WORK IN USA – WORK PERMIT TIPS

Anchorage Airport tower in the sun

#Anchorage #airport 2010, flying to Dutch Harbor, AK for the first time. #alaska #airport #architecture #sun #north #northern #tower #building #sunshine

  1. Don’t buy flights until you get your visa.
  2. Take part in the lottery for a green card. Every year around 50,000 people get it from all around the world. Check if your country is eligible for this. Once you get the green card you can find a job without restrictions and start working legally.
  3. Overall there are five ways to get a work permit:
    1. Through an employer that is interested in you (H-Visa). A B-Visa can help you reach this status. Best place to look for information about the above and below mentioned visas is your local US embassy website.
    2. If you’re an investor (E visa).
    3. Through a close relative, way towards I-765.
    4. Lottery for a green card.
    5. Application for asylum/ refugee status also way towards I-765.
      • Acquaintances, relatives, your knowledge, your title, success in sport, whether you are a rat with important USA security information, loads of money or guaranteed employment will make your chances of getting a work permit a lot higher.
  4. If you don’t fit into any one of the above categories:
    • You can also try and convince an American company/ firm to sponsor your H-2B visa. If this doesn’t work you can visit the United States on a B1/ B2 visa (tourist/ business visa). B visa allows you to look for a job, but not set it up. In the case you do find a job, and the company meets the required standards for sponsoring a H-2B visa your status can be changed from B visa to a H-2B visa but this can take several weeks. You are not permitted to work until your status is changed. Unfortunately most of the firms listed on this website do not take part in the sponsorship of a H-2B visa. The point (4) says it is possible, but very unlikely.
    • Once you find a job, your potential employer will fill out form I-129, this will help you towards visa status H-2B.
    • I-129: Your employer has to fill it out at least forty five days before the end of your permitted stay in the USA. On your entry to the USA you will fill out form I-94 (everybody gets one while on the plane).There you enter the date of entry into the country and you give it up on arrival as you exit the airplane. If you stay longer than allowed you may be kicked out immediately or you’ll have to live in the USA illegally. This status is very hard to change.
    • The process of change of status is initiated in the USCIS office.
    • There’s one necessary condition that needs to be fulfilled for you to get an H-2B visa. That is, there has to be a lack of supply of American workforce available and willing to fill this position.
  5. It is very likely that you will need passport/ID photos, so get a few done before departure.
  6. The American embassy isn’t officially under the USCIS. The embassy can give you a visa but it doesn’t guarantee you an entry into the USA. Just act ‘normal’ when you get there. 🙂
    7. Victoria B.C. museum

    If you get to Seattle, visit #Victoria B.C. on #VancouverIsland in #Canada. It’s only 3 hours by ferry. Beautiful #city! #building #architecture #historic #town

  7. Canada got rid of the mandatory need for a visa for certain countries. Seattle is only a few kilometers from Canada. If you have any family or friends in Canada you can ‘sleepover’ there.
  8. Green card – unless you fulfil some necessary condition for its acquisition it takes years to get it – and even that is not guaranteed. The application itself costs $1070. That is why it is also in the interest of your potential future employer to help you with visa status H-2B.
  9. Through the ESTA program/ traveling without a visa, you will not be able to change your status there without a visa though. With ESTA you are prohibited from looking for a job. You have to go back to your country and request a B-visa.
  10. To fill out forms use a black or blue ball pen. Be precise with your answers and if certain sections don’t apply to you write N/A into the blanks.
  11. If you get to Seattle ask around about your options regarding I-765 ($480 for application).

The conclusion

After a thorough examination of the process which included a visit to the US Embassy in Prague, and reading through all the necessary forms, I found that there is not a straight forward or guaranteed way of obtaining the permission to work. Should you fail to get a work permit, that is as far as you can legally go.

NEXT   //   HOW DID I GOT MY WORK PERMIT