PE H1B / green card

There are a lot of posts about recruiting for PE with H1B but not much info is out there on navigating through H1B and green card afterward. Understand there is likely only a handful of people who have gone down this path but would love to hear people's thoughts on the below and anything you think would be helpful to keep in mind. 

  • Do PE firms sponsor GC? If so, at what point would they do that?

  • How to think about different options after associate program with only 1-2 years left on H1B?

Thanks a lot in advance! 

 

My experience is that firms in general are more willing to sponsor you as you move up within their organization. Your superiors begin to view you as a key member of the team and want to invest in your growth, making GC sponsorship a nominal cost to pay in the grand scheme of things. If you have just a few years left on your visa, your best bet is to stick it out at your then-current firm, get your GC, and then decide whether you want to stay or leave.

 

bump - currently an analyst on h1b thinking about PE recruiting!!

 

got it 1st try so i was pretty lucky - this was before i started FT this past summer - at a BB

 

Thanks! If your associate program is 2-3 years and out, you will on the 3rd / 4th year of H1B at the end of the program. If you lateral recruit for Sr. asso / VP roles, would firms be receptive to candidates that will require GC sponsorship pretty soon? Or is the best option to go to business school or work in corporate instead? Don't mean to put you on the spot but just wondering if you might have some perspective. This is very helpful and really appreciate it!

 
Most Helpful

No worries. It is a sensitive item and I understand your concern. I would say if you are on a career track (2nd year Sr. Associate and onwards), the chance would be greater if they will sponsor you. Unfortunately, I would encourage to target a smaller firm where they don't have thousands of associates waiting for the job. Look, the cost of sponsoring you for a GC is not that much. It's like ~$20K if you don't use a big law firm but you have to prove to them that you are worth the money. 

 

TN Visa's list of occupations doesn't include IB or PE though I believe. Understand that there's an "Economist" and "Management Consultant" label though.

Could you walk through how the work authorization process would work for Canadians?

 

Canadians might qualify for TN, L or E visa, depending on how the employer is incorporated or how they normally do things. Canadians also get the benefit of all other visas that are for either family or self sponsorship.

Australians have E3.

Canadians should, in theory, have an easier time immigrating to the US. But when it comes to immigration nothing is ever really "easy".

 

you don't have to be Canadian to qualify for L-visa though right? don't you just have to work abroad for the same firm for a year then get relocated back to the US?

 

Quo quam dolorum at amet. Ipsum corrupti distinctio dolor ut. Ratione quo excepturi nostrum libero non. Ab id adipisci sed sunt assumenda. Consectetur ut quibusdam velit eos. Ipsam odit adipisci eligendi et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 99.0%
  • Blackstone Group 98.4%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 97.9%
  • Bain Capital 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.4%
  • Ardian 97.9%
  • Bain Capital 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Bain Capital 99.0%
  • Blackstone Group 98.4%
  • Warburg Pincus 97.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (21) $586
  • Vice President (92) $362
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (89) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (204) $268
  • 1st Year Associate (386) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (28) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (83) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (246) $122
  • Intern/Summer Associate (32) $82
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (313) $59
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”