USA work visa for helper from philippines.

[Speedypro 0]

I don't know where to start here but i hope someone with some experience can shed some light on this matter for me. I am a United States citizen and my wife is also, I am interested in sponsoring a young lady from the Philippines on a work visa. I have been on more websites than I can count but don't think i know much more than i did to start with. What I have in mind in the way of a job for her is sort of a general helper, part maid part helper for our small business which is in an adjoining building next to our home. Also some simple gardening work, water plants and maintaining landscape etc. I am prepared to offer her a room and meals and we have talked about money as well.

She is a nice girl who is willing to work and just needs a chance, we became acquainted about a year ago, she has an interest in the kind of business we have so it seems like a good idea. She is 23 years old and speaks English well enough to communicate but she is working to improve her English skills. What may be a problem is the fact that she did not finish High School because she had to work to help her family. as i understand it i need to apply for the Visa as a prospective employer. I have looked at several websites and found adds for lawyers who offer to help with the process, in most cases the fee seems to be about $1000. somehow this seems suspicious to me,

I am currently in information overload, and wish i could make sense of all of this. I honestly didn't think I would would ever be asking these questions but here I am. Somewhere i read that it is more difficult to get a visa if you don't have many ties to your country. She has a small child that she would leave in the care of her parents and sisters so it seems like she is a good risk not to violate the law and overstay her visa. I also read someplace that the financial situation of the employer was a factor, while we are not overly wealthy we are secure with resources to support this employee.

i hope someone can point me in the right direction. I have told her I would do all I can but I don't want to get her hopes up. She has a dream to come here to USA and we could use the help. Also I wonder if it would be possible for her to seek other part time work outside of her employment with us? I told her that if this was possible we could work it into her schedule.

[milimelo 4,465]

No such visa. Plenty of unemployed people in the US - hire one.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

There is no visa for what you want her to do, because there are lots of Americans that could do this. The closest I could see would be for her to come as an au pair, but that would be just for your home, and you'd need to go via an agency. I don't beleieve you get to choose the specific individual you will work with in that case either.

[Boiler 45,314]

Have you tried advertising on Craigslist?

That is free.

[Speedypro 0]

I live in a rural area where the only people who are unemployed are those who want to be. I honestly don't know anyone who is unemployed. Probably the only person I would be able to find would be an illegal from Mexico, ironic huh? The fact is that the person I have in mind is someone I really want to help. I will find a way.

[Boiler 45,314]

I live in a rural area, plenty of people looking for work.

You say Indianapolis but the unemployment rate there is similar to the national average.

I did not think there was anywhere in the US with full employment.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Work visas are restricted to people that can't be found in the US. Usually people in science,engineering,computers. They are not for general helpers. If you were to bring her over as a general helper you would have to first show that you can't hire someone already here and also demonstrate that you would be paying her the going rate for such work which would be at least minimum wage. So room and board and some money isn't going to cut it. Have you looked into something like KIVA. Great group they fund small loans to people who would never be able to start/improve their business.

[Speedypro 0]

I live in a rural area, plenty of people looking for work.

You say Indianapolis but the unemployment rate there is similar to the national average.

I did not think there was anywhere in the US with full employment.

I dont live in the Indianapolis area, of the choices given it seemed the closest, I guess my area has been spared some of the hardship that some areas have. This is an unusual situation I guess, because of the nature of our small business and our rather hectic schedule we need someone who would make their home in some space we have available and be available at somewhat irregular hours and I'm not sure i would ever find anyone in my area who fits those requirements at minimum wage. The young lady I have mentioned is excited about the opportunity and it seems like a workable plan. I have a couple other ideas how she might be able to make a little extra money as well. She has little opportunity in her country and I admire her spirit, I just thought this seemed like a good idea.

if this is as close to impossible as some seem to think how do you explain the fact that almost all of the housekeeping staff at most hotels don't seem to be Americans. Are there not any Americans to fill those jobs?

Edited April 7, 2013 by Speedypro

[Boiler 45,314]

I live not that far from the Colorado Ski resorts and I know many people who work there.

A friend who has a medium sized hotel uses mainly Mexican ladies, some may be here legally....

A lot of kitchen staff I know are not.

J1 and H2B are used for the seasonal staff, ski instructors etc, I have been told that they have cut back on these as it is more complicated to dump staff mid season, whilst they do not have the same issue with those here with independent work authorisation. And none here illegally.

Now CIR is supposed to include more provision for unskilled workers, when this happens, would it meet your circumstances, likely to be grossly oversubscribed and therefore a lottery, not sure if that is practical.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Many of those people came on some sort of visa, maybe as the spouse of someone on an available visa and they take what work they can. I have talked with several Nigerians that work as staff of hotels and most of them are spouses of DV lottery winners

[erynaught 43]

if this is as close to impossible as some seem to think how do you explain the fact that almost all of the housekeeping staff at most hotels don't seem to be Americans.

How do you draw this conclusion? Because they don't look like you or speak a different language?

I'd be willing to bet that very few, if any, are here as primary beneficiaries of work visas.

With no highly-sought skills, her options of a work visa are extremely limited.

An au pair would need to go through some training in PI to qualify for agency work and au pair visas, I believe, are not available to people after 26yo.

A student visa maybe if she could get a GED equivalency, be accepted by a school and find the funds to pay for tuition.