American students can get one year of OPT, STEM (Science, Tech, Engineer, Math) can get 29 months of OPT, OPT can work legally, but can’t accumulate more than 3-4 months without work. OPT is not a long-term solution. After all, the company needs to apply for an H1-b work visa for the applicant. This visa is issued on April 1st every year. It is available on a first-come-first-served basis in the off-season. The peak season will receive a large number of applications in the previous week. For more than one year, you will draw lots to decide who can get H1-b.
The average number of H1-b is 65,000 per year. In addition, the number of masters who graduated from the United States is 20,000. The US Masters not only enjoys a separate quota, but also can take another ticket in the ordinary place without drawing. On April 1, 2013, the quota for 2014 was issued. At the deadline of April 5, 110,000 ordinary applications and 30,000 US graduates were received. The rough rate is about 50%-60%. The master’s degree is over 85%.
There are still a few days on April 1st. This year, the number of places in 2015 will be issued. The USCIS expects to stop accepting applications on April 7, which may actually be earlier. Regarding the number of applicants this year, the online forecast ranges from 13-20 million, and the more reliable estimate is between 15-18 million. According to this forecast, the winning rate for ordinary applications may be less than 40%, and the master’s rate for graduates in the United States is around 70%-80%.
Of course, after all, OPT can last up to 2 and a half years. If you don’t win the game, you can apply again in the next year. If you haven’t applied for it for 2-3 years, you can only return to China and wait for H1b to sign it.
After getting H1-b, the replacement employer needs to change H1-b at the same time. After losing work, H1-b will automatically fail, or immediately find a new employer, or only return home.
After the US applied for H1b, the application for immigration (US green card) has the following procedures:
Labor Permit (PERM): Proof that the applicant will not affect the local market and requires the applicant, employer and lawyer to cooperate;
Scheduling: After obtaining the labor certificate, the applicant officially submits the immigration application. However, in order to balance the race, the United States limits the number of immigrants per year in each country. Therefore, the immigration exporting countries usually have a schedule, and the current Chinese born EB2 ( Master’s degree) needs to be scheduled for 5 years;
H1-b expiration: H1-b visa is a small one in three years, and it will last for six years. It can be renewed if there is an employer.
Although OPT work can save tax and can change jobs at will, but OPT can’t apply for immigration, plus the current employment and economic situation in the United States is good, H1-b is estimated to be difficult year by year, with immigrants or long-term Students who plan to work in the United States should still get H1-b as soon as possible.