Hi everyone, can anyone share insights into the H1B process? I'm a senior in college now, and my employer says I'd need to use one year of OPT after graduation before they can file for me. I've been pushing back on this but they say that you need to have your bachelor's degree before filing, which I won't (graduating in May 2024).
Thanks!
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Unfortunately they are correct in this situation, you do need a Bachelor’s to qualify and apply, hopefully ur doing a stem degree and get 2 more extensions, else start with Canadian process rightaway
Why are you “pushing back”? H1B costs a lot of money for the sponsoring firm and some shops won’t do it for you unless you’re at least a VP/Director (if at all). It’s why only the largest institutions will even consider sponsoring, as smaller firms don’t have the financial resources (or time) to do so.
Like it or hate it, this is the US immigration system. I’d strongly advise you to stop “pushing back” (however you’re doing it) before you come off as too entitled and lose the offer. HR/Heads of Departments are looking for any reason to cut headcount these days and this could be one of them.
You are wrong my friend, know your facts please.
H1B barely costs between 3-5k per person,(max 10k under certain circumstances) the problem here is not money (for firms of any size), it’s a question of good intentions.
Candidates shouldn’t have to fight for it, although in this situation it sounds logical than he finish the degree to apply for it.
So many of the current wallstreet is run by H1Bs (outgoing MS CEO, current BofA head of CIB, outgoing Paco Ybarra of Citi to mention a few)
It is really PATHETIC that so many of the so called best names don’t even consider sponsoring, I remember HW, Greenhill did not even sponsor. SHAME on them…
This is incorrect. Monetary considerations is one of the top considerations: in particular, we need to hire law firms (depending on the employment law firm, Partners can charge $750-$1,000/hour) to handle the paperwork and any follow up correspondences from USCIS (and there are many). Total cost is way more than just the nominal application fee.
Not to mention, it’s a business risk and that’s also a direct monetary cost. We don’t want to hire people on OPT, train them up, and then just have them leave if they fail to get win the lottery. This has happened way too many times and it’s a direct disruption to our front office operations (it costs money to hire and train people). We once paid 5 figures to a headhunter and the poor guy had to quit (literally leave the country) after 16 months because he failed to win the H1B (he maxed out his STEM OPT) and didn’t have money to do an MBA in the country.
That’s why with all else equal, we hire local talent and not foreigners. It has nothing to do with xenophobia or discrimination. On a risk adjusted basis, it makes much more economical sense. These days, we only do the H1B for truly exceptional talents: last guy we did it for is a Cornell engineering grad and a top 5% finalist in the US Math Olympiad (in fact we actually filed for his wife and his kids as H1B dependents).
And I would also disagree with the “shame” part. No American firm is obligated to hire non-Americans. I would expect the same treatment if I were to apply for a job in the UK, Singapore, Japan, Germany or Hong Kong: no firm there is obligated to bend backwards and apply visas for me over locals. There is nothing wrong with only hiring domestic talent.
Sir the discussion here is about how the world actually is, not how you want it to be.
H1B is a pain in the ass for employers. Some of them decide it’s worthwhile, some don’t. It’s that simple.
Your employer is incorrect. They can apply for H1B while you are a senior in college - that’s what my bank did for me and every other international student across banks had this happen for them too.
This is factually correct not sure why the MS
lol they’re doing everything but answering the damn question.
They can apply for an H1b before you graduate. By that I mean start the process. To get an H1b you need your bachelor in hand. But the process starts with the lottery in mid March and you don’t need your degree for that. So generally your company would put your name in for the lottery a few months before you graduate (assuming you graduate in May) and if selected, they have like a 3-4 month window to submit all the paperwork for the visa. By this time you’d have your degree in hand. A lot of firms start sponsorship when you are a last semester senior cause that way, assuming you have stem opt, you’ll get 4 shots at getting the H1b.
Source: Me. I went through this exact thing.
I too would caution against pushing too much. Tread at your own risk
Exactly - this is the right answer.
Thank you! Did you go through on-cycle recruiting? How do you handle it without H1B, assuming you didn't get it on the first try?
Also, I'm not gonna be based in NYC (tier 2 city). How should I handle the situation without pissing off my current firm? Should I just wait for off-cycle?
sorry can’t help you there bud, not at that kinda place. I’m sure there should be some kinda guidance on that here.
Same - my employer applied on my behalf for the lottery while I was a senior this spring!
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