Correct. Even with good companies, USCIS is scrutinizing it more to make sure they are correct.
BTW: I showed this chart lot of H1B’s are coming, but they are not looking for any homes. In my company, lot of H1Bs, but none is actively looking for homes as they are skeptical about getting GC. This was not the case two years before, but current environment is scary for them until they get Green Card.
Big companies like Apple and Amazon have gotten more H1B’s in 2017, but they were still not getting enough. Demand still far outstripped supply.
I don’t think the media is out to fool people. When reporters interviewed those big companies these companies didn’t dwell on the fact they got more in 2017. They were upset at the thousands of positions they were unable to fill.
Good info.
The time needed for getting GCs has not changed though, maybe more scrutiny. You have to agree there was lots of dubious people getting through.
yepp… bodyshops have become more careful ceding ground to bigger companies.
I couldnt resist replying to this thread.
From the people I know, 3 H1Bs bought homes this month. More are still looking. No one is concerned about GC. The current queue for Indians in EB2 category is 50 years or more to get a GC. No one gives a damn about GC any more. They keep getting extended on H1B until GC comes.
These are employees from top 15 companies in Bay area and highly paid. Not just FANG .
Next crash will bring pain for the perennial H1b extenders.
likely. Last year’s 25% increase was crazy ,maybe it was because H4s coudl work, but they can no longer? so double income becomes single income again.
which shouldn’t. now is correct again.
Buying a house before green card is pretty risky. I didn’t do it when I was on H1B. If the person suffered a job loss and couldn’t find a replacement they will need to leave the country within a short time frame. So they will likely need to sell their house regardless of market condition.
I think people just assume house prices will always go up. So even if they had to sell a couple years down the road they can sell for more.
What does the spouse do then? Sit at home watching TV all day?
@RealEstatebull, yes, I know H1b employees who bought in the last few months. They all work as direct employees not through a consulting company. On the other hand, don’t know of a single home buyer from consulting companies that bought a home even in the last 5 years.
In fact, H1b visas have become easier for local companies since the outsourcing companies are not filing anymore. If a spouse can’t get H1 on their own then most likely their income is not high. So losing that won’t be a big deal.
Shouldn’t come along if she can’t stay at home doing all the household chores and taking care of the children which now have free excellent education. One man came to steal the job, his wife follows to steal another job, then children came along to get taxpayers’ funded education. Make sense?
Most of these spouses are not qualified till they get “qualified”. Everybody knows this including hiring managers.
If they’re really qualified they should apply for H1B and then the wheat will get separated from the chaff .
It hasn’t become an official rule yet 
. Lot of people who are making money off it(directly or indirectly) are fighting against the ruling in the background.
As a society we should encourage all people to work. Why limit to STEM workers? People on H visas are the best deals to America. They pay every tax there is on the book but receive absolutely zero benefits in return.
I don’t care what types of work. Even if just serving coffee at Starbucks that’s positIve contribution to society. Much better than sitting at home doing nothing.
that’s your opinion. I’m not talking of Starbucks kinda jobs, QA jobs in software etc. Lot of unemployed/underemployed/45+year old American citizens - companies need to train them and companies need to hire them and not spouses/relatives of hiring managers.
Yes that’s my opinion. We are having rock bottom unemployment rate right now. Jobs are plentiful. I generally have a growth mindset and believe in growing the pie.
Not really, think of having a property in a global city and rent it out when they leave. Most people made enough in this boom cycle (stock, or previous RE) as long as they are not leveraged to the hilt. They can take a -ve hit for a few years.
Folks buying in proper silicon valley are working for FANG like companies. If they all are asked to leave I would worry about the impact on how these companies would thrive than the housing.
We need more H1B. Keep them coming and impeach trump! 