As another non-citizen I'll add that I'm a 'full time' employee (in an "at will" state) and not on a contract. My visa expires 2 years from issuance but can be

As another non-citizen I'll add that I'm a 'full time' employee (in an "at will" state) and not on a contract. My visa expires 2 years from issuance but can be renewed (from an embassy outside the US). Like the H1B, I cannot remain in the US if I lose my employment but also like the H1B I can transfer my visa to a new employer. I'm on a country specific visa though so my experience may differ from others. Notably, my visa class doesn't have a 'lottery'.