Legal immigration to USA for normal people almost impossible? (money, J1, Europe)
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Thanks for your post, very informative.
It's interesting to note the differences between a simple H1B non-immigrant visa, and actually getting sponsored for permanent residence (green card). As you said, it makes sense that they would only go for temporary contracts and thus H1 visa instead of the more expensive and risky green card process (which also takes time, when you need a worker to start fast).
Still, I think there is light at the end of the tunnel. If I find a company in a decent industry (rare I know) or niche, that is doing well in the long term, I dont see why I could not press them to sponsor me if I really show an intent to stay for the long-run.
Well, you know, it's not like I am asking to become a naturalized American or anything. I am simply seeking permanent residence for the purpose of work in the United States. It is really something quite basic, but in the current world it seems harder and harder to do.
Canada to the north has actually many ways to do it, especially for me in Quebec as I speak French among other languages and they are willing to take anybody to do work there. But being a big fan of the USA, I feel its either stay in Europe or USA for me
But in any case, there are always other ways in life, if the US doesn't work out, then I will move on somehow. Just wish something as simple as to be allowed to stay in a country for the purpose of work would be easier. The world has just become overcomplicated. I actually learned that for Americans coming to the EU (there are actually quite an interested amount of Americans wanting to immigrate to Europe to "find their roots" or something ), well its the same nightmare as for Europeans to get a green card. Europe just wont let them stay. (By the way there is a green card scheme called blue card coming to Europe someday...)
Interesting circumstances Everybody always wants what they dont have. Anyway thanks for the answers everyone, will keep in touch if there is any luck with the green card.
please do keep in touch. would like to learn from your circumstance.
Get in a Grad School, fall in love with an American woman (Sweet baby Jesus help you), get married, get your permanent green card in 2 years if your marriage would last for that long. If you are a natural born zombie you may try Grad School + Research/University path, but you literally (No exaggeration) must be a single minded zombie to get a career going. There is a reason why most Sci&Eng departments in American Universities are dominated by foreigners.
Personally, unless you are a starving refugee, I really doubt that emigration to USA would drastically improve your life & "happiness". There are exceptions, of course, but most first generation immigrants don't quite belong here in mind & soul, most are held in place by fatter paychecks and little else. If you have no good paying job/business, USA is a nasty place to be. Even Western Europeans get a shock of the American ways. The levels of isolation (they call it individualism), superficiality, codification of life/behavior and mistrust are way above whatever you experienced at home. You'll discover pretty soon that you are alone, worse, you'll discover that you cannot trust anyone and you must fake it and live as a spy behind enemy lines (or commit voluntary lobotomy, it happens too). I'm pretty sure that many people would disagree, but if you'll get here, remember about my words or you will learn in very painful ways that I was right. Don't get me wrong, USA is a big country and you can find all kinds of people and ways sprinkled on it, nevertherless, averages are rather brutal.
Sweeping generalizations are never 100% correct, but they are 100% useful . An average American woman puts herself, her plans, her career, her interests, her ... everything first. An average American woman wouldn't think twice about dumping her mate whose financial, social, etc. utility is in doubt. A mate to a generic American woman must accept that he's #5 + on her priorities list. Unless you are a repressed male with a long list of psycho pathologies (or an aspiring Green card holder), why would you want to marry a generic woman like that?
I know people with MBAs working for consulting firms, well they are basically geniuses, and it doesn't seem hard for them to work for consulting groups in the US who would sponsor them and not even think twice about spending the $$$ to do it.
But we are talking about people with above 120-130 minimum IQ coming out of MIT, harvard, or the very top universities in the world, not average people.
I know of a university where there are many "average" foreigners getting business degrees and being placed in US companies via H1B. Tuition is high, but not impossibly so. If you are a standout--have some business experience and success and you work hard (as in you work as hard as an average engineering student, which--for this university--is about 2X as hard as the typical management major; think 0.75 days a week off to rest, studying from 8AM-2AM every day, and making a big push before finals) then you can get sponsored fairly easily. The university has good business connections, but it is not ranked anywhere near the ivy-league schools (and thus doesn't cost as much.) Most of the foreign graduates are Chinese or Indian, so you'll have smart, hardworking competition, but your English skills will give you a strong advantage. I know in-state tuition was ~10K/semester, so I would guess that you could expect to pay 20k/semester. The school has a MSIA program which will give you a Masters in 1 year, cutting your tuition costs by half. PM me if you want the name of the University. In general, I'd suggest you look at lower-ranking business schools.
I also know of a few people who have gotten H1B's through small companies. PM me for details.
Sweeping generalizations are never 100% correct, but they are 100% useful . An average American woman puts herself, her plans, her career, her interests, her ... everything first. An average American woman wouldn't think twice about dumping her mate whose financial, social, etc. utility is in doubt. A mate to a generic American woman must accept that he's #5 + on her priorities list. Unless you are a repressed male with a long list of psycho pathologies (or an aspiring Green card holder), why would you want to marry a generic woman like that?
Correct me if I am wrong, but gaining permanent residence in the USA for an average person who has no family in the USA (like most Europeans like me for instance), is impossible.
The only three ways I see to gain permanent residence for people with no family in USA:
1. Win green card lottery (unlikely)
2. Marry an American citizen (Fraudulent and illegal, not an option for most sane people)
3. Get sponsored by an American employer (H1B) : Almost impossible if you are not some kind of genius with a skill that cannot be replicated by any american citizen. Even then its hard and might take years, not to forget convincing the company to spend thousands of dollars doing the lengthy process while they could save tons of $$$ simply employing an American. Oh and the fact the economy is such even Americans dont get jobs so why the hell would a US company go through the trouble of hiring some foreigner ?
So what I am saying is: For the lambda EU citizen, who has say a degree in business, and who doesnt hold 10000000$ or more to invest in the USA and employ X amount of US employees, immigration is impossible?
Just want a confirmation of this, as I am seriously considering moving to an easier destination to immigrate to (Canada/Australia) as I definitely want to work and travel while I am young. And if USA is impossible, then got to move to something else.
Before you jump and say "go to USCIS and X website". Trust me Ive been to all and even applied to green card lottery many times. I just want the insider info on whether a regular person still has ways to immigrate to the US and realise the American dream.
Kind regards
Anondragon
I've been looking into this for a while, I've decided to go and speak to an advisor as my head is spinning with the amount of info I found on sites and chats. I would love to relocate within the next 3years but have been told the same as you.it's so frustrating.
i did meet my wife a Us citizen on myspace back in 2003 move to Usa on a tourist visa and got married , we did use a immigrant lawyer for al the paper work and got the green card,and i am still married to her and planing to stay with her for the rest of my life
Just sneak in or overstay your visa like everyone else. Obama is eventually going to give them "amnesty". Honestly, why should we want to reward successful people who actually want to come to this country and be a productive member of society? That's crazy talk.
Honestly, why should we want to reward successful people who actually want to come to this country and be a productive member of society? That's crazy talk.
Of course you're assuming only by the poster's own words that he's "successful" and wants to "be a productive member of (US) society". His stance is that immigration to the US is virtually impossible for "normal" and/or "qualified" people and that's simply not true.
The bottom line is that his real desire is not to immigrate to become a permanent resident alien/citizen of the US but to come to the US to (a) further his education and (b) work for a US company for a few years because he sees the business market here as less bureaucratic than in his home country.
Although he's been able to afford many pleasure trips to the US, a student visa (and its restrictions) doesn't fit his personal agenda and he's not sufficiently qualified to attract the sponsorship of a US corporation. What he's looking for is basically a carte blanche to work for a few years and then return to his home country. In his current situation he has nothing to offer the US other than taking a job which can be equally well filled by a qualified bona fide US citizen or permanent resident. No country's immigration laws support this and is precisely why they exist.
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), well its the same nightmare as for Europeans to get a green card. Europe just wont let them stay. (By the way there is a green card scheme called blue card coming to Europe someday...) 
it's so frustrating.
