a job first then getting a visa. Then your employer can sponsor your green card application. Depending on the level you apply/qualify for you wait 1-6 years for a green card.
- larrybolt 13y ago
  What exactly does that mean, the level you apply/qualify for? Does it depend on your education or merely on how much your employer put into it? Because 6 years waiting for a green card, after which another 5 years before you can apply for citizenship and keeping in mind the economy changes trough the years.
  - potatolicious 13y ago
    Short answer: all of the above. The most important factor here is your preference category when applying for a green card. There are 3 buckets, EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3, in decreasing order of desirability. Which bucket you fall into is a combination of your degree(s) and your relevant work experience. Each bucket has a longer wait than the previous. The second factor is your country of origin - the system is quota'ed based on it, so the more applicants coming from your country of origin the longer the line is. For the most part this is a minor factor except if you're from China or India, in which case you're pretty fucked. I believe (though I'm not sure) there are also other ways to expedite processing for $$$, but this mostly surrounds various form filings that can otherwise take months to process. The actual line itself cannot be shortened.
agilebyte 13y ago
Yup. An easier route would be to get hired in Europe working for a company that has a branch in US and then do a transfer. Yet another alternative is to start your own company in US and invest about half a million $ (officially, unofficially have seen it done for 100k). Yet another alternative would be to get a job in academia that has H1B uncapped.

ropiku 13y ago

H-1B is an employer sponsored visa, valid only for working on a specific job (though it's possible to transfer to a different employer) so it's getting a job first then getting a visa. Then your employer can sponsor your green card application. Depending on the level you apply/qualify for you wait 1-6 years for a green card.

larrybolt 13y ago
What exactly does that mean, the level you apply/qualify for? Does it depend on your education or merely on how much your employer put into it? Because 6 years waiting for a green card, after which another 5 years before you can apply for citizenship and keeping in mind the economy changes trough the years.
- potatolicious 13y ago
  Short answer: all of the above. The most important factor here is your preference category when applying for a green card. There are 3 buckets, EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3, in decreasing order of desirability. Which bucket you fall into is a combination of your degree(s) and your relevant work experience. Each bucket has a longer wait than the previous. The second factor is your country of origin - the system is quota'ed based on it, so the more applicants coming from your country of origin the longer the line is. For the most part this is a minor factor except if you're from China or India, in which case you're pretty fucked. I believe (though I'm not sure) there are also other ways to expedite processing for $$$, but this mostly surrounds various form filings that can otherwise take months to process. The actual line itself cannot be shortened.

agilebyte 13y ago

Yup. An easier route would be to get hired in Europe working for a company that has a branch in US and then do a transfer. Yet another alternative is to start your own company in US and invest about half a million $ (officially, unofficially have seen it done for 100k). Yet another alternative would be to get a job in academia that has H1B uncapped.