For many H-1B visa holders, obtaining a Green Card seems like a distant dream. The priority dates for the EB-2 category appear to be frozen in 2012. After two decades of living in the USA with the hope of securing a Green Card, many H-1b holders now face additional challenges in 2025.
Now, USCIS has decided to welcome the Trump administration and dropped a 460-page bombshell memo on new H-1B regulations on December 18. Newspapers and channels have started offering their interpretations, causing widespread panic and raising blood pressure and blood sugar levels among many H-1B visa holders.
The memo essentially consolidates and reinforces a decade's worth of restrictive H-1B rules, including requirements for end-client letters, detailed job descriptions, and stricter interpretations of what qualifies as a specialty occupation.
There are a few important steps that H-1B holders in the IT field need to take to survive during this Trump era.
As long as an H-1B holder has an ongoing project in the IT field and can obtain an end client letter, they are relatively secure during the Trump administration. If they do not have a degree in Computer Science or Information Technology, they should consider obtaining an online graduate certificate or pursuing an online MS in Computer Science from a reputable university.
Another crucial step is for H-1B holders to update their skills. Manual testers and traditional business analysts are no longer in demand. Earning certifications such as Scrum Master or PMP can help these H-1B holders sustain layoffs and secure new projects.
Similarly, data analysts need to upgrade their skills by learning Python, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to stay relevant and advance to the next generation of data engineer roles. Java and .NET developers should focus on developing expertise in architecture to transition into solution architect roles.
Many H-1B visa holders have children who, upon turning 21, will need to obtain separate student visas as they can no longer remain H-4 dependents. H-1B visa holders should consider exploring the EB-5 option, which allows them to take a loan to cover up to 90% of the $800,000 investment required for EB-5 option. This approach provides a fast track to obtaining a Green Card for the entire family, especially if the investment is made in rural or less developed urban areas.
If a full-time H-1B employee is laid off during the Trump administration, they should immediately consider transitioning to a boutique IT consulting firms who have good connections with end clients.
This is a sponsored article. We are currently hiring for .Net, Java, Python, Ruby on Rails, Middleware, BA, and Automation QA positions for candidates located in the USA. Please send your resume to [email protected] if you are interested in this opportunity.
If you are laid from your current job or a layoff is imminent, located in USA, and need H-1B sponsorship, please email your resume to [email protected].
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