1, first of all, your major should be reliable.
What kind of major is more reliable? For you who want to get a green card, the major that can get you a job in the United States is a reliable major. Because America has always admired it? Less empty talk and more practical work? Therefore, science and engineering have obvious advantages in the job market. Specifically, it is the STEM major (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). There is a great demand for professionals in these fields, and STEM teachers are also needed in school education at all levels, with bright prospects.
STEM majors mainly include: computer science application, actuarial science, engineering, engineering technology, science and technology, biology and biomedical science, mathematics and statistics, military technology, physical science and medical science.
2, OPT is very important, contact before graduation!
If you want to find a job in America, internship experience is also very important. For us international students, there are two kinds of internships to apply for. One is called CPT, which is a course practice training applied for during school; The other is OPT, which is an optional practical training that you can apply for at school or after graduation.
CPT internship at school should be part-time, otherwise one year's internship will be deducted from OCP in the future. OPT internship can be carried out after one year of study, but usually after graduation.
OPT internship period is currently 12 months. STEM students can apply for an extension of 17 months, so the total internship time is 29 months. Obama's OPT reform has extended the time to four years and expanded the scope of OPT. Friends seized the opportunity.
3. find a job and apply for HB- 1 visa.
You should know that our international students with F- 1 visas are not allowed to work legally in the United States except for internships. If you want to stay and work in the United States, you must apply for a professional work permit, that is, an H 1-B visa. To apply for H 1-B, you must first find a job related to your major, and your employer is willing to apply for H 1-B for you.
To apply for H 1-B, the employer must submit an application for working conditions (LCA) to the Ministry of Labor, indicating that the employer will pay wages not lower than the current wage standard and provide you with the same treatment as other employees. Hiring you will not have a negative impact on the work of other employees. After the LCA is approved, submit an application for H 1-B to the Immigration Bureau.
The basic requirement of H 1-B visa is that the job you want to do requires a bachelor's degree or above, and you just meet this requirement. The H 1-B visa is issued to foreigners, which means that people can apply even if they are not in the United States. However, relatively speaking, there are many more opportunities for international students to get a degree in the United States. If you show your talents in OPT internship, your company will be happy to hold H 1-B for you and keep you. That's why OPT is so important. It's all foreshadowing! In addition, the duration of the H 1-B visa is generally three years, which can be extended for another three years.
However, here, I have a bad news for you. The annual distribution of H 1-B is limited (except American universities and other higher education institutions, non-profit research institutions or government research institutions). The fierce competition is outrageous. For example, on April/day of 20 13, we began to accept applications from H 1-B of 20 14. In just five days, we received124,000 applications, far exceeding the quota. The number of places is 65,000 ordinary places and 20,000 American master's degree places or above. The Immigration Bureau has no choice but to use computer lottery to accept the drawn applications and return the applications exceeding the quota.
If you don't win the lottery, OPT will expire, and you will lose your legal residence status in the United States. If you don't want to go back to China, you have to keep your legal status. There are usually several methods. Such as: re-register the school, study anything, and maintain the F- 1 visa. Another example is to change the visa application for internship visa from F- 1 to J- 1Trainee. If you have a spouse, you can also change your status to a spouse-dependent visa, such as F-2, H4, J-2 and L-2. So, keep your legal status and reapply for H 1-B next year.
Step 4 apply for a green card
This may seem to be the last step, but the real test has just begun. Theoretically, you can ask your company to apply for becoming a permanent resident, which is commonly known as a green card, while working with an H 1-B visa. Hehe, you are happy too early. Not all companies will apply for you, so before that, you should find a company that is willing to apply for a green card for you.
Getting a green card in this way is often called employment-based immigration. International students who have obtained a degree in the United States apply for the second priority (EB-2) in the professional immigration category, provided that the applicant has a master's or doctoral degree. There is also a class called EB-3, which does not require a postgraduate degree. To handle these two types of immigrants, you have to pass the labor certification.
What is the work permit for? Let me give you a general introduction first. Generally speaking, this permit is to protect Americans from being robbed of their jobs by foreigners. If the work permit is approved and the green light is given, the employer can successfully apply for a green card from the immigration office for you.
To apply for a work permit, your employer must submit an application to the Labor Department to prove that no ready-made American citizen or permanent resident meets the basic requirements or is willing to accept the employment of the employee. Foreigners can only do this job, which will not adversely affect the salary and working environment of American employees engaged in similar jobs. The employer also promises that the job is not temporary and the salary paid is not lower than the current salary level of this kind of job.
But if you are particularly awesome, such as outstanding talents, researchers, professors, etc. , you can apply for the first priority (EB- 1). Or you can prove that your work is in the national interest of the United States, then you can apply for a special project in the second priority EB-2, namely National Interest Exemption (NIW). These two types of applications do not require a work permit. But the premise is, again, you have to be very, very awesome!