Lost !! which visa apply for

[sandrine29 1]

Hi everybody

i am a French Native speaker, 39 living currently in France.

I have been applying on line for 2 years now and no jobs or sponsorship came over !! lol

so , i worked for 16 years in the Navy in IT and communications, and also in administrative functions

i wonder what kind of visa i could apply for!!

i would like to join my friend in AZ (no marriage to be organized yet we want to do things in order) so could you tell me what kind of visa i should apply. I even thought transferring my language skills as a native French speaker by a University so i could reach a high level of education in less time than a normal course program !

but i just want to be able to go there and work or look for a job; I intend to visit next March but won't be able to work under my tourist visa.

i plan to go once more next Summer and would like my son and I to join my friend or even settle somewhere in the States (better than crossing the atlantic each time)

thank you a lot for all you could tell me and for your help

i am desperate, really

it's a dream i have since my 20's and the most important thing in my life since the past 2 years !!!

i can't imagine staying in France even if my country is quite a good one for opportunities too, but the heart has its own reasons...that the reason it self can't explain !!

thank you so much for your help

see you

sandrine

[lost_at_sea 995]

I'm afraid you can't just go to America and look for work. All work visas begin with a job offer, then the organisation petitions for that person to obtain a visa.

Start reading here: http://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/working-us

Other options you could consider might be studying abroad.

[Cathi 5,742]

There is no reason to post the same question several times, you were given the correct advice in your last thread.

Not only is what lost at sea said correct, also if a company petitions for you they must prove they cannot find a qualified American to fill said position

Edited November 20, 2013 by mimolicious

[JayJayH 546]

I'm afraid you can't just go to America and look for work. All work visas begin with a job offer, then the organisation petitions for that person to obtain a visa.

Start reading here: http://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/working-us

Other options you could consider might be studying abroad.

That isn't entirely true.

You can go to America to look for a job - You can even interview for a job. But you cannot begin working until you have work authorization.

As far as sponsorships go, unless you have immediate relatives in the US, virtually the only way to work without sponsorship is through Optional Practical Training (OPT). To get OPT, you need to attend a US college for at least 9 months - and graduate with at least a bachelor's degree. You will then qualify for OPT, which will allow you to work for one year with no sponsorship. Many foreigners get sponsorships from companies they began working for while on OPT. The only restriction on OPT is that the work has to be related to your major field of study.

OPT is in many ways a bridge or gateway. I would seriously consider pursuing a professional degree in the US. Once you graduate from a US school, your options open up tremendously.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Yang-Ja

[sandrine29 1]

There is no reason to post the same question several times, you were given the correct advice in your last thread.

Not only is what lost at sea said correct, also if a company petitions for you they must prove they cannot find a qualified American to fill said position

thank you, it was just a mistake i realized i did not post under the right category

things can happen , i'm sorry if it bothered you

time for me to post here on the right place that answers were given there !

thank for your comment and advice

[sandrine29 1]

That isn't entirely true.

You can go to America to look for a job - You can even interview for a job. But you cannot begin working until you have work authorization.

As far as sponsorships go, unless you have immediate relatives in the US, virtually the only way to work without sponsorship is through Optional Practical Training (OPT). To get OPT, you need to attend a US college for at least 9 months - and graduate with at least a bachelor's degree. You will then qualify for OPT, which will allow you to work for one year with no sponsorship. Many foreigners get sponsorships from companies they began working for while on OPT. The only restriction on OPT is that the work has to be related to your major field of study.

OPT is in many ways a bridge or gateway. I would seriously consider pursuing a professional degree in the US. Once you graduate from a US school, your options open up tremendously.

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!

I intend to LOOK for a job while i'm there and who knows maybe find opportunities better than on distance !! lol

i was considering that option and maybe try to transfer my language skills and pass a bachelor in French so i could become a teacher.

some units could be validated so i could pass this level in less than a year !

usually a bachelor degree is in 4 years right? or what kind of degree could be okay to let me apply for a OPT?

the problem would be to not work while studying, i have a son to feed! lol

do you know what kind of subject could be studied or what kind of courses would allow me to apply for a OPT?

thank you for all your wise advice

s.

Edited November 20, 2013 by sandrine29

[JayJayH 546]

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!

I intend to LOOK for a job while i'm there and who knows maybe find opportunities better than on distance !! lol

i was considering that option and maybe try to transfer my language skills and pass a bachelor in French so i could become a teacher.

some units could be validated so i could pass this level in less than a year !

usually a bachelor degree is in 4 years right? or what kind of degree could be okay to let me apply for a OPT?

the problem would be to not work while studying, i have a son to feed! lol

do you know what kind of subject could be studied or what kind of courses would allow me to apply for a OPT?

thank you for all your wise advice

s.

To qualify for an F1 student visa, you will need to have applied for, and been accepted into an accredited US school. The school will issue a form I-20 which you can use to apply for the F1 visa at the US embassy in Paris. Once approved, you can enter the United States as a student for as long as you are a student, or work on OPT.

As a student, you can work for up to 20 hours a week on-campus without work authorization. To work without authorization, the job has to be an on-campus job. The other option is off-campus Curricular Practical Training (CPT), but to get CPT during the course of your studies, the job has to be a part of your curriculum.

There are two forms of OPT. Pre-completion and post-completion OPT. If you want to work while you are studying, you may apply for pre-completion OPT after your first year of study. Keep in mind that the total amount of time for which you are eligible to work on OPT is 12 months. While school is in session, you can only work part-time, so if you obtain employment auhtorization (EAD card) before you graduate, you can only work part-time except for during the summer holiday months. Most students opt for post-completion OPT, which allows you to work full-time for up to 12 months after you graduate. If you had worked for example 6 months of pre-completion OPT, you would only then be eligible for 6 months of post-completion OPT.

Any degree, in any major, allows you to apply for OPT - As long as the degree is at least a bachelor's degree or higher. Most degrees or fields of study will make you eligible for a 12 month OPT, however, there are certain subjects which can make you eligible for a 17 month extension, often referred to as a "STEM extension." STEM is an abbreviation for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - The fields of study which make you eligible for an extension.

If you are seriously considering studying as a path to working in the United States your path will look much like this:

Student (F1) - OPT - Skilled worker (H1B)

An H1B visa will require you to have at least a bachelor's degree in a specialty occupation. You mention that you have IT experience, and I am not a career counselor, but I would highly recommend for you to steer away from a language major (French) and toward a more specialized field such as IT. Most fields in IT could qualify you for a 17 month STEM extension on your OPT, and quite frankly, the job market (and thus H1B sponsorship opportunities) is better.

All employment benefits during the course of your studies should be discussed, and applied for through your school's Designated School Official (DSO). Your child, if a minor, will be eligible to accompany you on an F2 visa.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Yang-Ja