This is a thought that I had, spawning from when I read the Toys R' Us threads. How many people on this board knows how long it takes for an immigrant from China or India, on a H1 visa, to become a permanent resident of this country? I think the number I hear is six years once they start the green card princess (which will first require a corporate sponsorship), it's six years. But here is the kicker, if they happen to change jobs/company within those six years, they get kicked back to the front of the line and will have to find another corporate job in X amount of time or they're considered illegal resident. I heard of plenty of PHD's that are working crappy jobs illegally in restraunts right now because of this, which I think is a shame. So here's my question, for people who came to the US legally (student VISA), got an degree from an accredit instituion (perhaps even masters and PHD), but become illegal RESIDENT of this country, for all the anti-illegal immigration people out there, what do you feel regarding the people in the scenario I just described.
Except the process works against them (have to remain six years with the same company? ). I remember hearing from a co-worker that when the the tech bust happened a couple of years ago, you have a bunch of people driving their bmw and mercedes to an empty parking lot, parked it leaving the keys there, and just left. And it's just not that easy to come back to the US once you left, especially if you originally came on a student visa.
My girlfriend is here on a student visa. I know quite a bit about the process. I've even sat at the USCIS with her when she had to renew her stuff. The reason that I think that people should do things the RIGHT way is because I've seen someone, first hand, do it the right way. It sucks and is a huge pain in the ass but if you don't make people do it the RIGHT way, you are HURTING the ones that are trying to do it legally. THAT IS NOT FAIR TO THEM. We have had many sleepless nights due to the nightmare that is LEGAL immigration. It really pisses you off to spend the kind of time and money that we have, to then have a ton of people that are doing things ILLEGALLY get to skirt the system. That is BULL****! Is the system broke? Yup, but that doesn't mean you should BREAK THE LAW to get around it. We absolutely need immigration reform but the people that are doing it the right way should be taken care of first.
If they have a PhD and can find a job with another company, I don't think they should be kicked back to the front of the line. But hey, life has it's risks and all. If they are smart enough to get a PHD, then they will find a way to become a citixzen. And if all they can do is work in a kitchen, then they deserve to be sent back.
Just to counter that, my Uncle was a cancer surgeon specialist in China. he came here legally to accept an award for cancer research. He then stayed here past his 3 month Visa and applied for political asylum. He is now currently a waiter.
I agree. I have been through all these. I, like many other people, know the current system sucks. But it doesn't give you the pass to break the law and do it ILLEGALLY. I know there are poor and hungry folks out there, but that doesn't mean they can break into other people's houses and claim they have the rights to stay just because they want a better life. It is perfect OK to advocate an immigration system reform. I am all for it. But the system should be changed to award legal immigrants and punish the illegals. Not the other way around and encourage more people to do it illegally. I still remember when I studied in college as an international student; I paid three times the tuition and fees than local residents did. I didn't have problem with it because other American students (out of state) paid the same amount as I did. But guess what? Students with illegal status were treated like local residents. So they only paid 1/3 of money, which meant legal folks and even Americans (as long as they are out of state) don't get the same benefits as illegals did. It was just absurd.
is he a legal resident? if he is here truly because he would be prosecuted if he returned to china, that's one thing. then he's not illegal. but why is he a waiter? the people who gave him the award should be helping him out.
his application for asylum got approved. I think the group that gave him the award helped him with that. I don't know any of the other specifics. He's a waiter now because he doesn't speak English. I also worked once at Baskin Robbins worked with a Russian guy who used to be a professor of electrical engineering in Russia. There's plenty of stories like these from immigrants. Everything you accomplsh in your own country doesn't matter once you reach the U.S.
There are plenty of stories to counteract what you claim. It is also elitist and goes against the idea of the American Dream. Ideally America should be the land of opportunity. A land where someone who doesn't have a PHD can come in, apply themselves, workhard, and be successful. That's the idea, anyway. It doesn't alway work like that, but a PHD won't guarantee that either. IT should be about opportunity.
Those who know PhDs who are working as waiters to stay in the States: why don't they go back to their home countries and maximize the use of their educations there? Life ain't too shabby in China or Russia when you're highly educated and can get work to put you in an upper-middle-class lifestyle. I'm curious.
I agree with you actually. quality of life in China is actually quite good, especially if you're a doctor. That's how it is now, maybe it wasn't like tha a few years ago when my uncle came over. or it could be they thought that the U.S. had better opportunities for thier children (it's insanely difficult to get into a college in China).
I'm all for opportunity, as long as it is legal I was wondering the same thing. I went to china this summer with my father. He is a doctor so we went to a lot of meeting and all the physicians from China seemed very comfortable financially.
I have to agree with Hotballa's response below. At the end of the day, my parents might've actually be as well off as they are now if they stayed in China, but on the otherhand, I would've being f**ked. But yes, if you're educated (AND KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE), you could be doing ok. A lot of people on student visa have started to be more willing to go back (and taking the knowledge they gathered from their PHD researches with them, patents aren't that big of deal in China ).
I second that... I remember a friend of mine became a Citizen of Canada vs. the US where he went to school, worked, etc. because of the citizenship problems, and this was before 9/11...So I can only imagine... Is it broke, yes...Do people go around the system, sure...Does it make it right, of course not...Nothing is perfect...
My grandfather was a scientist for Third Reich and an immigrant in this country after the war. He was an honerable man who contributed a lot to the Nazi war machine along with the american one. If it wasn't for my grandfather, an immigrant, this country wouldn't have near the military capabilities it has now. So show a litle more respect towards those not from this country.
