You can’t just change your visa after graduation. If that were the case, every int’l would do that.
You will be required to leave the US immediately after you graduate. You won’t be hired with just an education visa, so you can’t “get a job and then change your visa.”
You need to research how this all works. Millions of int’ls come here for their education, but they have to leave after graduation.
Actually, international students don’t have to leave immediately after they graduate: they can work in the area of their studies for a year as part of their OPT (optional practical training) if they find an employer willing to hire them under these circumstances. There was also the possibility of extending OPT for an additional 17 months, but I heard that might be going away.
The key is…they have to be able to find an employer who is willing to hire them under these circumstances.
My understanding is that for those in most STEM fields it’s not terribly hard. It’s a bit like doing an internship. The one problem is that all you get is 12 months total, and that includes any summer employment. Those students who don’t go back home for the summer (and many can’t afford to) use up most of their OPT while still in school, and have only a few months left once they graduate. The lucky ones get sponsored for H1B… the rest do have to leave the country.
OP, I actually don’t think it’s as difficult to have an employer sponsor you on an HB1 visa as previous posters are leading you to believe, but the company where I work in San Francisco frequently does this (our workforce is around 80% international), so my info might be skewed. In any event, I think this website is helpful in explaining options: http://www.h1base.com/visa/work/opt%20to%20h1b%20visa/ref/1264/
Define “not difficult” @CCMThreeTimes.
In 2015, there were 233,000 applications for 85,000 H1B available visas, of which 20,000 were reserved for master’s degree and higher. Winners, BTW, are chosen by a lottery.
My brother told me about OPT. He is gonna graduate this year and he said that he’ll get OPT and work under student visa and will apply for H1 visa later.
As someone who has gone through the excruciatingly long, expensive and arduous process of immigrating here, I can tell you that your safest bet is getting your education here, then obtaining a masters degree in your own country(or here again if you can afford it) and then trying to get sponsored by a company. Still pretty hard, but being highly skilled worker will definitely work in your favor.
There’s also the American spouse route, but that’s not something you’re supposed to count or plan on.
If your sole objective is to emigrate out of India, it is significantly easier to do in Canada. However, o believe it’s getting harder. The cold hard truth is, legalizing yourself here is an exchange of services. You get the right to live and work here, with all of the benefits that that entails, but you also must offer something significant in return.
jessie777 please read what we’ve told you.
Your brother cannot apply for H1B. That’s NOT how it works. If this is what he tells you, he is mistaken.
Only an EMPLOYER can apply for a visa on behalf of your brother. It’s an expensive and time-consuming process.
And even if the employer does that, there is NO GUARANTEE your brother will actually get that visa, because there are many more applications than visas.
As I posted earlier, this year, 233,000 people were sponsored for H1B visas – but there were only 85,000 visas available (20,000 of which were for workers who had masters degrees or higher.) The remaining 148,000 people who didn’t get a visa in 2015 have to wait for next year visa allocations. And if they happen to be international students who have used up their OPT, they will have to leave the US and come back once they’re granted an H1B visa.
You will be in the same position: you will have to find an employer for OPT. Then find an employer willing to sponsor you for H1B. Hope you get the H1B. If you don’t, you, too, will have to leave the country.
Thank you. I got a clear picture now and hope that I’ll find an employer for OPT and H1B. Thank you once again guys 
Let’s just consider a case where everything goes right after graduation(getting a job, OPT, H1B etc). Now, please suggest me good majors.
Uh… how about some subject you’re interested in?
Figure out what a good course of study would be for you when you return to India and go that route.
You are assuming that you will stay in the US. You don’t get it, the laws have changed and will continue to do so.
Well… I’m confused. I’m interested in Aerospace Eng, Astronomy and Astrophysics and Marketing
I doubt ANY employer will go to the time and trouble to get the right visa for a marketing major when we have a gazillion domestic students with that degree.
Aerospace eng’g jobs tend to only go to those who hold US citizenship (not even green card holders)
I have no idea if those who hire Astronomy or Astrophysics majors would hire an int’l. The issue is going to be: Can I easily hire a US citizen? If so, that will be their choice.
If you have any interest in EE, MechE, CS or maybe MIS, those might be better choices.
^ I have a friend who has a daughter who met an international student when she was in a study abroad program. He came here for graduate school and was easily able to gain employment as an electrical engineer following graduation.
Your choices don’t work - aerospace engineering employment is restricted to citizens, astrophysics requires a PHD, and marketing majors are the most unemployed of all business majors. Look at Computer Science instead perhaps?
Is there an easier path in the UK?
Computer science is the clear winner in this situation.
You also said you need financial aid to attend.
If you’re not competitive with your current stats how will you pay your fees as well as tuition?