Job offer but what now?

rayjen2k

Hi guys.
It's probably been done a million times but here I go.
Lost my job a few months ago and started thinking about immigration to USA.
I got talking to a second cousin of mine who lives near NYC and it turns out a good friend of his owns a cnc/tool making factory and can't get good staff to train in.
I sold my car and flew over to meet the guy, all went very well with him (I filled him full of beer) and he's interested in taking me on.
Only problem is, none of us seem to know what or who to talk to next.
I don't have any college degrees and I'm in my early thirtys.
I would love to get residency over there, but maybe I'm better off trying to get some sort of one year visa and see how I go from there.
Anyone have any ideas that might help?

avalon68

Sorry to say its not that simple. Not really sure a visa exists for this. Maybe a h1b? Unlikely without a college degree though. In any case, the quota for these is filled for the year, so you couldn't apply for one until April, and it wouldn't activate until next October. It also costs the employer quite a lot of money to sponsor one of these visas so they might not be willing to do that anyway. I would think your best bet is to keep doing the greencard lottery.....long shot, but still a shot.

Cushie Butterfield

The DV Lottery may be your best bet - as avalon68 says it's a long shot, but definitely worth a shot, plus would be a lot less hassle & if you were lucky enough to get picked you would get a permanent resident card.

It looks as if US employers looking for skilled workers in the manufacturing industry are doing so through the H1B Visa Program (usually used for employment of highly skilled workers in short supply who have a bachelor's degree or higher and/or a proven work record in the given speciality. The H1B is a non-immigrant visa & can only be obtained for a maximum of 6 years, but at that stage some other avenue leading to permanent residency may have become available.

The employer must demonstrate that the position is one requiring a professional in a specialty occupation and that the intended employee has the required qualifications. So a lot would depend on firstly the job being viewed by USCIS as a speciality occupation to begin with, & secondly that there is an existing shortage of US citizens/Lawful Permanent Residents to fill the position. The number of H1B visas issued each year is subject to a cap that is determined by US Congress. The current H1B cap is set at 65,000 (there are further numbers available & cap-exempt positions, but this is not relevant to you.

The employer must also meet the Department of Labor ("DOL") requirements and file Form I-129 ("H-1B petition") with the USCIS for permission to employ the foreign national. Each petition may only include one worker. Prior to filing the H-1B petition with the USCIS, an employer must file a labor condition application ("LCA") with the Department of Labor.

The list of Types of Jobs and Professions that qualify for the H1B Visa Program is HERE

The requirements to qualify for an H1B visa are:

You must have ONE of the following

1) A Bachelor's degree or Masters Degree (or the foreign equivalent degree from your Country), OR

2) 12 years work experience, OR

3) A mix of further education (e.g 2 year Degree/Diploma) plus six years work experience.


The H1B visa requirements are the same for everyone, from every Country.

The general H1B visa qualification rule is:
- for every 1 year of studies at University / College = 3 points
- for every 1 year of work experience = 1 point

12 points in total are required to qualify for the H1B visa program.

I don't know how the above fits in with any education or work experience that you may have, or indeed if your potential employer would be approved under the program, or whether you would even qualify to be petitioned for, but it's a starting point for your research.

rayjen2k

Cushie Butterfield wrote: »

The DV Lottery may be your best bet - as avalon68 says it's a long shot, but definitely worth a shot, plus would be a lot less hassle & if you were lucky enough to get picked you would get a permanent resident card.

It looks as if US employers looking for skilled workers in the manufacturing industry are doing so through the H1B Visa Program (usually used for employment of highly skilled workers in short supply who have a bachelor's degree or higher and/or a proven work record in the given speciality. The H1B is a non-immigrant visa & can only be obtained for a maximum of 6 years, but at that stage some other avenue leading to permanent residency may have become available.

The employer must demonstrate that the position is one requiring a professional in a specialty occupation and that the intended employee has the required qualifications. So a lot would depend on firstly the job being viewed by USCIS as a speciality occupation to begin with, & secondly that there is an existing shortage of US citizens/Lawful Permanent Residents to fill the position. The number of H1B visas issued each year is subject to a cap that is determined by US Congress. The current H1B cap is set at 65,000 (there are further numbers available & cap-exempt positions, but this is not relevant to you.

The employer must also meet the Department of Labor ("DOL") requirements and file Form I-129 ("H-1B petition") with the USCIS for permission to employ the foreign national. Each petition may only include one worker. Prior to filing the H-1B petition with the USCIS, an employer must file a labor condition application ("LCA") with the Department of Labor.

The list of Types of Jobs and Professions that qualify for the H1B Visa Program is HERE

The requirements to qualify for an H1B visa are:

You must have ONE of the following

1) A Bachelor's degree or Masters Degree (or the foreign equivalent degree from your Country), OR

2) 12 years work experience, OR

3) A mix of further education (e.g 2 year Degree/Diploma) plus six years work experience.


The H1B visa requirements are the same for everyone, from every Country.

The general H1B visa qualification rule is:
- for every 1 year of studies at University / College = 3 points
- for every 1 year of work experience = 1 point

12 points in total are required to qualify for the H1B visa program.

I don't know how the above fits in with any education or work experience that you may have, or indeed if your potential employer would be approved under the program, or whether you would even qualify to be petitioned for, but it's a starting point for your research.

Wow. Well written guys
Bit depressed but at least I know what I'm up against.
Although I half expected that this is what the answer would be, I was really hoping there might be something else.
I have a few years experience in the field, but no degrees which would leave me short of the 12 points required.
Back to the drawing board
Thanks guys.