Is it really worth it?

[DEEPCUR]

https://www.murthy.com/2017/12/20/is-there-a-new-rule-coming-that-would-prevent-people-from-extending-h1b-status-beyond-6-years/

Is there a new rule coming that would prevent people from extending H1B status beyond 6 years?
Answer
There is no indication of such a rule being proposed at this time. Further, the ability to extend H1B status beyond 6 years is partially based on a law, rather than a regulation. Therefore, to get rid of this rule would likely require that Congress intervene. (18.Dec.2017)

So the cat is out of the bag:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article192336839.html

I read that section of AC 21 law and it specifically states that the attorney general may grant 3 year extensions after 6th year for people with approved i140. They can choose to follow this if they want.

There is another section that says the attorney general shall grant one year extension based on approved i140 which mandates them to grant one year extensions. But extension every single year would be pain in the ass for employers and it could be prohibitive to hire visa people. It's a pain for people too as there would be a pending petition a given point unless they wish to spend $1225 for every premium application. It'll also mandate stamping with every travel and would also hinder free travel during pending petitions.

 

[fr72]

How about property prices in CANADA VS U.S ? I think its easy to buy a property in India for some one who worked in U.S for few years. I think Its tough to buy a property 400k-500k in Canada.

US: Zillow.com
CA: realtor.ca

not tough to figure this out.

 

[APPNOV2014NY]

Here is another link which points to above link:
http://www.firstpost.com/world/h1b-extensions-on-the-chopping-block-4282721.html

On bright side,
1. GC waiting time will come down drastically.
2. Employers will not wait until 5/6th year to file GC.

 

[fr72]

So the cat is out of the bag:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article192336839.html

I read that section of AC 21 law and it specifically states that the attorney general may grant 3 year extensions after 6th year for people with approved i140. They can choose to follow this if they want.

There is another section that says the attorney general shall grant one year extension based on approved i140 which mandates them to grant one year extensions. But extension every single year would be pain in the ass for employers and it could be prohibitive to hire visa people. It's a pain for people too as there would be a pending petition a given point unless they wish to spend $1225 for every premium application. It'll also mandate stamping with every travel and would also hinder free travel during pending petitions.

people who continue to live on H1B are like frogs in boiling water. They will continue denying anything has changed until they lose their status. Its good for us though, less competition.

 

[DEEPCUR]

Here is another link which points to above link:
http://www.firstpost.com/world/h1b-extensions-on-the-chopping-block-4282721.html

On bright side,
1. GC waiting time will come down drastically.
2. Employers will not wait until 5/6th year to file GC.

US moving points system looks imminent. Check this tweet..

https://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946731576687235072

Next quarter would be interesting because they have to take action by March on making DACA in to a law. Otherwise dreamers will face deportation. Getting DACA sorted out is one of the high priority for Democrats.

With Trump mandating that legal immigration to be fixed along with DACA, Democrats might have to come to some agreement on legal immigration too. That means that they'll have to make changes to employment based green card system too. Because chain migration, diversity lottery, employment based immigration are all part of immigration and nationality act. Changing them would warrant changes to employment based system too.. with or without choice.

So under the proposed merit system (through raise act), either people get green card or they leave US. No concept of backlog. Also job offer is mandatory in the current point system, but there is no need for the employer to sponsor green card itself. It's like Canada express entry but with job offer mandate.

 

[Vpalanimuthu]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/b54f414f-1cda-335a-a940-d57f7bbc763e/ss_h1-b-visas-would-no-longer-be.html

If this happens then it's going to be a big mess every where

 

[Ben Bomowey]

Gud day, Kindly please advise me on how to get letter request from the Canadian embassy so that the NBI will provide a certification letter for me regarding on my NBI remarks as no pending case. Kindly please inform me all steps or procedures before I will submit all my documents to the CEM so that my application to work abroad will not be refuse or deny? Thank you and more power...

 

[APPNOV2014NY]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/b54f414f-1cda-335a-a940-d57f7bbc763e/ss_h1-b-visas-would-no-longer-be.html

If this happens then it's going to be a big mess every where

I doubt it will happen anytime soon . He is stupid but not that stupid.

 

[DEEPCUR]

With all the immigration changes being rumored in US, we could expect mad rush to this forum from people on H1b explaining how difficult they are finding to live under visa and want to move Canada for stability.

 

[fr72]

With all the immigration changes being rumored in US, we could expect mad rush to this forum from people on H1b explaining how difficult they are finding to live under visa and want to move Canada for stability.

Most will ask, then they will bash Canada about its weather and lack of jobs and complain that it is not the 51st state, then disappear. I personally know several people who are actually applying and have the ITA, none of them have spent too much time thinking about it. You either act, or you dont, most dont.

 

[eagleeye_a]

I've been following this thread for a few months. Thanks to ALL the contributors, as many of the thoughts/feelings expressed by everyone here have been going through my mind as well. This obviously isn't an easy topic to discuss, not for someone confronted with having to make the choice(aashay12 early on in the thread) nor for those of you who have made the decision in the past(DEEPCUR, etc). I'd specifically like to thank justinline for the great advice posted on Oct 20th in this thread.

The pros and cons seem almost equal to me. The US has more opportunity, economic prosperity and lets face it more 'freedom', but at the expense of the H1b limbo. Access to Canada is a lot easier, but at the expense of opportunity, economics and freedom(IMHO). Both are beautiful countries, with great people. (All this has been stated multiple times in this thread).

Having spoken to a few friends who moved there in the past decade, they confirmed that finding work in their field took a long time(years).It's not the pay cut, nor the higher taxes that worry me; it's being in a new country(Canada), not knowing anyone, not having ANY job in my field(Software Dev) for an extended period of time.

 

[thisworks]

Most will ask, then they will bash Canada about its weather and lack of jobs and complain that it is not the 51st state, then disappear. I personally know several people who are actually applying and have the ITA, none of them have spent too much time thinking about it. You either act, or you dont, most dont.

that has been true so far, but this may change in near future,

 

[Ansar134]

I've been following this thread for a few months. Thanks to ALL the contributors, as many of the thoughts/feelings expressed by everyone here have been going through my mind as well. This obviously isn't an easy topic to discuss, not for someone confronted with having to make the choice(aashay12 early on in the thread) nor for those of you who have made the decision in the past(DEEPCUR, etc). I'd specifically like to thank justinline for the great advice posted on Oct 20th in this thread.

The pros and cons seem almost equal to me. The US has more opportunity, economic prosperity and lets face it more 'freedom', but at the expense of the H1b limbo. Access to Canada is a lot easier, but at the expense of opportunity, economics and freedom(IMHO). Both are beautiful countries, with great people. (All this has been stated multiple times in this thread).

Having spoken to a few friends who moved there in the past decade, they confirmed that finding work in their field took a long time(years).It's not the pay cut, nor the higher taxes that worry me; it's being in a new country(Canada), not knowing anyone, not having ANY job in my field(Software Dev) for an extended period of time.

Well software dev is the only field that I heard is lot better than other fields in Canada. are you sure there are NO jobs for IT people in Canada ?

 

[ypaul]

Well software dev is the only field that I heard is lot better than other fields in Canada. are you sure there are NO jobs for IT people in Canada ?

There are jobs but supply of eligible workforce due to PR program is much higher due to which not everyone finds a job or finds a job much below their standard. Some people do blue collar jobs or even move back.

You haven't heard of Canadian Uber or Netflix, have you ? Silicon valley has a startup culture like nowhere else and therefore number of jobs in US are always proportionally more than other places like Canada.

 

[Ansar134]

There are jobs but supply of eligible workforce due to PR program is much higher due to which not everyone finds a job or finds a job much below their standard. Some people do blue collar jobs or even move back.

You haven't heard of Canadian Uber or Netflix, have you ? Silicon valley has a startup culture like nowhere else and therefore number of jobs in US are always proportionally more than other places like Canada.

I think if we compare Canada with US then it's true that US has the best software dev job market in the world but then that doesn't mean that Canada is no good. I am currently working in Singapore and if every year tons of people are getting jobs here in a 40km wide island then situation in Canada has to be much better, people coming to Canada proportional to it's size (I am not talking about the uninhabited land) is nothing compared to new people coming to much much smaller markets like Singapore or even small European countries like Denmark etc.
You don't have to wait for years for a GC like in US and start-up market is also picking up in Canada, you have to look at the total package that Canada offers compared to US like peace of mind and family culture compared to perhaps better salaries in US..