[mahyarm]

You have to immigrate like all the other immigrants, but since you are German, the permanent resident quota is barely used for your nationality. The USA creates a quota system for green cards and then splits them up on a nationality basis. India, China and the Philippines have a long lineup for visas.

The USA creates a quota/lineup system on a per country basis.

You have 3 basic options:

1. Work at a European office for a year, transfer on an L visa, apply for a green card once your in the USA.

2. Apply for an H1-B around march/april, see if you made the lottery, get your visa in october, apply for a green card once your in the usa.

3. Work at a European office for X years, apply for a green card outside of the USA, starting immediately while your working there, wait until you get a green card, move to the USA. It took about a 1 year to 1.5 years for a former coworker to do it this way.

O-1 & E visas are too special case to think about for the most part. And there is always getting married to a US citizen.

[ig1]

O1 is a fairly common visa type for startup founders

[lewisl9029]

#3 is an interesting option that I hadn't heard of until now. Would this option be available to remote workers? Or is it reserved only for those working with companies that have a physical office in their country as well as the US?

[mahyarm]

Actually you don't have to be working for the company at all for #3. I think he wasn't working for the company until his green card came through.

Basically it's like applying for a green card normally, except your out of the country and you get the visa with "consular processing". I'm not sure if you can work remotely for the company or not while the green card process is happening.

I think most employers don't want to do it although because your not working for them while it's processing. With a dual intent visa you can work for the company while the green card is processing and your in the US office.

This outlines it: http://www.path2usa.com/employment-based-green-card

*Note: I know technically employers apply for you, not you yourself independently. It's just easier to write it that way.

[chrisper]

One can't apply for H1-B. A company on your behalf has to do that. And I never heard of option 3. Do you have a link for that?

[miguelrochefort]

Are any of these options available to people without a degree?

[adomanico]

TN status/visa can be obtained without a degree but it is a little less straightforward and has a higher chance of denial.