E3 Visa with prior green card lottery win help pls

[IheartNY 2]

@iheartny Just wondering how you went with your E3 application? I am in a similar situation in that I was selected for the green card lottery and submitted my forms while in the US on the J1. I also have a very high case number which is unlikely to result in a green card. I am actively trying to get sponsored on the E3 here but I'm wondering whether this is possible considering I have submitted forms for the green card?

Hi there! Ive actually now successfully applied for 2 E3's and on both of the DS-160 forms I disclosed the prior lottery win. Neither interviewing officer even asked about it. Just in case I prepared a nice long statement that set out my ties to Australia and a statement that I intended to comply with the terms of the E3 and depart the US on expiration of my E3 status.

You'll be fine unless there is some other reason that flags for the officer that could indicate you don't intend to comply with the visa obligations.

I ended up missing out on DV 2014. The final cut off was higher than my case number, so that sucks. But an E3 is a pretty nice second prize

Good luck!

[elena__b 0]

Hi there! Ive actually now successfully applied for 2 E3's and on both of the DS-160 forms I disclosed the prior lottery win. Neither interviewing officer even asked about it. Just in case I prepared a nice long statement that set out my ties to Australia and a statement that I intended to comply with the terms of the E3 and depart the US on expiration of my E3 status.

You'll be fine unless there is some other reason that flags for the officer that could indicate you don't intend to comply with the visa obligations.

I ended up missing out on DV 2014. The final cut off was higher than my case number, so that sucks. But an E3 is a pretty nice second prize

Good luck!

Thanks so much for your reply. That is a relief to hear! On another note, I would actually love any tips you might have about 'selling' the E3 to potential employers. I have had a lot of interviews so far, but even though I let them know the E3 won't cost them anything, they seem to back off from wanting to employ me once they hear I need to be sponsored. How did you go about letting your employers know about the E3 at the interview stage?

[Boiler 45,545]

No cost?

I thought E3 was similar to H1b in that respect?

[IheartNY 2]

Thanks so much for your reply. That is a relief to hear! On another note, I would actually love any tips you might have about 'selling' the E3 to potential employers. I have had a lot of interviews so far, but even though I let them know the E3 won't cost them anything, they seem to back off from wanting to employ me once they hear I need to be sponsored. How did you go about letting your employers know about the E3 at the interview stage?

I just said to them that the form they need to fill out is straightforward and costs them nothing to submit (the LCA) and that I would be happy to pick up the incidental costs of attending the consulate for interview and visa issuance. That worked for me for both jobs. However you have to know that depending on your field you will get excluded for some jobs based on the need for a visa. Lots of online job application programs ask the question about whether you will need a visa. I suspect that in some cases applicants that say "yes" just go straight into the bin.

Therefore the absolute best way to get a job in NY is by networking and referral so you can bypass the job application process and get past the HR department to the person actually doing the hiring. Thats how i got both my jobs.

You should seek out Australian "friendly" recruiters who can advocate for you to their clients. Maybe check out The Australian Community website in that regard. If you're not on Linkedin already then create a profile and search for Australians in your field in the area you wish to work that might be able to give you advice and referrals, attend Australian expat networking events and if there are industry networking events for your field then try and go to those as well.

Be careful about outfits like the PCG group that advertise for financial services and IT professionals who want an E3. Its questionable whether those kinds of companies qualify for an E3. You could get denied a visa and suffer the problems that come from that denial. Find other people that have dealt with the company and understand the total costs to you before signing up.

Again, best of luck. Its not easy but can be done!