The Student Visa, An Indirect Approach to Work and Live in USA

In strategy, the longest way round is often the shortest way there. -- B. H. Liddell Hart.

You want to work and live in US. But you could not find American employers who are willing to hire you from thousands of miles away. Or you are already in United States, but your visa is going to expire before you can find a work visa sponsor.

Should you give up? Student Visa(F Visa or M Visa) can be your indirect approach to work visa.

There are over 9 thousand schools in United States that have been certified to issue I-20 Form for student visa, from Harvard University in Boston to language training center in Jersey City. In fiscal year 2009, United States received 477,782 applications for F1 Student visa and approved 331,208 of them, a success rate of 70%.

With the student visa, you can work on and off campus. You will get 12 - 29 months of practical training period after graduation. Not to mention that American employers will be much more likely to hire you and sponsor your green card if you have a US degree.

But as always, there is a down side too. We will cover that in another post some time in the future