Changing employer status for Q1 visa

[SInewave 0]

Greetings, i have a Q1 vista for cultural exchange.
I work for a big company for an italian restaurant wich is going very bad, to a point that my paychecks are less than 50$ weekly.

I was ensured in the interview in my country that the payment was enough to live properly, but now that im here  on the other side of the world they simply ignore our problems. They scammed and enslaved us, I dont think that this is even legal.

Before going back to our country, we want to know if its possible to change the employer status on our visa, and if yes what is the process.
Thanks in advance!

[Coco8 1,042]

I doubt you can get the same employer to change your visa type. Even if there were another visa, you would have to keep working for the same employer and it seems you do not want that.

 

The Q1 is supposed to be for cultural exchange and even if it has some employment part, it is not to be a slave and be paid below the minimum wage. If you are set on going back home, before you do, tell the employer that if they don't pay you what they were supposed to pay you, you will report them to USCIS and the Labor Department in your state. You can also check if in your visa paperwork it says if you have a stipend or something they were supposed to be paying.

 

Of course, this could backfire and they could have your visa revoked. I'd still file a complaint with USCIS and tell them they are using the Q1 to bring workers and pay them 50 dollars a week.  The labor department in your state won't be happy either.

 

 

Edited March 9, 2018 by Coco8

[SInewave 0]

9 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

I doubt you can get the same employer to change your visa type. Even if there were another visa, you would have to keep working for the same employer and it seems you do not want that.

 

The Q1 is supposed to be for cultural exchange and even if it has some employment part, it is not to be a slave and be paid below the minimum wage. If you are set on going back home, before you do, tell the employer that if they don't pay you what they were supposed to pay you, you will report them to USCIS and the Labor Department in your state. You can also check if in your visa paperwork it says if you have a stipend or something they were supposed to be paying.

 

Of course, this could backfire and they could have your visa revoked. I'd still file a complaint with USCIS and tell them they are using the Q1 to bring workers and pay them 50 dollars a week.  The labor department in your state won't be happy either.

 

 

On the contract i was supposed to be paid 5,25$ per hour + tips, but the problem is the tip managment, wich they simply disappear and the rent of the provided housing.
They took out from our paychecks 150 for the rent and 30 for health insurance, so  basically we earn just 30-60$ weekly, and they seems to not give a single duck about that, they just call other people monthly and have free workes if someone leave.
The contract also it-s on will, so they can fire us whenever they want.

I cant find another employer wich could sponsorize me in a cultural exhange in their italian restaurant? I heard that it can be done, but everyone say something different.

[Coco8 1,042]

I'm not sure if you can transfer the Q1 to another employer. I know that with the J1 you can and that visa is similar to the Q1. At least you should try.

[Boiler 45,417]

It is a Cultural Exchange Programme of limited duration, not quite sure how working in an Italian Restaurant passed but do not believe you can switch employers.