<p>First of all thank you very much for taking the time to read my thread.
I've just graduated as an Electrical Engineer in Argentina and I'd like to do a masters and work in the US but I have some questions that you might help me answer.</p>
<p>1: Where could I find the equivalence between my degree here and the US one? What would be the papers or things I might need for this? I'm asking this because in my university it is a six year program and in the us it is a four year program. According to this, I found that that is Europe my extra two years would be the first year of a master.</p>
<p>2: What would it be the situation if I do first a master in Europe? (They are cheaper, and I have more chances to get it and the recoginze me the first year so It would only be one year). </p>
<p>3: Would it be a good idea to get some work experience and do a master in a few years? Is it hard to get a job with my BS degree? (I guess not). Of course I might get a better job with a Mmaster, am I right? Or work experience is what companies expect?</p>
<p>4: Assuming that my best option is to get a job and apply for a master in a few years. What would be my real chances to be accepted being graduated for several years? </p>
<p>5: Assuming again that my best option is to get a job. If everything works out, I should try to get a residency. My sister is an American Citizen, she was born there. Would that help me? I read that she can sponsor me. IF that works out, and after four or five years working and living there, wouldn't it be easier to get a loan to pay for the Master?</p>
<p>6: Is it true that if I get a job at some company and decide to do a Master, that company would help me pay for my master? </p>
<p>7: If my best option is to get a job first or I don't get accepted for a program and I still want to move and don't want to wait one more year here , what would be the correct way to do it? I mean, I only have a tourist visa and I know that I cannot work without a working visa. Would the residency and the help from my sister sponsoring me be the best option?</p>
<p>Any kind of help will be appreciated. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my thread!</p>
<p>I can only comment on a couple of your questions:</p>
<p>“Where could I find the equivalence between my degree here and the US one?” Each school will have its own policy. You would need to provide a transcript from your school in Argentina listing all the courses you’ve taken (and grades you received.) The school would then compare your courses with their counterparts at their school and decide on your standing. (You would also need to take the American GRE exam as part of your application.) </p>
<p>“Is it true that if I get a job at some company and decide to do a Master, that company would help me pay for my master.” Yes, some companies do that, if they see it in THEIR interest for you to have a Master’s. </p>
<p>I can’t comment on visa issues, working in the US, sponsorship, etc. because these are complex issues, and depend a great deal on the job market, your skills and employability, and even on the current immigration climate in the US. (Obviously, during a recession, it becomes harder for companies to hire foreign workers; currently the government has tightened up its H1B visa requirements and allotments.)</p>
Yes, your US-citizen sister can sponsor you for a green card (if she’s 21). However, due to yearly visa caps, the current waiting period for sibling-sponsored green cards is 12 years. Are you willing to wait that long?</p>
<p>Thanks for the answers! Reading a little more, i’ve found out about H1B visas,which I think they might be my best option…
Leaving the immigration part aside,what is your opinion about getting a job now or doing a masters first?</p>
<p>The earliest you could get a job with an H-1B visa would be October 2014. (There’s a yearly cap on the number of H-1B visas issued, and the quota for the fiscal year 2013-2014 has already been reached.)</p>
<p>If you can get a job with a Bachelor’s degree, I strongly suggest you take the job.</p>
<p>There are a few things that i don’t quite understand…how do i get a job offer with an H1B visa if I’m not in the US? Is it even possible? </p>
<p>I read that I should apply as soon as I can, that would be the first day of April and I’d know if I’m approved in four or five months…then, how would I get a job offer to start in almost half year??</p>
<p>I’ve also read that that cap you are saying is 65000 and 20000 for masters…would it help if I do a masters first, for example in Europe or in Argentina, where I’m from? How do American companies fell about foreign masters??</p>
Those are very valid concerns that you’d have to figure out for yourself. If you don’t have any rare skills, I imagine it would be very hard difficult to get sponsored for an H-1B from abroad. </p>
<p>
The additional H-1B visas are for people with an advanced degree from an American university.</p>
<p>If it would be very difficult to get sponsored for an H-1B from abroad, how could I search for a job offer from the US? I mean, legaly, how could I work with just a tourist visa, which I have now?
Would it also help visitting one of those immigration lawyers or that would be a waste of time and money?</p>
<p>I’ve seen a job offer from qualcomm which is looking for an EE, and it says Bachelor required, Master prefered…would a master from other country would count in that case?</p>
You cannot legally work on a tourist visa, period.</p>
<p>
An immigration lawyer could explain your options to you, but you already know your options. You can get a green card via your sister (after a waiting period of 10+ years), an H-1B sponsored by an employer (not an option anymore this year because of the cap), marry a US citizen, etc. </p>
<p>
I don’t know what qualcomm thinks about foreign master’s degrees.</p>
<p>I know i cannot legally work on a tourist visa and you are telling me that it would be very difficult to get sponsored for an H-1B from abroad…then…trying to get a job via internet it’s going to be even harder…isn’t it?</p>
<p>Are there any multi-national companies in Argentina that you could begin work at and then try to transfer to one of their US locations?</p>
<p>Ask US engineering schools if you can work part-time as an RA or TA on your student visa. While in school, find a US company that will sponsor you for your H1B.</p>