H1b no degree but lots of experience in IT

[spalding]

Hi

We are planning to make the move from Ireland to USA soon. My husband works for an international company where he could transfer only problem is he doesn't have an actual degree lots of 'IT Industry' qualifications but never did his degree, he also has 10+ experience will he still be able to get a H1b visa through his company or is a degree absolutely mandatory? Thanks for any help it's really appreciated.

[Rachel_Heath]

Welcome to the forum!

No, a degree is not mandatory for an H-1B - I myself am proof of that I got an H-1B based solely on work experience and with 10 or more years the door should be open to your husband on that route.

However if your hubby's doing an international transfer (i.e. he currently is employed by company based both in the US and elsewhere) then it should be even easier - via the L-1A or L-1B visa which is not regulated in the same way.

The Visa's both have a slightly short life-span but they can be both renewed and also used as a springboard for obtaining a green-card followed by naturalization. As a spouse you would be on an L2 Visa which, after obtaining an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) you'd be able to use to obtaining work at any other company.

Hope this helps!

[spalding]

Rachel you've just made my day that's great news - didn't want to go down route of getting all excited and then find out the lack of degree was a big problem. It's great to meet someone else who has done it too.

[Johny]

Hi Rachel,

I see from your repsonse that you made it to the USA without a degree and solely with work experience. I am in a similar situation and really want to get to the states to work. I have been discussing my options witha H1B visa company and they have said I may have a chance but I need to contact and evaluation company to see if my qualifications and experience qualify me to apply.

I am 27 and have worked in financial services for 10 years, I hold 3 financial qualifications and am a qualified mortgage adviser.

How did you get started with going about this? did you contact and evaluation company?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

John

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

There is something of a difference between having 10 years of IT experience and having 10 years of financial industry experience. The problem you may well run up against is that mortgage advising or financial services in general are very strongly related to the local tax laws and legal structure. IT doesn't have that constraint.

Now, if you could show that you have experience with the US financial industry - and understood US banks and US banking regulations - you might have a chance to substitute experience for the degree. (I dare not make any comments about the mortgage industry in the US, as we all know how that is going at the moment. )

What sort of "evaluation" company are they telling you to consult? And I have to say that I'm hugely skeptical of most H1B visa companies. Personally, I'd far rather deal directly with the employer, since they will have to pay considerable fees up front to get to in - and ultimately, they are the ones you have to convince to hire you. No company can "guarantee" anything related to visas. (At least not when you're talking about US visas.)
Cheers,
Bev

[Johny]

Thanks for your response.

It is an evaluation to see whether my qualifications and experience would be the equivalent to a degree. Cost $400 which I am reluctant about but if it will help then I would obviously do.

Did you just start contacting employers then?

[Rachel_Heath]

Johny,

I'm unsure if I was somewhat different or not, but my whole H-1B adventure started when I received a postcard at home from a UK agency who were also based in the US about working here. Before I realized it two weeks flew past and I was offered a position.

The agency were pretty comfortable with my years of experience as being enough to bypass the degree requirements and it turned out they were spot on so I ended up having all this done for me.

As regards your situation working in the financial services area; I've heard that some folk have an easier time moving across. For example someone who's a certified series 7 broker over here is allowed to get a 'credit' for that in the UK and are allowed to take a subset of the exams that the FSA requires over in the UK; The opposite may be just as valid.

My concern myself about using an agency to 'vet' your chances is that they have no affiliation or influence over the USCIS and that they may take your money and say 'yes' but you might still not be able to get anywhere. At least for me the agency had a vested interest in giving me correct information and seeing me succeed.

[Bevdeforges]

In truth, I went the other direction - from the US to Europe. But I just happen to be in the finance business (MBA, CPA) and have done some hiring, both in Europe and in the US.

The trouble with the "evaluation company" is that they can tell you anything they like about the equivalence of your experience with US degrees or certifications. It's ultimately up to the employer whether or not they "buy" it - and honestly, if there is a US MBA or any candidate with a US degree in finance or accounting up for the job, it's a whole lot easier (not to mention cheaper) to hire someone locally. (It costs an employer over $1000 to petition for an H1B candidate.)

I don't know what kind of work you're doing now, but you may want to consider finding a job at home (the UK, I take it) with a large, preferably international company where you might get a shot at a transfer to the US after a couple of years. It helps if you can manage to get a job with periodic travel to the US - meetings, training, just about anything - because that gets you in front of the hiring managers over there. If they are impressed with your background and experience, it can make life much easier when it comes to transferring.
Cheers,
Bev

[synthia]

Johnny-

I think Rachel came to the US at a time when there were about 150,000 extra visas for IT people under a special law that expired after a set number of years. Even I got a programming job without having worked for most of the previous seven years, except to teach English in Japan, and not having programmed for 17. It's a whole different ball game now, even for IT people. The US is in a recession. Unemployment is rising. We have a whole lot of financial people who are losing their jobs. Bear Stearns, anyone?

Spalding's husband has done the right thing, worked for a large international company that will transfer him.

[Rachel_Heath]

It was still 65,000 at the time I came in, however the demand wasn't as high then either and the cap wasn't breached until September that year (it starts April 1st each year) and that was only the 2nd year that the numbers had been met.

To compare: the cap for FY 2009 (Visa's issued for a start date of October 1st onwards) I think met it's limit just 3-4 days ago.

Finally, as synthia quite rightly points out, the US job market's hurting right now and the financial services industry is one of those sectors really feeling the pinch...