Green card through employment

NMG97

is it possible to get a green card through employment if I have a honours or masters degree in computer science?

iusedtoknow

NMG97 wrote: »

is it possible to get a green card through employment if I have a honours or masters degree in computer science?

a few years down the line, yes it is - I just got mine granted after 3 years on a visa.

But first you have to find a job that will agree to sponsor you into the country, and also agree to sponsor your green card - the costs in total (i just saw the bill) was around 25000 including all filing and legal fees.

NMG97

iusedtoknow wrote: »

a few years down the line, yes it is - I just got mine granted after 3 years on a visa.

But first you have to find a job that will agree to sponsor you into the country, and also agree to sponsor your green card - the costs in total (i just saw the bill) was around 25000 including all filing and legal fees.

What degree do you have?

iusedtoknow

NMG97 wrote: »

What degree do you have?

Undergrad in Arts
MSc in MIS

NMG97

iusedtoknow wrote: »

Undergrad in Arts
MSc in MIS

How did you apply for the green card? And how did you get sponsored?

iusedtoknow

NMG97 wrote: »

How did you apply for the green card? And how did you get sponsored?

I didn't. My company did. There is no way (outside of green card lottery) to self sponsor yourself for anything in the US.

A high level view of how I got the green card

1. Started working for European wing of company
2. Saw a job in US and applied
3. Company went through process of interviewing US candidates and completing Department of Labor certification with salary etc
4. They filed for my visa (L1a - transfer visa)

The above took around 6 months and 10K

5. The company paid our moving costs
6. I had to wait 6 months before asking to start green card process

The process started after 1 year and it took a year to get all the paperwork through not only my company but also US authorities.

The L1 is only if you have worked for a company before moving to the states. The other visa is H1B but that is harder to get to green card than the L1a

NMG97

iusedtoknow wrote: »

I didn't. My company did. There is no way (outside of green card lottery) to self sponsor yourself for anything in the US.

A high level view of how I got the green card

1. Started working for European wing of company
2. Saw a job in US and applied
3. Company went through process of interviewing US candidates and completing Department of Labor certification with salary etc
4. They filed for my visa (L1a - transfer visa)

The above took around 6 months and 10K

5. The company paid our moving costs
6. I had to wait 6 months before asking to start green card process

The process started after 1 year and it took a year to get all the paperwork through not only my company but also US authorities.

The L1 is only if you have worked for a company before moving to the states. The other visa is H1B but that is harder to get to green card than the L1a

Thanks very much! Do you mind me asking what European company you work or worked for?

iusedtoknow

NMG97 wrote: »

Thanks very much! Do you mind me asking what European company you work or worked for?

I'm not going to say that - needless to say, most companies present in Ireland have American wings that you can transfer to if it is in their policy.

silja

It's usually big multi-nationals, often primarily US based, who sponsor these visas, such as Google, Microsoft, HP and so on.

Ponster

silja wrote: »

It's usually big multi-nationals, often primarily US based, who sponsor these visas, such as Google, Microsoft, HP and so on.

Though for the benefit of the OP, it doesn't always have to be. I got my L1 through Orange who have a US presence.

ProudDUB

It doesn't have to be a large multi national corporation. It just tends to be them more often than not, as they are generally the ones who have very deep pockets, as well as large in house legal departments. Their sheer size means that they can bear the brunt of the $5,000 to $10,000 sponsorship costs, as well as all the man hours & effort processing all the paperwork.

A small IT company could have the best will in the world to employ the OP and sponsor them for a visa/green card. But just like many other smallish firms, they shy away from hiring employees from over seas, once they find out the cost & effort involved.

Wompa1

Check out the H1-B visa, something Obama passed due to a dire need to qualified tech workers in the US.

iusedtoknow

Wompa1 wrote: »

Check out the H1-B visa, something Obama passed due to a dire need to qualified tech workers in the US.

you need to be sponsored by a hiring company or consulting agency. It is the same restrictions - you have to fill a need that can't be found in the US.

There are a limited numbers every year - it's a lottery that your company enters for you. If you are granted (there is a 1/3 chance) then you have to then go through the embassy interviews and move at the end of september

Cool Mo D

Wompa1 wrote: »

Check out the H1-B visa, something Obama passed due to a dire need to qualified tech workers in the US.

The H1-B has nothing to do with Obama, it's been around since the 70's.

dave2pvd

L1a is pretty good value for a US company.

Think about it, you're a known quantity, so there little financial risk. There are no headhunters to pay - which could be $30k on top of a $100k salary. Plus, while you're on the L1a, they can pay you less than the equivalent US worker....whom they already have a hard time finding.

So while it seems like deep pockets would be necessary, there may in fact be zero net cost to the company.

Hazys

iusedtoknow wrote: »

you need to be sponsored by a hiring company or consulting agency. It is the same restrictions - you have to fill a need that can't be found in the US.

There are a limited numbers every year - it's a lottery that your company enters for you. If you are granted (there is a 1/3 chance) then you have to then go through the embassy interviews and move at the end of september

1/4 chance this year (if you don't have a masters), with a lot of people applying more than once and getting the visa more than once, taking away the visas they don't take from other people...so less than 1/4 chance.

A complete mess of a system and totally unfair to honest people trying to work in the US, not to mention the ones who are currently working in the US and basically get deported because of missing out on a lottery...the only people who win are the lawyers.

lil_lisa

Repeat/extended H1Bs are not included in the inital 65,000 visas granted. Only new applications (i.e. new employee-employer relationship). I'm sure there are a few exceptions but very few.

Hazys

lil_lisa wrote: »

Repeat/extended H1Bs are not included in the inital 65,000 visas granted. Only new applications (i.e. new employee-employer relationship). I'm sure there are a few exceptions but very few.

Im not 100% sure if you are replying to me or not but anyway

I'm not talking about people extending their H1Bs. People who have never had a H1B applying multiple times in the same lottery and if they get it more than once, the additional visas won are wasted.

So even that there are 65,000 visas available in the lottery, less than 65,000 visas are used.

lil_lisa

Ah, I see what you're saying. I had no idea multiple applications could be put forward for the same individual. You're right, I'm sure that causes a lot of issues for people desperately trying to get a visa.