[thiago_fm]

It's VERY HARD(to impossible) to get a US working visa, even if you are absolutely great. I think this is the hardest problem. Finding a job as a American in SV should be a piece of cake if you are an average developer with a bachelor and some experience(or even none).

Not to mention that H1B visas are horrible, like, your SO can't work, you are tied up with the company who gives it and they will lowball your salary in comparison to your other American peers.

I'd just move somewhere else like Europe(Germany/Ireland) where they have real immigration policies(as imperfect as they might be). If you need H1B. If you saved a lot of money you can try to use the green card route.

I've personally given up trying to go to the US and just embraced living in Europe, even though that it's impossible to get SV salaries. Maybe when I've accumulated enough money I'll just buy my way in. Living in America has always been a dream for me but I don't want to move there and have a very restricted lifestyle and feel disrespected by those immigration laws.