Every other day we hear about an H-1B applicant becoming a victim of endless delays, scams, and betrayal by their employers. For an OPT techie in the US, his last chance of getting a work permit this year faced a similar end.
An immigrant engineer claimed his company promised him an H1B sponsorship this year. However, just as the H1B lottery deadline of March 24 came around the corner, he received a cold email from his employer backing down from their promise without any reason.
Also Read – How One Small Date Error Can Derail Your H1B
The company not only betrayed that single person but three others in their engineering team faced the same fate.
Now, with their STEM OPT period ending, their options are running out. Finding a new employer to sponsor an H1B at this point is nearly impossible. If the techie decides to return to school it will require spending sky-high tuition fees and could leave them with debts.
Also Read – H-1B Arrest: Visa Revoked Without Conviction
This is the brutal reality many H1B techies are facing even after years of studying, working, and contributing. And it’s not rare either. In the past there have been instances of companies ghosting workers, stringing them along until it’s too late to act.
Some claim they only managed to find last-minute sponsors through referrals. Thus, networking could be key for H1B aspirants, but nothing is certain.
Also Read – Should H1B Holders Pay for Faster Processing?
One thing that is becoming more clear is that you can never trust an employer’s word. Always have a backup plan, because in the US job market, nothing is guaranteed.
