Member-only story
Practical advice: I am an immigrant, and I’m being treated unfairly
M. wrote: I came to the US when I was 17, on a student visa. I’m 25 now, and have transitioned to a “H1b” visa, which allows me to work in this country legally for one and only one company (which sponsored the visa).
Living with a H1b has many pitfalls. In fact, some even call it “modern slavery.” Here are just some: I cannot have more than one job, and am pretty much “stuck” with the employer who sponsored me; my dependent can legally live with me, but she cannot work in the country; as you can imagine, doing simple things like asking for a raise, or taking time off can be challenging because you’re always insecure about being replaced. And, the minute you loose your job, you get just one month to find another one, and if you cannot, you have to leave the country.
Given the pitfalls above, and the fact that my partner and I are planning to get married soon, it’s clear that living with this visa is just not an option. Thus, the next step is applying for permanent residency, or what everyone calls a green card. Just like an employer sponsors your H1b, you need an employer to apply for a green card. Unfortunately, given the current situation of the immigration system, Indian and Chinese nationals face a 15–20 year wait time for getting green cards.
