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by richo 4560 days ago
I dropped out super early. Worked for some software companies, built some internets.

Trying to get a US visa now, the decision to not get a degree is pretty bitter. That said, this is the first and I optimistically anticipate the last time a degree would have been any use to me, so I'll just power through and hope for the best.
1 comments
hkmurakami 4560 days ago
For h1bs, most areas do almost require someone competent to have gone through a degree program in that field. You can't exactly self learn biochemistry or semiconductor process engineering because of he the tremendous equipment needs.

Software is a huge anomaly because it is so ear easily self learnable. The supposition that someone good at it needing a degree is patently false. It's really a shame. I know a few people with things like psychology degrees who are proficient programmers, and their path to a visa is not straightforward :(

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richo 4560 days ago
For l1b there's no actual visa requirement, but the burden of proof for eligibility is still set incredibly high.

I understand to some degree the rationale behind the absurd process, at the same time it's incredibly frustrating to have a company that wants me here, and no avenue or realistic end in sight to make it happen.

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thirsteh 4560 days ago
L-1B is intra-office transfer. You still have to prove "skill", there's just no degree requirement. If you're a specialized worker (L-1B) or manager (L-1A) and have been so for over a year for your sponsoring company (a requirement for L visas), with a full salary, you presumably have the skills.
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richo 4560 days ago
Yeah, trust me on this; they don't presume shit.

So far there's a pile of documents about 30cm high, and that hasn't yet been enough to appease USCIS.

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thirsteh 4560 days ago
Just curious: what country are you from? I'm from Denmark and my L-1B process wasn't nearly as bad; certainly not as bad as my IR1 which is still ongoing--but maybe the fact that I have an IR1 application helped with the L visa somehow.
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richo 4560 days ago
I'm from Australia.

We basically have a gimme with the E3, but it has the degree requirement.

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