job search on visa

[supertrooper85]

I am an IMG on H1b visa. about to start my PGY 5 as a fellow in decent program. I would ideally like to work in a VA hospital, but i feel visa is a huge limitation.
The jobs i find online that sponsor visas are the ones that are highly sketchy . I am scared to be stuck in a position because of these constraints. I know i will have to compromise some.
are there any IMGs or AMG's who are familiar with these situations who can guide me in the job search process? I know i am an immigrant but i have worked hard to be here , at the same time, I am really disheartened by some experiences of others.

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[Shikima]

Find a job, take it as a 12-18 month contract. If you like it, keep going, if not, find a new job.

Something like 99% of grads move on from their first job anyways.

 

[supertrooper85]

Find a job, take it as a 12-18 month contract. If you like it, keep going, if not, find a new job.

Something like 99% of grads move on from their first job anyways.

Thanks for replying. major issue is getting stuck in a longer contract for visa candidates. the visas are not portable that easily from one employer to another.

 

[splik]

Well assuming you have been on an H1b all this time you only have a year left anyway. What you actually need is to find an employer that will sponsor a green card for you. This is not actually too difficult. You are not going to be able to get job in any VA hospital that I know of on a visa, though it is possible there are some in undesirable locations that are desperate enough to do so. Most require you to be a US citizen or permanent resident. Regardless, you need to talk to an immigration lawyer who specializes in working with physicians. It really is not that difficult to get a green card sponsored by an employer (this is considered in the same way as loan repayment schemes might be considered for your US counterparts). But yes you will likely be tied into a contract for a while because no sensible employer is going to sponsor a green card for someone who is going to up and leave after 12 months.

 

[supertrooper85]

thank you splik. yes i only have a year left.

 

[splik]

in general academic settings, state hospitals, corrections jobs are going to be most familiar with this process so i would be looking for jobs in those settings. pick areas of the country you wish to live in and look directly at the websites for those institutions for vacancies. also consider contacting human resources and asking about vacancies. also just because a place doesn't advertise this, doesn't mean they won't accept you on your visa and petition for a green card for you.

 

[supertrooper85]

thanks splik again. I am from india 🙁! not that i hate being an indian but yes it being my country of birth is a bane !!
thanks for the ideas about contacting places.

 

[PistolPete]

Splik, are you familiar with the H1b/green card process? It seems like you are.

I'm in a similar boat as above poster. On an H1b, Canadian citizen. Starting child fellowship, and in 1 year will be looking for a job that can sponsor a green card in 2 years. Will have 2 years left on H1b. I'd prefer not to work for an academic institution due to lower pay but at this point my options may be limited. State hospitals and corrections don't pay well but not exactly my target population.

Would appreciate any further insights, especially from anyone who's gone through the process!

 

[Blitz2006]

hey splik,

I'm on J1 visa. Whats the deal with J1 visa waiver jobs post residency? Hard to find? Am I screwed?

Also, how many years does it take to go from J1 waiver -> Green Card?

Thanks,

 

[supertrooper85]

hey splik,

I'm on J1 visa. Whats the deal with J1 visa waiver jobs post residency? Hard to find? Am I screwed?

Also, how many years does it take to go from J1 waiver -> Green Card?

Thanks,

i do not think there is any difference between J1 waiver and H1b in psychiatry in terms of job opportunities, none of those are in desirable locations and it is what it is .

 

[OldPsychDoc]

this is absolutely not true. it is much, much worse to be on a J1 for all sorts of reasons, including the limited number of waivers that states can sponsor and the jobs available. on an H1b you can apply for any job that will take you and many are in highly desirable areas. if you self-petition for a green card under NIW (as a non-researcher) then you will have to work in a mental health professional underserved area for 5 years but new york is a MHPSA as are most major metropolitan areas! i would strongly discourage any IMGs for going to programs on a J1 visa unless they have no other choice.

Most will not have a choice...fewer hospitals are willing to sponsor H1s these days, except in very special circumstances (an extremely desirable resident, a faculty recruitment package, etc.)

 

[supertrooper85]

i did not mean to disseminate wrong information. I looked at many states and job openings. the ones who sponsor h1b, do j1 waiver too. one can self petition even when on j1 waiver job, that will count towards 3 year requirement out of 5.

 

[supertrooper85]

Most will not have a choice...fewer hospitals are willing to sponsor H1s these days, except in very special circumstances (an extremely desirable resident, a faculty recruitment package, etc.)

i emailed many places within 2-3 hours driving distance to "desirable locations"( which are out of reach) . these were not for profit entities and have been looking for candidates for so long, but still not willing to sponsor H1b which is far easier than the waiver for J1.
so yes, i am nervous and as a female i certainly do not want to do correctional psychiatry which are the only ones who seem to offer visas.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

i emailed many places within 2-3 hours driving distance to "desirable locations"( which are out of reach) . these were not for profit entities and have been looking for candidates for so long, but still not willing to sponsor H1b which is far easier than the waiver for J1.
so yes, i am nervous and as a female i certainly do not want to do correctional psychiatry which are the only ones who seem to offer visas.

Easier for you, but harder and more expensive for the sponsoring institution--and therein lies the difference.

 

[splik]

regardless anyone with visa/green card employment dilemmas should not rely on random strangers on the internet. please consult a good lawyer who specializes in physician immigration. the experience working with physicians is especially important as i know people who have been given terrible legal advice.

 

[supertrooper85]

regardless anyone with visa/green card employment dilemmas should not rely on random strangers on the internet. please consult a good lawyer who specializes in physician immigration. the experience working with physicians is especially important as i know people who have been given terrible legal advice.

I wasn't looking for immigration advice . Just looking for advice on places to approach and you have offered ideas and I thank you for that . If I am able to find a sponsor I would be more than happy to pay the attorney fees . The question is finding a decent sponsor . I don't know if the adage beggars cannot be choosers is more appropriate in these visa situations .

 

[Blitz2006]

Well I am here on J1.

I chose J1 because I want to do 2 fellowships, neuropsychiatry and CL. Much tougher to do fellowships on H1.

Does anyone know how many years from waiver to Green card?

Also, if you are on J1, and marry a US citizen, can you convert to Green card?

I wasn't looking for immigration advice . Just looking for advice on places to approach and you have offered ideas and I thank you for that . If I am able to find a sponsor I would be more than happy to pay the attorney fees . The question is finding a decent sponsor . I don't know if the adage beggars cannot be choosers is more appropriate in these visa situations .

 

[Blitz2006]

Every hospital sponsors J1.

Very few sponsor H1.

Anyone knows that for fellowships J1 is superior to H1.

Which 2 fellowships are you planning on doing?

- quite apart from why anyone would do both neuropsych and CL this is complete nonsense as i also plan on doing 2 fellowships and would continue to reiterate that being on an H1b is infinitely better
- 3 years
- no, marriage does not exempt you from the 2-year rule

 

[splik]

well technically J1 visas are sponsored by the ECFMG and actually not all places accept people on J1 visas.

i can't believe were having this conversation. i just don't want IMGs to read this and think it's true. If you are already on an H1 visa many more programs will be willing to sponsor you an H1 visa (for example the program I will be doing my forensics fellowship at doesn't sponsor H1s typically but does if you did your residency on one), and there is nothing stopping someone who really wants to do switching to a J1 from an H1 but the converse isn't true. So the notion that doing a J1 is ever "superior" is ludicrous especially given all the hassles that come later. Remember states can only sponsor 30 physicians each year for the J1 waiver scheme from all primary care specialties, not just psych. Not everyone is successful in even getting a J1 waiver job, and especially not in the state desired. And then you are consigned to whatever job for 3 years. If you really chose of your own accord a J1 over an H1 then that was a very foolish decision indeed.

Also psychiatry fellowships are generally ridiculously uncompetitive and a large number of very good places sponsor H1b visas in general, and as already stated, more still will sponsor one if you are already on one. In the event someone would be stupid enough to prefer to do their fellowship at a place that doesn't sponsor visas then they can always switch to a J1.

i am going to do forensics and also considering neuropsych if i can afford to do so. i've carved out my 4th year to be heavily focused on neuropsych electives so it may not be necessary

 

[PistolPete]

I completely agree with splik. Listen to him, he/she knows what he/she is talking about. In discussing this same issue with our hospitals immigration attorney, in basically every circumstance the H1b is superior to the J1, even for fellowship.

But it's still a hassle to apply for jobs having the requirement to be sponsored on an H1b for 1-2 years or straight to green card.

Splik, I didn't know that you could do PP on the side on an H1b. Say I work for a state hospital, who sponsor my H1b. Do I need ANOTHER h1b to work for myself in PP?

 

[splik]

no sorry to clarify you can work in PP on a green card which has been petitioned by an employer (such as an academic hospital), you cannot do pp on an H1b in the same way you cant do external moonlighting on a resident without another H1b.

to clarify (as i've just learnt this myself) if you are on an H1b visa you can apply for a concurrent H1b visa to work elsewhere. This would include your own private practice. You would need to set up a company and have one of your friends say they are sponsoring the H1 and pay the costs associated with it. As soon as it is filed you can work. This is also true for locum tenens stuff (you would set yourself up as a company and then would be able work as an indepdent contractor). You can be on as many concurrent H1s as you like and it is apparently much easier to do as you already have your primary visa.

 

[splik]

resurrecting this thread - anyone looking for jobs on an H1 visa or looking for GC sponsorship? share experiences/job offers etc
I'm starting my job search now!

 

[SmallBird]

resurrecting this thread - anyone looking for jobs on an H1 visa or looking for GC sponsorship? share experiences/job offers etc
I'm starting my job search now!

Great idea! I must say that this whole process was so much easier than I had hoped (in addition to needing an H1B I needed the waiver also). I found that approaching this with confidence was the way to go - eg, when I emailed recruiters asking for help in finding J1 waiver jobs, I got only very awful offers. So then I just used contacts to identify people at locations that were high on my list, and once people were assured they were interested in hiring me (or meeting with me), the visa piece was no longer a big deal. I think most people sell themselves short by highlighting their visa constraints too early in the process. I took a job doing exactly what I want at Butler hospital; it's a location I love and the contract is really favorable.

 

[PistolPete]

I want to come back to the West Coast. Needing green card sponsorship in addition to an H1b cap exempt position has been a hurdle but I've found a few places that are possible. Will update as I go further. Can't wait to be done with this visa stuff once and for all and finally be on stable ground.

 

[splik]

I didn't realize you had left the west coast! I am looking only at the west coast at a bunch of places. we can pm if you would prefer not to discuss things here but it is helpful for people to see what's on offer, and i might have some suggestions. are you looking at any location in particular?

 

[Giovanotto]

Updates?
Starring down the barrel of a J1 residency position (vs what I had hoped for, the h1b).

 

[Merovinge]

Updates?
Starring down the barrel of a J1 residency position (vs what I had hoped for, the h1b).

J1 waiver jobs are tricky and very specific but ultimately it's 3 years and definitely doable. You are basically giving up your freedom to search for a job that treats you well or is in a reasonable location in exchange to have US training and get paid as a US doctor. Many waiver jobs still pay well due to being in such undesirable locations. I think on the whole, they are still usually a good deal for most folks. If you are from a country where your green card will take awhile and are not marrying a US citizen then you will have that layer of complexity to following your waiver period.