Maximize Your H-1B Chances . . . and What to do if You Don’t Win the Lottery● Job Search Tips● 12 Work Visa Choices -- not JUST the H-1B
Knowledge = Power
Art Serratelli, PartnerSerratelli Mijal PLLC
Immigration Attorneys-at-Lawwww.smimmigrationlaw.com | 757.333.7513 | [email protected]
Art Serratelli: Your Guest Speaker
Resume (is there really ... a … career “path?”)
● BSBA (summa cum laude): Georgetown University● “Big 8” Certified Public Accountant 1984-86● MBA: University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of
Business Administration 1986-88● Financial Analyst 1988-90● JD (w/ honors): George Washington University
National Law Center 1990-93● Vandeventer Black LLP
○ Government Contracts Lawyer 1993 - 1999○ Partner & Chair, Immigration Law Group 1999 - 2015
● Serratelli Mijal PLLC 2015 - Present
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Socialize on Google+ . . .
. . . aaaaaand, on Instagram!
TRUMP: Fact vs. Fiction
● Don’t Rely on the Media: ○ They Get the Details Wrong, and often○ They Report on Leaked Drafts as if They Were Final
● Go to the Source○ White House Press Room○ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/executi
ve-orders
● Immigration EOs as of 11.12.2017○ Build Wall / End Catch & Release / Hire More Feds / No Sanctuary
Cities○ Broadens “Criminal Acts” by the Undocumented ○ Muslim 90 day Travel Ban / Refugee Program Halt (ver 1.0)○ Muslim 90 Day Travel Ban / Refugee Program Halt (ver 2.0)○ Buy American & Hire American (“H-1B Reform”)○ Muslim Travel Ban (ver 3.0)
Goal: Green Card
● Employment Based○ F-1 / OPT○ Work Visa○ Green Card
● Family: Immediate Relative ○ USC Spouse & Parents
● Family: Preference Relative● DV Lottery ( www.travel.state.gov )● Asylum / RefugeeOur focus -- Employment Based Path to the Green Card
A Word About Marriage
L-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-v
● If you are in L-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-v with an American, seriously consider this option!
● We are using 1965 rules in the 21st Century . . . Old Fashioned, but Helpful if you are in L-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-v
● But you gotta be in L-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-v
○ Marriage Fraud = Crime = Jail & then Deportation
Overview: Employment Based Path
OPT: 12 Month Original OPT RulesTypes of Work Allowed
ASK YOUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADVISOR: Don’t Ask a Lawyer!●● 90 Day Rule: TYPES OF WORK ALLOWED ON OPT
○ Paid work■ Evidence: W-2 Tax Form From Employer■ Evidence: File a Tax Return
○ Self-employment (entrepreneur)■ Evidence: Paid as a 1099 Contractor ■ Evidence: Sole Proprietor or LLC■ Evidence: Business License; File a Tax Return
○ Unpaid Intern■ “Can't work for free” (DOL Rules■ Evidence: letter from employer
OPT: 12 Month Original OPT / THEN OPT STEM Extension
● 12 Original OPT Obtained First, THEN● Science Technology Engineering & Math
(STEM) Extension = Additional 24 Months○ IF STEM &
○ IF E-Verify Employer,
○ THEN 12 +24 = 36 Months of OPT NEW!
Find OPT STEM E-Verify Employers
myvisajobs.com E-Verify Employer Search Tool:http://www.myvisajobs.com/E-Verify.aspx
USCIS E-Verify Employer Search Tool:http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/about-program/e-verify-employers-search-tool
STEM OPT Extension RulesASK YOUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADVISOR: Don’t Ask a Lawyer!
https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub
Employment-Based Immigration“Normal Process:” OPT, WORK VISA, then Green Card
F-1 Student:In School
No Longer a Student:
WORK VISA
F-1 Student:
Graduation
F-1 Student:
OPT
GREEN CARD
Employment-Based: Country SpecificGoal: OPT, WORK VISA, then Green Card
F-1 Student:In School
No Longer a Student:
WORK VISA
F-1 Student:
Graduation
F-1 Student:
OPT
WORK VISA TYPES* H-1B / “LOTTERY”* L-1A / L-1B* H-1B * “NO LOTTERY”* G-Visa* R-1* E-3* TN* E-1 / E-2* O-visa* P-visa* A-visa* I-visa
Know Your Work Visa Options EARLY (to guide your job search)
Look for Jobs That Qualify You for Many Work Visas
Work Visa Options: Available After Student Status Country Specific
Country Specific Work Visa Options For Students
Click Here: Google Drive Link1OQ_NHia4ootR_OVtmXzSS5WCoz8Za65wHEGn5m
USCIS & U.S. Department of State Resources
● WORK VISA TYPES (those listed in the bottom-right “oval,” prior slide) DEFINED:
● USCIS○ https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/tempora
ry-nonimmigrant-workers
● U.S. Department of State○ https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/employment.
html
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Point #1 Blow-off the H-1B, if you can!
●
● GOAL For STEM Majors (Industry or Academia)○ Get Green Card DURING 36 months of OPT . . . &
try the “Lottery” H-1B as a back-up (if possible) ●
○ HOW: Find E-Verify Employers to Get OPT & STEM OPT Extension
●
● (12 + 24 = 36 mo) ⇒ Directly to Green Card○ Green Card: Employer Sponsored or
Self-Sponsored
● Wait Times: India & China
Point #1: The Green Card on STEM OPT
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Point #2
● For Jobs in Industry
● GOAL For Everyone (non-STEM & STEM):
○ 3 Best Choices / See Details: Upcoming Slides■ PLAN A:
● H-1B Cap-Covered: “Lottery”
■ PLAN B:● L-1A / L-1B: For employers with offices outside the USA
■ PLAN C:● H-1B Cap-Exempt: “No Lottery” & G-Visa
○ Green Card: Not one “set” path
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Point #3
● For Jobs in Academia (PhD + Post-Doc)
● GOAL For Everyone (non-STEM & STEM):
○ ACADEMIA = BEST! See Details: Upcoming Slides■ PLAN A:
● H-1B Cap-Exempt: “No Lottery” ● THEN:
○ Tenure Track: University/College Sponsored Green Card
○ Post-Doc: Self-Sponsored Green Card
■ PLAN B:● There is NO Plan B required . . .
Maximize Your H-1B Chances: Point #4 Brainstorm with the Career Center
● Everyone (non-STEM & STEM): Career Center Plan! ● OPT ⇒ Work Visa ⇒ Green Card
○ http://www.goinglobal.com/○ www.myvisajobs.com
● NETWORK! GET OFF CAMPUS! MEET PEOPLE!
● Human Beings Give Jobs to Other Human Beings --○ Don’t send resumes to HR or websites without
dealing with a Human First
● Job Applications & Job Interviews
Talk About Maximize H-1B / L-1 / Other Visa Chances: Ask Your Career Center: http://www.goinglobal.com/
Talk About Maximize H-1B Chances: The Next Best (& Free) Thing
○ www.myvisajobs.com
Talk About Maximize Your H-1B Chances:JOB APPLICATIONS & JOB INTERVIEWS
YouTube Video: Click Here Strategies to Deal with Immigration Questions
12 Work Visa Details: Upcoming Slides
F-1 Student:In School
No Longer a Student:
WORK VISA
F-1 Student:
Graduation
F-1 Student:
OPT
WORK VISA TYPES* H-1B / “LOTTERY”* L-1A / L-1B* H-1B * “NO LOTTERY”* G-Visa* R-1* E-3* TN* E-1 / E-2* O-visa* P-visa* A-visa* I-visa
Know Your Work Visa Options EARLY (to guide your job search)
Look for Jobs That Qualify You for Many Work Visas
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Plan A -- H-1B “Lottery” / “Cap-Covered”
H-1B Regular: Limited by a “Cap” / Quota [duration: 6 yrs]Requirements__________________________________● A job offer w/ a company with a “proven track record”
(10 / 25 / 10 Guidance - start-ups & smaller companies: tricky);
● For a position that requires at least a 4 year college degree; and
● You have the required degree.
● Also: Concurrent H-1Bs● Also: "Prevailing Wage"● Also: Who Pays the Fees
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Is the H-1B Really “so special?”
Video Playlist: Click Here
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Graduate in December? Cap-Gap?
Don’t Graduate too soon! Click Here for Video Playlist
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:H-1B “Lottery” is No Good!
H-1B “Lottery” / “Cap-Covered” Regular Option● No Good! Bad!● WHY?
○ Each Applicant has only a lousy 33% Chance of Actually Winning the Lottery
○ WHY?○ In 2015 & 2016, the Demand for H-1Bs was over
233,000 applications○ And the Supply was a woefully tiny 85,000
quota-limited H-1B visas------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
● The H-1B Lottery is Terrible -- You Absolutely MUST have a Plan “B”
If H-1B Lottery Doesn’t Work,Then Plan B -- Try the L-1A and L-1B
● L-1A: Manager or Executive [7 years]○ EB-1 Green Card “Short-cut”
● L-1B: Specialized Knowledge [5 years]○ Inside “proprietary” info: engineer; internal audit
● Requirements________________________________○ Work 1 full year outside USA for Company XYZ○ Transfer to Company XYZ Branch / Affiliate in USA○ L-Visa Status: Resources
https://uniworldonline.com/http://www.goinglobal.com/
On YouTube:More about the L-1A & L-1B
L-1A & L-1B Visa
● Requirements ____
● Video: Click Here
Maximize Your H-1B Chances:Plan C --Try the H-1B Cap-Exempt / No Lottery
H-1B cap-exempt - AVOID The Lottery3 Types of Employer Organizations are Cap-Exempt● Type #1 U.S. institutions of higher education● Type #2 Non-profit entities affiliated w/ U.S. institutions
of higher education● Type #3 Non-profit research organizations
Non-profit Think Tanks (Public Policy Research) & Trade Associations:● https://www.guidestar.org/nonprofit-directory/education-research/res
earch-institutes/1.aspx● http://guides.library.harvard.edu/content.php?pid=481539&sid=39458
86● http://www.directoryofassociations.com/● http://www.planningshop.com/associations/
Plan CG-Visas: “International Organizations”
Specially Designated NGOs | Click: List of Employers Requirements___________________________________● Get a Job with a Listed Employer, Get a Visa!● 6 Page List of
Employers:
● International G-visa Organizations
[duration: varies w/ job]
H-1B “No Lottery” / “Cap-Exempt”& G-Visas
Video Playlist: Click Here
Plan D:OTHER VISA CHOICES! BE CREATIVE!
F-1 Student:In School
No Longer a Student:
WORK VISA
F-1 Student:
Graduation
F-1 Student:
OPT
WORK VISA TYPES* H-1B / “LOTTERY”* L-1A / L-1B* H-1B * “NO LOTTERY”* G-Visa* R-1* E-3* TN* E-1 / E-2* O-visa* P-visa* A-visa* I-visa
Know Your Work Visa Options EARLY (to guide your job search)
Look for Jobs That Qualify You for Many Work Visas
The R-1 Religious Worker Visa
● R-1Visa Requirments
● Video: Click Here
● R-1 Religious Worker
● [duration: 5 yrs]
● R-1 Visa Requirements
● USCIS Description: Click Here
Options:E-3
● E-3: “H-1B for Australians” [duration 2 years+]
● Requirements________________________________
○ Follow the H-1B Requirements○ You MUST be from Australia
○ Video: Click Here
Options: TN (Treaty NAFTA) Visa
● Requirements_______________________________ ○ You MUST be from Canada or Mexico○ You MUST Get a Job Listed on the “TN Job Titles List” (Click, below)
& Have the Required Education Shown on the List
● List of TN Job Titles: Click Here
● TN VIDEO○ Next Slide
Options:E-1 / E-2
● E-1: Treaty Trader [duration 2 / 4 / 5 years+] ● E-2: Treaty Investor [duration 2 / 4 / 5 years+]
● Requirements________________________________○ Treaty between your country and USA
■ Treaty Countries -- LIST■ https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/treaty.html
○ Job offer from USA company of your nationality■ Which Means: the USA company owned by
people or a company in your country○ Skilled job
■ Multinational Companies in USA -- LISTS (ask your advisors)■ https://uniworldonline.com/■ http://www.goinglobal.com/
Options:Even more!
● O-1 - Extraordinary Ability○ Extraordinary Ability Described | USCIS: Click Here
● P-1 - Athlete/Entertainer○ Athlete Described | USCIS: Click Here○ Entertainer Described | USCIS: Click here
● A-visa - Foreign Ambassador / Embassy Personnel ○ A-Visa Described | U.S. Dept of State: Click here
● I-visa - Foreign Media / Journalist visa ○ Foreign Media Visa Described | USCIS: Click Here
Questions?Schedule an appointment for a one-on-one, free consultation with Immigration Art, who’ll be available by:● Phone● Skype● Google+ Hangout
Art Serratelli, Partner Serratelli Mijal PLLC
Immigration Attorneys-at-Law
757.333.7513 | www.smimmigrationlaw.com | [email protected] | Cell 757.235.4624