At which point during job application is SSN required?

[MichaelaH 1]

I have the EB-2 with National Interest Waiver, I have the visa in my passport, what is left to do is arrive to the States and get a job.

I understand I get my SSN after I arrive to the States. Should I wait with job hunting until I get SSN?

 

I would prefer to get a job offer before I arrive, then arrive, get SSN and start working. I just don't know if that's acceptable in how hiring process goes in the States, and I don't want to spend the time and effort hunting for a job for them to tell me they won't even consider me until I have SSN, or for them to tell me they went with someone else because I don't have SSN yet. I can arrive to the States on short notice once I secure job offer, but with the U.S. job market being kind of wild from what I've read on the internet, I don't know if that will take weeks or months.. which is why I'd prefer to arrive only once I secure job offer. Thoughts or advices on this? How did you do it? 

[OldUser 6,624]

10 minutes ago, MichaelaH said:

Should I wait with job hunting until I get SSN?

No, interviewing can take a while especially with jobs requiring education and qualification. Apply for SSN ASAP after arrival (like next day). In 2-4 weeks you should receive the SS card. At that time you'll be still in search or going through interview process most likely. Your SSN is only needed when you accepted offer and come to office on day 1 of your empooyment.

[OldUser 6,624]

You may have issues interviewing not being on US soil, not having address. E.g. you won't be taken seriously 

 

[appleblossom 2,476]

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

You may have issues interviewing not being on US soil, not having address. E.g. you won't be taken seriously 

 

 

Yep, this. If you've applied under EB2 NIW you must have specialist skills that are in demand, but even so you may struggle to find a job offer without being in the US. Top tips: - make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and sells you well, and make contact with people in your field ahead of arrival and ask them just to meet you for a coffee, bring plenty of funds with you (everything costs more than you think it will, and you'll need health insurance before you find a job), and make sure you research where in the US would be best for your particular occupation. 

 

You presumably ticked the box on the DS-260 to get your SSN issued as soon as you arrive in the US, so it'll be with you in a couple of weeks (mine was about a week). 

 

Good luck. 

Edited Sunday at 10:46 PM by appleblossom

[Demise 1,280]

16 hours ago, MichaelaH said:

I have the EB-2 with National Interest Waiver, I have the visa in my passport, what is left to do is arrive to the States and get a job.

I understand I get my SSN after I arrive to the States. Should I wait with job hunting until I get SSN?

 

I would prefer to get a job offer before I arrive, then arrive, get SSN and start working. I just don't know if that's acceptable in how hiring process goes in the States, and I don't want to spend the time and effort hunting for a job for them to tell me they won't even consider me until I have SSN, or for them to tell me they went with someone else because I don't have SSN yet. I can arrive to the States on short notice once I secure job offer, but with the U.S. job market being kind of wild from what I've read on the internet, I don't know if that will take weeks or months.. which is why I'd prefer to arrive only once I secure job offer. Thoughts or advices on this? How did you do it? 

Strictly speaking, sometime around when the company does its W-2s (which would in general be sometime between Jan 1st and Feb 15th). Yeah you can be hired without an SSN yet, where the company can write in nine zeroes on I-9 and W-4 for the time being. In any case, most won't ask for it until you get and accept the offer and recruitment in general gets slower the bigger the entity hiring you is.

 

In all reality, most haven't experienced this and would be iffy, so for your own sake you should just apply for one as soon as you can.

Edited Monday at 12:44 PM by Demise

[mam521 2,058]

You cannot be discriminated against if you can present your passport with endorsed I-551.  That said, the endorsed part is relevant in your situation.  You're not eligible for the SSN until it's endorsed, indicating you've become a LPR of the US.  

 

Many HR personnel are not familiar with the I-9 rules, so I would recommend providing them if you are met with hesitation.  As Demise mentions, it's the business' responsibility to report earnings to the IRS and that's why they want it.