International Student Internship and Job questions

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PharmacyVault101

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Hello everyone,

I came to United States in 2003 through a F-2 visa under my parents until I went to college for pharmacy. Now I have my own F-1 Visa and I'm looking to stay in United States and work as a pharmacist after I graduate. I'm just looking for pharmacists, future pharmacists, pharmacy students, and/or individuals who have any information about obtaining an H-1b visa, internship, and job outlook for INTERNATIONAL pharmacy students.

My first main question is: Is it hard for international students to obtain H1b visa through internship?


I'm currently a P1 student so I have a long way to go, and so I will be involved in SDN and would love to interact with you all.

Thank you for your time,

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Wrong move to pick pharmacy as international student nowadays.

It's VERY hard to get sponsorship. I see a lot of international student ended up spending 200k for a useless degree (back to home country).
 
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It wont be hard for you to get internship but it will be very very hard to get a job as a pharmacist after you graduate considering you are gonna need sponsorship. If you havent looked around, just try to find ANY job posting for pharmacist online, they all will say "no visa sponsorship"
 
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You need to go to naver US pharmacist cafe and see the reality as an international student of pharmacy school (you know what naver.com is, right?). Definitely not a smart choice like momus said. Nowaday, you will have almost zero chance of getting visa sponsored. There was one guy who graduated pharmacy school as an international student and worked at Barrow,Alaska for maybe about quarter of year? This may be your only option unless you want to go back to Korea (which is nonsense at this moment IMO). If you have more question, PM or email or Kakao me ;)
 
I think Ohio is saturated too. Like OP said, trying a remote region like AK, MT, WY, NE, ND might be your slim chance. Good luck!

PS: I still see international students in every pharmacy school. They are supporting our profession onward.
 
Thank you for all the responses, but could it be possible that I have an edge over other international students? Since I have no accent, can communicate very well, involved, and basically like other American pharmacy students. I see many international students in my class and they are not involved and have heavy accents. I talked to numerous companies during the career day and they were surprised that I was an international student.

I believe that I'm okay - hopefully :( - because if I have an interview with an employer, that I can be very cooperative and easy to work with. I really do want to live in United States since I lived here for 11 years (I'm 21). I know that I am one of top two or three accelerated international AND American students.

Let me know your thoughts

P.S. I greatly appreciate all of your posts :)
 
you may have no accent, unfortunately, if you dont have citizenship or that green card it means nothing. i dont know what those international students in your class are gonna do, and you dont graduate until basically 3 1/2 yrs from now, by then, i doubt even alaska will have a job for you at the rate the saturation is going. i went to one of the top 15 pharmacy schools, as far as i know, there were two international students, both korean actually, one is working as a medical writer but she makes about $55k from what she told me, they are not sponsoring her, shes on some type of extended visa from what i understand.

like most people said already, wrong move doing pharmacy as an international student. youre wasting your money. my advice is get out of pharm school now and go for something that might actually sponsor, like software engineering.
 
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I believe that with the increase number in baby boomers needing more health care professionals, it could turn the tides. I believe that most of you have negative/discouraging views on international students from what you've seen, but I believe that there are exception for some int. students.

Rite aid and CVS are top H1b visa sponsors, so I should contact them early on.... :3
 
I believe that with the increase number in baby boomers needing more health care professionals, it could turn the tides. I believe that most of you have negative/discouraging views on international students from what you've seen, but I believe that there are exception for some int. students.

Rite aid and CVS are top H1b visa sponsors, so I should contact them early on.... :3

Rite Aid does NOT offer visa sponsors anymore. I doubt CVS still does either, I would contact them asap.
 
I believe that with the increase number in baby boomers needing more health care professionals, it could turn the tides. I believe that most of you have negative/discouraging views on international students from what you've seen, but I believe that there are exception for some int. students.

Rite aid and CVS are top H1b visa sponsors, so I should contact them early on.... :3

I agree w @rxglasshalffull . But let us know about what you learn after calling Rite Aid and CVS :)


you may have no accent, unfortunately, if you dont have citizenship or that green card it means nothing. i dont know what those international students in your class are gonna do, and you dont graduate until basically 3 1/2 yrs from now, by then, i doubt even alaska will have a job for you at the rate the saturation is going. i went to one of the top 15 pharmacy schools, as far as i know, there were two international students, both korean actually, one is working as a medical writer but she makes about $55k from what she told me, they are not sponsoring her, shes on some type of extended visa from what i understand.

like most people said already, wrong move doing pharmacy as an international student. youre wasting your money. my advice is get out of pharm school now and go for something that might actually sponsor, like software engineering.
 
I believe that with the increase number in baby boomers needing more health care professionals, it could turn the tides. I believe that most of you have negative/discouraging views on international students from what you've seen, but I believe that there are exception for some int. students.

Rite aid and CVS are top H1b visa sponsors, so I should contact them early on.... :3

I know in CA the top three chains stop doing new H1Bs since 2011. They only renew expired visa for their current international pharmacists and take no one new since then.
 
fake a resume of a licensed pharmacist, apply and see if you even get a response. also the H1B is a lottery system, which means even if a company sponsors you, you might not get a spot.
why would a company take a chance on a pharmacist that needs to be sponsored, but might not get a spot for the h1b visa, versus hiring a citizen or a permanent holder, when there are PLENTY of american pharmacists looking for work
those new private pharmacy schools are so evil, they know you guys have no hope of obtaining employment yet they charge your money without a second thought without telling the truth of the market for an international pharmacist that needs to be sponsored.
 
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we are seriously telling you the truth for your own good. but all by means, pay the tuition so that your professors and administrators can be rich, and also please support my country's economy. :)
 
I don't know what kind of pharmacist tells other future pharmacists to fake a resume. It's hard to believe that you label yourself as a pharmacist on this forum.
 
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Sorry to burst your bubble. Look at LCA -> 7b. All renewals, there is NO new hire. What did I tell you? H1B can be renewed one time after 3 years, to a total of 6 years and can be renewed every year indefinitely as long as there is a PERM pending. These are pharmacists who have PERM pending or their 3 years H1B is up, so they renew it again.

"Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane."
 
I don't know what kind of pharmacist tells other future pharmacists to fake a resume. It's hard to believe that you label yourself as a pharmacist on this forum.
hahahaha lmao.
you are so nooooob my friend. That person is trying to help YOU to get a real world pic.
 
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wow too many negative responses, let me give you some positive side still. Once again, you still will have a chance to get sponsored at the place that not that many people wants to go (ex: border line of mexico, super rural area, non-urbanized Alaska, etc). But it depends on how desperate you are.
 
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I did see many Korean students on site for interviews. I doubt all of them stay unemployed after graduation. We are probably outliers in this field so you may need to talk to other internationals to find the niche.
 
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To be honest op, i think you're gonna have a very difficult time finding work once you graduate. don't mean to be discouraging but as you know, it's not just near impossible for foreign students to find work these days but it's more and more difficult for american citizens to find work. if you haven't, do the research into saturation or pharmacy school bubble and look through the threads, 50% are about lamenting the decline of the profession and job opportunities to which there's a lot more truth than you might think. and if it's hard for americans, what do you think your chances are? i know right now it's very hard for even Canadians to get work in the US and their English is good if not better. i think they also need a different type of visa, more easy, not like h1b and they struggle to find work and have to relocate, though some can get jobs NOW. Factor in you are P1 so you'll graduate what, 2017-18? when there are so many schools graduating their cash cows and job applicants flooding in? H1B visas are good for jobs where there are work shortages or for cheap labor. for pharmacists, there's no shortage of native English speaking american pharmacists who don't need sponsorship, especially w/their student loans they'll take jobs others won't take.

you should rethink about pharmacy b/c your chances are very small come 2017-18. In my area, Rite Aid and other chains no longer sponsor H1Bs also. in the future, that will not change, (don't count on Obamacare or baby boomers, hasn't done anything for us yet and once they are gone, then where will you be with less demand?) there will be no more sponsorships in majority of the US for many years/decades to come in pharmacy. and even if you are a super student in your class as you self-describe, that doesn't mean anything, there are many super students out there in other schools and you've been in america long enough to know 4.0 doesn't improve your chances over a 3.5, it's America not Korea and great students doesn't always equal great pharmacist.

but you seem pretty determined to follow through on pharmacy no matter what anyone says otherwise. so if you really intend to stick to pharmacy, i'd look for other paths to citizenship as well like military service or marriage. marriage seems pretty quick and best way to getting that green card. and tbh, i know a number of korean international students stop school or disappear, no idea why, 1 did go back to korea for family reason, the other military service, idk if you have that obligation but in any case, it's definitely not going to be easy for you. but talk to other internationals and what they do, that's better than asking here.
 
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To be honest op, i think you're gonna have a very difficult time finding work once you graduate. don't mean to be discouraging but as you know, it's not just near impossible for foreign students to find work these days but it's more and more difficult for american citizens to find work. if you haven't, do the research into saturation or pharmacy school bubble and look through the threads, 50% are about lamenting the decline of the profession and job opportunities to which there's a lot more truth than you might think. and if it's hard for americans, what do you think your chances are? i know right now it's very hard for even Canadians to get work in the US and their English is good if not better. i think they also need a different type of visa, more easy, not like h1b and they struggle to find work and have to relocate, though some can get jobs NOW. Factor in you are P1 so you'll graduate what, 2017-18? when there are so many schools graduating their cash cows and job applicants flooding in? H1B visas are good for jobs where there are work shortages or for cheap labor. for pharmacists, there's no shortage of native English speaking american pharmacists who don't need sponsorship, especially w/their student loans they'll take jobs others won't take.

you should rethink about pharmacy b/c your chances are very small come 2017-18. In my area, Rite Aid and other chains no longer sponsor H1Bs also. in the future, that will not change, (don't count on Obamacare or baby boomers, hasn't done anything for us yet and once they are gone, then where will you be with less demand?) there will be no more sponsorships in majority of the US for many years/decades to come in pharmacy. and even if you are a super student in your class as you self-describe, that doesn't mean anything, there are many super students out there in other schools and you've been in america long enough to know 4.0 doesn't improve your chances over a 3.5, it's America not Korea and great students doesn't always equal great pharmacist.

but you seem pretty determined to follow through on pharmacy no matter what anyone says otherwise. so if you really intend to stick to pharmacy, i'd look for other paths to citizenship as well like military service or marriage. marriage seems pretty quick and best way to getting that green card. and tbh, i know a number of korean international students stop school or disappear, no idea why, 1 did go back to korea for family reason, the other military service, idk if you have that obligation but in any case, it's definitely not going to be easy for you. but talk to other internationals and what they do, that's better than asking here.

he cannot join military as a pharmacist. he can only join as an enlist with the title of pharmacy tech more likely. even for that, there is crazy competition to be selected..
 
he cannot join military as a pharmacist. he can only join as an enlist with the title of pharmacy tech more likely. even for that, there is crazy competition to be selected..

i wasn't actually thinking of op joining as a pharmacist or even tech, i was thinking of enlisted in general like combat or something. not sure how true this is but i heard of an east asian joining the army just for the citizenship then go to university and get a job that way. honestly i would think having military service would be good for a resume, maybe im wrong here, but it might do good and at least would get citizenship.
 
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I talked to Walmart, RiteAid, and Kroger and they said as long as I get an internship and do well during internship time, they would offer H1B visa. I'm getting interviewed for Walmart and RiteAid this year for internship. And also I talked to my colleague who is Indian and her sister who is a P4 will be sponsored with H1B visa for RiteAid. I feel like you guys are just looking down on everything for international students. I got on this site to have some advice from people who would motivate me and all that and encourage me. Not bombard me with all this negativity. Only person I will thank is kaidou1412, he was the only encouragement outside this grim site. And also I reached out to retail AND clinical sites so that I could have wide range of opportunities. Foreign people DO get jobs in United States. And those who are not even motivated crazily to achieve their goals or had it easy will sit back and say "there are no jobs for Americans...Especially for foreigners." It's really obvious that internet is not the site to take advice from. This week I had a meeting with my school adviser and one of my preceptors, and they said they'll contact few of the places for me. It's was an eye opening to see MOST of you looking down on the profession as well as for international students like me. I believe that those people who have negative views about this profession ARE the ones who don't get hired. Those people who are motivated and striving to achieve their goals and jobs are those who are not on the internet complaining and whining (I'm not gonna lie I just did that). So goodbye to you all and thank you for this experience. And those international students who are reading this, BE POSITIVE AND PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. Ask for business cards, ask for help from advisers, your friends, international student offices... Go out there and talk to pharmacists and introduce yourself. Get involved. Build your resume. Volunteer... That's my answer to my own question. Goodbye.
 
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I talked to Walmart, RiteAid, and Kroger and they said as long as I get an internship and do well during internship time, they would offer H1B visa. I'm getting interviewed for Walmart and RiteAid this year for internship. And also I talked to my colleague who is Indian and her sister who is a P4 will be sponsored with H1B visa for RiteAid. I feel like you guys are just looking down on everything for international students. I got on this site to have some advice from people who would motivate me and all that and encourage me. Not bombard me with all this negativity. Only person I will thank is kaidou1412, he was the only encouragement outside this grim site. And also I reached out to retail AND clinical sites so that I could have wide range of opportunities. Foreign people DO get jobs in United States. And those who are not even motivated crazily to achieve their goals or had it easy will sit back and say "there are no jobs for Americans...Especially for foreigners." It's really obvious that internet is not the site to take advice from. This week I had a meeting with my school adviser and one of my preceptors, and they said they'll contact few of the places for me. It's was an eye opening to see MOST of you looking down on the profession as well as for international students like me. I believe that those people who have negative views about this profession ARE the ones who don't get hired. Those people who are motivated and striving to achieve their goals and jobs are those who are not on the internet complaining and whining (I'm not gonna lie I just did that). So goodbye to you all and thank you for this experience. And those international students who are reading this, BE POSITIVE AND PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. Ask for business cards, ask for help from advisers, your friends, international student offices... Go out there and talk to pharmacists and introduce yourself. Get involved. Build your resume. Volunteer... That's my answer to my own question. Goodbye.

I know a couple intern international students were let go after right after graduation in CA. No H1B sponsor. Same sh1t district manager doesn't know anything, so he tells people you gonna get sponsored. I know WMT and RAD will tell the same lies, I don't know about Kroger, they might be different but I doubt it.

The reality is your corporate recruiter knows better. Ask a corporate recruiter when was the last time they sponsor NEW H1B worker.
 
I know a couple intern international students were let go after right after graduation in CA. No H1B sponsor. Same sh1t district manager doesn't know anything, so he tells people you gonna get sponsored. I know WMT and RAD will tell the same lies, I don't know about Kroger, they might be different but I doubt it.

The reality is your corporate recruiter knows better. Ask a corporate recruiter when was the last time they sponsor NEW H1B worker.

exactly. this international student just wants to live in lies and in his world, he is getting a great degree with great potential as an INTERNATIONAL student who needs to be SPONSORED. hes also only p1, so yeah. things are getting bad for him. wait til he graduates in 3 yrs, seriously, goodluck. i dont feel good about being kind of harsh, but we re speaking the truth.
 
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well, I kinda agree with OP, all international students need to be super extra (at least 3 times) proactive on this. I'm a member of Korean international student pharmacist/attending pharmacist organization, and have seen very few who made through it. good luck OP, and make yourself an example :)
 
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how is the job market now for international student? any progress?
 
To the OP, I'm not sure if you are set on working at a large retail chain but I will tell you working at independent pharmacies that there are still a large number of them who are willing to sponsor international pharmacists (and yes, the salary/benefits are just as competitive). I am an international pharmacist myself and my employer is always looking for someone who is smart, hardworking, and enthusiastic about the profession and is more than willing to sponsor them if they are the right person for the job. This is also true at a good number of other pharmacies that I had received offers from. If you are interested in working in the NYC area, send me a msg and I can put you in touch with a few people that can certainly help. Good luck!
 
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how is the job market now for international student? any progress?
not likely, only getting worse. I know my hospital (part of a large academic health system) will not consider H1b's
 
To the OP, I'm not sure if you are set on working at a large retail chain but I will tell you working at independent pharmacies that there are still a large number of them who are willing to sponsor international pharmacists (and yes, the salary/benefits are just as competitive). I am an international pharmacist myself and my employer is always looking for someone who is smart, hardworking, and enthusiastic about the profession and is more than willing to sponsor them if they are the right person for the job. This is also true at a good number of other pharmacies that I had received offers from. If you are interested in working in the NYC area, send me a msg and I can put you in touch with a few people that can certainly help. Good luck!

Know anybody hiring interns in the upstate NY area?? :)
I'm a Canadian phcist, writing the Naplex in a couple of weeks so I'll need to start looking for internship positions soon. I'm worried I won't be able to find anything though..
 
To the OP, I'm not sure if you are set on working at a large retail chain but I will tell you working at independent pharmacies that there are still a large number of them who are willing to sponsor international pharmacists (and yes, the salary/benefits are just as competitive). I am an international pharmacist myself and my employer is always looking for someone who is smart, hardworking, and enthusiastic about the profession and is more than willing to sponsor them if they are the right person for the job. This is also true at a good number of other pharmacies that I had received offers from. If you are interested in working in the NYC area, send me a msg and I can put you in touch with a few people that can certainly help. Good luck!
Hello, I am an international student from Nigeria in pharmacy school as well. I would be graduating in 2019 and I am also looking to stay back in the USA for a period of time after graduation. Please how can I contact you, in order to get information about working in the NYC area.
 
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