J1 employment terrors

[unionmac 0]

Hi Everyone!

I recently found this website and have been reading through a bunch of threads trying to find help before I posted something. Okay, here goes. It may be a long one, so sorry in advance, but I would really appreciate some help.

In April 2015, I moved to the USA on a J1 visa for 18 months. I was excited about the Job I was going to, there was a great (on paper) training program set up for me to follow for the whole 18 months. It's a small nonprofit with about 15 full-time employees in Portland, Oregon. Also, I am not subject to the 2 year return to home procedure.

For the first few months it started off quite slowly as both me and the organisation were getting to know each others strengths and styles. However, about 5 months in, so 2 months ago, I started really not enjoying the work they had me doing. They're not following any type of training program, and I'm being used basically as cheap labour to do data entry from Excel into QuickBooks. I have been doing the same thing, copy and paste, copy and paste, copy and paste, since September and I'm becoming depressed and hate my job. This may sound arrogant (sorry, I know it really does) but I know I'm better than it and it's really wasting my time to develop and grow for a great career.

I have an awesome girlfriend here and I love her to bits. She's truly been my rock for the last couple of months and listened to me, and helped me through so far. People have said to me "oh why don't you just get married to her and then you can get a new job and live there still," or words to the same extent. I absolutely want to marry this girl. But I don't want to rush things with her, because inevitably she will, or someone in her family will, think that I'm using her for the visa.

During my time here, I have had various meetings and informal interviews with people who do the job I aspire to do, or owners of organisations where I could do the career I want. I've actually been told by a couple of them that they want to offer me a full-time job in their organisation.

I have spoken to the supervisor where I work now about how I think I'm being used and I'm unhappy a couple of times. Sometimes they laugh it off, sometimes they sit me down and make me feel like I'm being listened to and then tell me that the work I'm doing is very important to the organisation. Like that's supposed to make me feel better.

I would like to ask for some help with what to do next.. I'm beyond talking to my supervisor about this and I think I deserve better. I have an appointment booked with an immigration lawyer soon and I'd like to go in with some serious questions ready because as many of you know, lawyers are expensive.

Right now, I feel like I have three options: 1) I stick it out with my current job and propose to my girlfriend near the end of my program and deal with going home and applying for the fiance visa; 2) I propose to my girlfriend prematurely and risk it going tits up in the hope of being able to leave my job and start again sooner than in option 1; or 3) be formally offered a job by someone else, quit my current job, go home and maintain a long-distance relationship, apply for all the visa stuff I need, hopefully be approved, move back and then propose to my girlfriend at a later time.

If anyone knows what they would do then I would love to hear it. Please, I'm completely lost and have no idea

EDIT: content

Edited November 13, 2015 by unionmac

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

People on visas already in the US don't go home to get another visa to come back. They adjust status from visa holder to permanent resident based on marriage to a US citizen. I have no idea how that fits the terms of your J1 visa or if marriage is in your future, but it's something to research. This is the guide for the process. http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2

[Boiler 45,516]

Marry and adjust.

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

Your care and concern for your girlfriend and budding relationship is very admirable. From that standpoint, you might want to stick it out with your current employer.

1. A job is a big deal in America. You can embellish the experience on your resume and future interviews. A long period of unemployment, however, makes looking for work more difficult. Also, you'll have to explain gaps in your employment history for many years to come.

2. If you can acquire new skills thru independent study or school, those might be attractive to your employer and get you off the data entry track. You might explore it in your free time.

3. The longer you stick with the job to earn money to support a future relationship with your gf, the more attractive it will look to her. It shows you're responsible, etc.

The easy route is to force your gf into an early marriage. Many people are looking for shortcuts, especially many of the people who come onto this forum. Again, I admire that you're taking a broader approach in looking at your future. Best of luck in whatever route you choose.

p.s. 20 years ago I was working dead end data entry jobs. Gradually I took one slightly better job after another. Today I feel I'm in pretty good shape and I'll be pretty well set for retirement in about 15 years. Having patience in both my career and relationship has paid off.

[Elf 146]

I wonder whether there might be a fourth option?

I realize that you've talked to your supervisor at work, but have you tried discussing your concerns with the person listed as the "responsible officer" at your designated sponsor (listed in block 7 of your DS-2019)? Host companies are prohibited from placing J-1 trainees in positions that require more than 20 percent clerical or office support work (see under More Information > Limitations and Exceptions at that link) and your host company should be following the agreed training program plan. If they're using you for data entry instead of following the agreed T/IPP, the designated sponsor may be able to help you arrange a transfer to another J-1 host company in the same field with a training program that fulfills the same requirements.

[unionmac 0]

have you tried discussing your concerns with the person listed as the "responsible officer" at your designated sponsor (listed in block 7 of your DS-2019)?

Yes, I recently contacted them and spoke on the phone briefly about my issues. The response was "talk with your supervisor about it again and then contact me if the situation doesn't improve and I will call them."

I also posed the question of: is there somewhere else I could move to? She said no.

[unionmac 0]

People on visas already in the US don't go home to get another visa to come back. They adjust status from visa holder to permanent resident based on marriage to a US citizen. I have no idea how that fits the terms of your J1 visa or if marriage is in your future, but it's something to research. This is the guide for the process. http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2

Thanks for your reply. I'd really like to know if I'd have to go home to secure a work visa? If I were to be offered a full-time job or even an internship again, what would the process be?

Your care and concern for your girlfriend and budding relationship is very admirable. From that standpoint, you might want to stick it out with your current employer.

1. A job is a big deal in America. You can embellish the experience on your resume and future interviews. A long period of unemployment, however, makes looking for work more difficult. Also, you'll have to explain gaps in your employment history for many years to come.

2. If you can acquire new skills thru independent study or school, those might be attractive to your employer and get you off the data entry track. You might explore it in your free time.

3. The longer you stick with the job to earn money to support a future relationship with your gf, the more attractive it will look to her. It shows you're responsible, etc.

The easy route is to force your gf into an early marriage. Many people are looking for shortcuts, especially many of the people who come onto this forum. Again, I admire that you're taking a broader approach in looking at your future. Best of luck in whatever route you choose.

p.s. 20 years ago I was working dead end data entry jobs. Gradually I took one slightly better job after another. Today I feel I'm in pretty good shape and I'll be pretty well set for retirement in about 15 years. Having patience in both my career and relationship has paid off.

Thanks for your comment. It was a great suggestions!

I'm studying in my free-time, doing online classes in subjects that will really help my career.