NicoGermany

So would my way work?

Yeah, that this path exists is known; we had discussed it here in the thread. What I meant is that I set up a US branch company based on my German company and transfer via L-1 to that US company and then file for EB.

One thing that just came to mind: I have founded a company in Germany with someone else. It is apparent that it should develop well economically in the next few years. Would it be possible as a German to open a branch company in the US and then transfer there with a L-1A or maybe O-1 visa? Would it also be possible to apply for EB-1C green card? And just assuming, which I hope won't be the case, that the company would go bankrupt and I would have an EB-1C visa, could I then start working in another company as a normal employee without any problems?

Thank you. All your messages have opened my eyes. Even if degree doesn't matter that much in computer science or software engineering compared to other professions. But I have done a lot of research in the meantime, and I definitely see what you're getting at: You have a greater advantage over other applicants with the same work experience, but most lack it in academics, so in this case, I would probably be favored as having higher academic credentials. As you said, "Consider it a long-term plan" - and that hits the nail on the head. So thank you! It was actually a life lesson for me.

So you have an advantage over US citizens in this respect as a European? How important is the content of studies and the prestige of the college? Or is it primarily about having a master's degree in the end? How did headhunters from US reach out to you? LinkedIn, etc.?

Were you hired directly by a US company or were you transferred from a UK office to the US as an example? And would you say that the content of the master's degree matters at all, because most masters in computer science that I have seen so far also have many introductory classes for instance, Big Data, AI, etc. I also looked specifically at how others feel about the Master's in computer science and most also say that they can take away some relevant knowledge from 2-3 classes.

Do you mean going to the U.S. right after my bachelor's to do my master's there? So that I'm in the US with a student visa. Just to be more specific, if I understand this correctly - here are my thoughts as I understand it so far: To qualify for the EB-2 sub-category "Advanced Degree", one needs to have EITHER a higher degree (Master's, PhD, etc.) OR a Bachelor's degree plus at least 5 years of progressive post-bachelor's work experience in the respective field, for instance, Software Engineer after a Computer Science Bachelor's degree. Because the 5 years of work experience is equivalent to a higher degree(Master's). For the other EB-2 sub-category Exceptional Ability then the 10 years of full-time work experience applies? If this is correct, where is the advantage of the Master's degree in relation to the visa (except for the career prospects)? How does the recognition of the degree work, can one assume that an accredited Bachelor of Science from a university is always considered as US equivalent? Related to the visa.

Ok, thank!! I have one last question: how long is the waiting time between EB-2 and EB-3 on average? Is it usually only a few months? So EB-3 only takes a few months longer on average?

Just saw this statistic. According to this statistic, the difference was not too big in August 2023. I'm just trying to figure out if it makes sense and makes a difference to do a master's just to get into EB-2 or if it makes little difference in the end. https://www.immigrationhelp.org/news/visa-bulletin

Thank you you make many things much clearer to me! But I still don't really understand the difference between EB-2 and EB-3. As you said, for EB-2 you need a higher qualification with a shorter waiting period. Those are the only difference? And how much is the difference in waiting time between EB-2 and EB-3? Because as I have seen, it also depends on the country of origin, so it takes a long time in India, for instance.

So the main difference between EB-2 and EB-3 is essentially the wait time, right? And the EB visas are the visas that are called green cards in day-to-day life, right?

What does "several years" mean, more than 3 years? How would the process change with master's degree?

Hi I'm about to graduate with a BS in Computer Science in Germany. I don't really want to do a Master's because in order to finally earn some money myself and grow in my career. My goal is to emigrate to the US, preferably to Southern California to work as a software engineer. My plan would be to work for 3 years after graduation and then somehow immigrate to the US. I can also imagine spending a large part of my life in the US, which is why US citizenship is definitely interesting for me. How do I achieve the goal of getting the green card as quickly as possible as I don't want to have other visas that are too tied to an employer for a long time because that could jeopardize my whole new existence there since I have to find a new job within 30 days of being laid off? Of course, I will always apply to the green card lottery, but that doesn't assure me that I will eventually get to the US. Which visa would make the most sense and is the best? Without knowing much, it seems like the EB2A visa would be the best, but there is the thing that I need a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree with 5 years of work experience. I'd also be interested in how likely it is that I get this visa with a bachelor and 5 years of work experience? So what is the acceptance rate for this case? I'm bothered by the high uncertainty of ever living in the US. There is also the possibility of being transferred by an international company with German and US offices. But I don't know how fast I can get a green card there. So for me, the most important goal is to get a green card as soon as possible. Maybe someone has some ideas/tips on how best to proceed.