Changing Status From F1 to H1 Without Completing OPT

[hipocrat]

Ok but I just wanted to pint out this : The real word scenario is that employers takes students for opt or cpt ( pay them less) and during that time they decide if they want to keep them and go with H1. It is safer and more usual method for most companies. On the other hand there are probably other employers that will go directly to H1B, but like you said with current situation in US it is hard to find any.

Furthermore, according to my personal research, I could say that there are a lot of job opportunities in the IT and engineering industries in this part of USA. Most of them are for high qualified workers with US citizenship and security clearance also. Additionally, no degree is guarantee for the job in applied technical science. Worker should be qualified with certification, knowledge in the field and some working experience to success.

According to my current situation the point is that my sponsor here in USA will probably have to abandon me for the next semester due to the economy problems.
In that case I believe that I should have some additional benefits to work even under F1 status. And probably I will have to change I-20 ? I am not familiar with the process jet. Moreover according to H1B, because it is legal to go on right away I would like to use that option as well.

Finally, I don't have anything to hide here, and I don't want to do anything against the law. That's why I am posting questions here. Thank you for your help but your concern that I have something to hide or against the law is just so funny when you look around almost all major cities in US. How many minorities working as a labor have ss number ? I would say that this is a real word problem here, not the foreign student who finish the studies and opt and in most cases go back to their countries. But maybe I am wrong with this conclusions.

[T53147]

Once you go to H-1B, you cannot return to OPT. It is reprehensible that a US company would base their hiring decision on the fact it is cheaper to hire a foreign student who is desperate to work in the US at a substandard wage than to pay a fair wage to any qualified candidate. I know this is the case at some employers, but do you really want to work there?

Many "minorities" are US citzens or legal permanent residents; your comment is somewhat racist and inappropriately implying that a "minority" is working illegally. Recognized minority groups include African Americans and Native Americans. While you may not have meant your description in that way, you need to be careful using that term in a derogatory manner.

Companies are now using E-verify so their workers are legally entitled to work. Simply having a SS number does not automatically grant work authorization if you are not a citizen or LPR.

OPT is not a guaranteed option; if you do not have an employer, you must return home once you meet the maximum unemployment allowed even if you have more time allowed on your approval.

As for job opportunities in those areas, your research is flawed. I know experienced engineers and IT people doing such things as driving buses, teaching, managing real estate and working in other fields. The majority technical students at the university I know best, return home immediately after receiving their degrees since they have been sponsored by their government or companies at home. Others have sought to do so called "volunteer" work in order to get more time to job hunt and have been denied since those jobs must also be offered to citizens. I expect that some are illegally present at this time due to their inappropriate actions while job hunting.

If you cannot find a legitimate job, you simply must return home. You can always reapply at a future date or go to work for a multinational which will sponsor you for an L1B visa. If you are interested in obtaining a green card, the route of a multinational manager is often faster than that of an H-1B.