That's not the case in practice. Many H-1B holders apply for permanent resident status (which after 5 years allows citizenship) via the employment-based immigra

That's not the case in practice. Many H-1B holders apply for permanent resident status (which after 5 years allows citizenship) via the employment-based immigration process (http://immigrationroad.com/green-card/immigration-flowchart-roadmap-to-green-card.php http://immigrationroad.com/green-card/immigration-flowchart-...). There are immigration law firms that specialize in maximizing your chances of success in this process, and many large tech employers have a support mechanism for this.