trecht

15 hours ago, Coco8 said:

If you can change to an H1B, you do the green card on your own. If you have a PhD you are under the research scholar category (or could be at another one depending on what field you are in) and you should be able to get a green card in like one year, because your date is current. 

Thanks, Coco8. Changing to H1B at my university doesn't seem likely, unfortunately. But what do you mean by "do the green card on your own"? I don't fit into any of the categories for self-sponsorship as far as I can tell.

I don't need a J1 waiver -- not subject to the two-year requirement.

30 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

There are many types of J1, so it's hard to tell you anything without knowing more about it. Also, the fact that you've done an OPT means you had an F1 at some point? 

 

 

I'm a J1 research scholar. And yes, I had an F1 when I was doing my PhD.

If you're in the US and an employer wants to hire you, are there workarounds so you can start working before the H1B comes through? Other than OPT?

I'm asking because I'm in the US on a J-1 visa, which currently expires in August; it may get extended for another year, but I don't know yet. I'm looking for H1B employment but the big hurdle seems to be that (unless the employer was cap-exempt) the earliest I could start work would be October 2020, and even that assumes a successful entry in the H1B lottery next year. Most employers would balk at hiring someone who couldn't start work for over a year. I've already done my OPT. So, are there any workarounds? Are there temporary visas, contractor visas or the like that they could sponsor you for while waiting for the H1B?

I've been in the US since 2004, first on an F1 visa for a doctoral program, and since then on a J1.

I'm now thinking of going back to school for another degree, a master's in computer science. Since I don't have the prerequisites, I would first enroll in a community college A.A. program to take the required classes for a year, and then hopefully transfer into the master's program. That means I'd have to leave the country and apply for an F1 in my home country based on enrolling in the community college program. What I'm worried about is that the visa official might look at my record, see that I've been living in the US for 15 years and deny my visa application. Any thoughts on how likely that is?

I completed a Ph.D. program in 2015 as an F-1 student and did my one-year OPT. I'm now thinking of going back to school for another degree, M. Sci. If I do this, will I be eligible to get OPT again? Thanks.