The new year has begun, and many international students who have just started working are already preparing for the H-1B lottery on April 1st this year. For all the international students who are about to join the lottery, this year's luck is a hurdle they hope to overcome in their future immigration to the United States. However, for many newcomers to the workforce, convincing their employers to sponsor their H-1B visa is not something that can be achieved simply by luck.
Yao, an international student who has resigned from a previous logistics company, is busy applying to schools while also searching for other job opportunities. He stated, "I previously worked for a Chinese logistics company, which was my first job after graduation and aligned well with my major. I worked there from June last year until the end of the year, and my boss valued me. In October last year, my boss gave me a raise, and I casually mentioned the need for him to sponsor my H-1B visa for the following year. Although he had never sponsored anyone for an H-1B before, he seemed satisfied with my performance and readily agreed. However, when I sent him the list of documents the lawyer provided, he frowned because the employer needs to disclose the company's and his personal financial and income status. It was clear that this made him somewhat reluctant and seemed quite difficult for him. After noticing his hesitation, I waited for more than half a month, and seeing no change in his attitude, I proactively suggested that if it was too difficult, I might have to look for other job opportunities. Although it is indeed awkward to look for a job now, as it is the off-season for hiring after the New Year, I am genuinely concerned that if the company continues to hesitate, it will delay my own prospects. Therefore, I sincerely hope that international students consider whether their potential employers have previously sponsored anyone for an H-1B visa when looking for jobs. If not, it is essential to clarify what is required from the employer early on to avoid misunderstandings and awkward situations."
In contrast to Yao's "helpless" experience, Ling's company seems to be somewhat unreasonable. Ling stated, "When I graduated and was looking for a job last year, this position was almost the one I wanted the most among all the resumes I submitted. After going through multiple assessments, I managed to secure this data analysis job, which I consider a significant achievement. However, when I first joined, the company clearly refused to commit to sponsoring an H-1B visa during the probation period. After the probation period ended, our company did not proactively start applying for work visas for all eligible employees like other large American companies; instead, they began hiring new employees one after another. I became increasingly anxious, and later the Chinese HR manager quietly told me that since Trump took office, many companies employing Chinese workers have felt pressure, and everyone is confused and uncertain about future immigration policies. The company does not want to invest too much in this regard; if it takes 5 or 6 years to cultivate a talent for another company, they would rather not do it, especially since my job is something many Americans can do."
Compared to the experiences of the previous two students, Lin's situation is somewhat unfortunate. She graduated from a small private accounting school in Los Angeles and has been working at a Chinese accounting firm since graduation. She complained, "At that time, the company first proposed to sponsor my H-1B visa, saying that Chinese companies understand the needs of Chinese students the best, which is why I worked so hard and put in extra hours without worrying about my salary. However, as the time to prepare the materials approached, my boss became increasingly evasive about helping me with the H-1B application. After joining, I also heard that many Chinese accounting firms exploit international students' need for H-1B visas, intentionally attracting them to work hard, but in the end, they do not help their employees with the application."