Redditt story

[Midnightsun]

USA is a great country. For someone like you, who is craving adventure and nature, USA is one of the few countries that can offer it all - Mountains, deserts, beaches, all adventure sports. America also has a culture of the great outdoors. People in warmer states routinely go for camping, hiking, outdoor activities etc. When I graduated with masters, I decided to stretch my limits in the world of outdoor activities. This is when I did extreme hikes like overnight Zion canyon hikes, wading through water and coming out with blisters. And with my group of friends, we went further and more isolated than anyone else. We went to parts where there are supposedly wild animals and no phone connectivity to rescue anyone. To this day, I still remember those outdoor days as some of the best in my life.

All that said, life as an international person (student or worker) is very different in practice. Your life is always hanging by the threat of visa failures in the US. I will present some of the failures modes here (I cannot present all of them because there are too many):

•    ⁠Let's say you get some H1B/L1 approval, and go to America. You will pay some money to get yourself established there first.
•    ⁠You will jump into your job on day 1 and be expected to ramp up fast.
•    ⁠If you want to start green card process which is a whole new nightmare of documentation, shitty lawyers, Department of Labor taking 2 years to certify your job, USCIS taking 7 months after that to approve it. 3 years in just applying for I-140, that puts you in line for a green card application that you will only get to APPLY FOR (yes, you still need to apply more) after 150 years.
•    ⁠During all this time, you MUST maintain your job. Can't afford poor performance ratings, PIPs or a vindictive manager. Can't afford to be unlucky to get laid off.
•    ⁠You don't care about green card? So you just keep at your job. But you see other employers offering more money, so you interview. Leetcode max for months to get another job.
•    ⁠Say you finally get a new job. The new employer applies for an H1B change of employer. Even with premium processing, USCIS takes 2-3 months to adjudicate, with regular processing 7-12 month (and you hope they haven't made any mistakes anywhere because the really do)
•    ⁠Every communication from USCIS happens with the slowest possible postal mail. So  god forbid your important documents are not lost by USPS, because postal mail does get lost all the time.
•    ⁠Also keep your fingers crossed that you don't get RFEs or other such BS from USCIS to prove that the job is a "specialty occupation". Adding more weeks/months to your process.
•    ⁠Hope that Trump doesn't become President again because last time he installed white nationalist Director of USCIS who made sure that the agency will not operate efficiently at all.
•    ⁠Then you start at new job. Now you are earning more but you got to impress your new company. So you work harder.
•    ⁠You are already 4 years into your work experience at this point
•    ⁠Let's say you need to switch jobs again because of layoffs, or abusive management, or whatever your reason. You leetcode max again, you work hard to get another job.
•    ⁠Even after passing the interview, they HR department of new company will not let you join the company because you are close to your 6 year max H1B limit, without an approved I-140 (green card 2nd step). So they can't extend H1B any further. End of the line for you.

Your entire life will be sucked by trying to understand the immigration system and trying to make sure your documents are in place.  It is depressing. Many Indians turn into alcoholics because of this. I certainly was one $350k/year earning alcoholic until a Doctor put some sense into me.

And notice that I haven't even talked about monetary pressures above yet. This is because you won't even get the chance to think about money as much with so many other pressures hanging down your neck. Here are some other pressures you will encounter in the process:

•    ⁠Money: Everything is expensive. You want to go to a mountain 4 hours away? Get a rental car for $200/day and pay for all the fuel yourself. You will likely live with 3 other people in a 2 bed apartment up until you turn 32 years old. And you will be coming with a massive loan? Good luck.
•    ⁠Dating/Marriage: Ain't happening. Most Indians (especially men) in America are ** in their lives. They either have to have someone they know from college or have to import someone from India. Good luck convincing a modern woman to abandon her life to come to the US. Even if she does, she can't work until she gets H4 EAD card (which USCIS will not issue until 7 months). Her ability to get a job will also be low because of lack of American experience.
•    ⁠Weird issues due to USCIS processing times: Did you know you cannot renew your expired drivers license when your H1B extension is still pending with USCIS? Did you know that you will be charged higher interest rates on car loans and insurance because of your H1B?
•    ⁠Cannot travel to India: Because even though USCIS has approved your H1b, if you travel outside the US, you will need to visit the US consulate to get a H1B stamp. This generally requires an interview for first time H1B applicants. Good luck getting an interview appointment. If you look for appointments today, you are likely to get an appointment for 2024. Oh, your ailing mother is dying? Forget it. You can't go visit her because if you do, you cannot reenter until you get that stamp. And your employer is likely to fire you if you remain outside the US for more than 3 months.

There is no escaping from this rat race because the minute you escape (or are thrown away by the employer), you get kicked out of the country.

And if you think this firing thing doesn't happen too much? It happened to me. I woke up on a weekday, did some code reviews, jumped into a 1:1 and lo, fired on the spot. Why? No one knows. USA has "at-will" employment. This is how precarious your entire H1B life is here.

Personally, my opinion is that America is closed for Indians. The immigration system is too political, clunky and unpredictable. It will (and routinely does) suck money and life out of hardworking Indian people. If I knew better 12 years ago, I would never sink so much of my money and life in America because the life I crave is right at my doorstep in India, for cheap and without slaving for a system that doesn't care about me.

EDIT: I forgot to add. Most Indians who came to America in the last 5 years know that they made a mistake. Most of them have run to Canada as soon as they realized this. All of this education, work, struggle, only to again apply for exams to Canada, get into a lottery, do more documentation and go into a cold freezer with few jobs.

 

[Ryzen_renoir]

America is still the best country for an Indian as long the IT job market is hot 

Canada is just worse every way except the visa stability. Bad weather , housing is very expensive, weak job market , lower salaries 

 

[Manishican]

48 minutes ago, Midnightsun said:

USA is a great country. For someone like you, who is craving adventure and nature, USA is one of the few countries that can offer it all - Mountains, deserts, beaches, all adventure sports. America also has a culture of the great outdoors. People in warmer states routinely go for camping, hiking, outdoor activities etc. When I graduated with masters, I decided to stretch my limits in the world of outdoor activities. This is when I did extreme hikes like overnight Zion canyon hikes, wading through water and coming out with blisters. And with my group of friends, we went further and more isolated than anyone else. We went to parts where there are supposedly wild animals and no phone connectivity to rescue anyone. To this day, I still remember those outdoor days as some of the best in my life.

All that said, life as an international person (student or worker) is very different in practice. Your life is always hanging by the threat of visa failures in the US. I will present some of the failures modes here (I cannot present all of them because there are too many):

•    ⁠Let's say you get some H1B/L1 approval, and go to America. You will pay some money to get yourself established there first.
•    ⁠You will jump into your job on day 1 and be expected to ramp up fast.
•    ⁠If you want to start green card process which is a whole new nightmare of documentation, shitty lawyers, Department of Labor taking 2 years to certify your job, USCIS taking 7 months after that to approve it. 3 years in just applying for I-140, that puts you in line for a green card application that you will only get to APPLY FOR (yes, you still need to apply more) after 150 years.
•    ⁠During all this time, you MUST maintain your job. Can't afford poor performance ratings, PIPs or a vindictive manager. Can't afford to be unlucky to get laid off.
•    ⁠You don't care about green card? So you just keep at your job. But you see other employers offering more money, so you interview. Leetcode max for months to get another job.
•    ⁠Say you finally get a new job. The new employer applies for an H1B change of employer. Even with premium processing, USCIS takes 2-3 months to adjudicate, with regular processing 7-12 month (and you hope they haven't made any mistakes anywhere because the really do)
•    ⁠Every communication from USCIS happens with the slowest possible postal mail. So  god forbid your important documents are not lost by USPS, because postal mail does get lost all the time.
•    ⁠Also keep your fingers crossed that you don't get RFEs or other such BS from USCIS to prove that the job is a "specialty occupation". Adding more weeks/months to your process.
•    ⁠Hope that Trump doesn't become President again because last time he installed white nationalist Director of USCIS who made sure that the agency will not operate efficiently at all.
•    ⁠Then you start at new job. Now you are earning more but you got to impress your new company. So you work harder.
•    ⁠You are already 4 years into your work experience at this point
•    ⁠Let's say you need to switch jobs again because of layoffs, or abusive management, or whatever your reason. You leetcode max again, you work hard to get another job.
•    ⁠Even after passing the interview, they HR department of new company will not let you join the company because you are close to your 6 year max H1B limit, without an approved I-140 (green card 2nd step). So they can't extend H1B any further. End of the line for you.

Your entire life will be sucked by trying to understand the immigration system and trying to make sure your documents are in place.  It is depressing. Many Indians turn into alcoholics because of this. I certainly was one $350k/year earning alcoholic until a Doctor put some sense into me.

And notice that I haven't even talked about monetary pressures above yet. This is because you won't even get the chance to think about money as much with so many other pressures hanging down your neck. Here are some other pressures you will encounter in the process:

•    ⁠Money: Everything is expensive. You want to go to a mountain 4 hours away? Get a rental car for $200/day and pay for all the fuel yourself. You will likely live with 3 other people in a 2 bed apartment up until you turn 32 years old. And you will be coming with a massive loan? Good luck.
•    ⁠Dating/Marriage: Ain't happening. Most Indians (especially men) in America are ** in their lives. They either have to have someone they know from college or have to import someone from India. Good luck convincing a modern woman to abandon her life to come to the US. Even if she does, she can't work until she gets H4 EAD card (which USCIS will not issue until 7 months). Her ability to get a job will also be low because of lack of American experience.
•    ⁠Weird issues due to USCIS processing times: Did you know you cannot renew your expired drivers license when your H1B extension is still pending with USCIS? Did you know that you will be charged higher interest rates on car loans and insurance because of your H1B?
•    ⁠Cannot travel to India: Because even though USCIS has approved your H1b, if you travel outside the US, you will need to visit the US consulate to get a H1B stamp. This generally requires an interview for first time H1B applicants. Good luck getting an interview appointment. If you look for appointments today, you are likely to get an appointment for 2024. Oh, your ailing mother is dying? Forget it. You can't go visit her because if you do, you cannot reenter until you get that stamp. And your employer is likely to fire you if you remain outside the US for more than 3 months.

There is no escaping from this rat race because the minute you escape (or are thrown away by the employer), you get kicked out of the country.

And if you think this firing thing doesn't happen too much? It happened to me. I woke up on a weekday, did some code reviews, jumped into a 1:1 and lo, fired on the spot. Why? No one knows. USA has "at-will" employment. This is how precarious your entire H1B life is here.

Personally, my opinion is that America is closed for Indians. The immigration system is too political, clunky and unpredictable. It will (and routinely does) suck money and life out of hardworking Indian people. If I knew better 12 years ago, I would never sink so much of my money and life in America because the life I crave is right at my doorstep in India, for cheap and without slaving for a system that doesn't care about me.

EDIT: I forgot to add. Most Indians who came to America in the last 5 years know that they made a mistake. Most of them have run to Canada as soon as they realized this. All of this education, work, struggle, only to again apply for exams to Canada, get into a lottery, do more documentation and go into a cold freezer with few jobs.

 

Canada worst other than visa. Housing is scary in Canada.

[nokia123]

1 hour ago, Midnightsun said:

USA is a great country. For someone like you, who is craving adventure and nature, USA is one of the few countries that can offer it all - Mountains, deserts, beaches, all adventure sports. America also has a culture of the great outdoors. People in warmer states routinely go for camping, hiking, outdoor activities etc. When I graduated with masters, I decided to stretch my limits in the world of outdoor activities. This is when I did extreme hikes like overnight Zion canyon hikes, wading through water and coming out with blisters. And with my group of friends, we went further and more isolated than anyone else. We went to parts where there are supposedly wild animals and no phone connectivity to rescue anyone. To this day, I still remember those outdoor days as some of the best in my life.

All that said, life as an international person (student or worker) is very different in practice. Your life is always hanging by the threat of visa failures in the US. I will present some of the failures modes here (I cannot present all of them because there are too many):

•    ⁠Let's say you get some H1B/L1 approval, and go to America. You will pay some money to get yourself established there first.
•    ⁠You will jump into your job on day 1 and be expected to ramp up fast.
•    ⁠If you want to start green card process which is a whole new nightmare of documentation, shitty lawyers, Department of Labor taking 2 years to certify your job, USCIS taking 7 months after that to approve it. 3 years in just applying for I-140, that puts you in line for a green card application that you will only get to APPLY FOR (yes, you still need to apply more) after 150 years.
•    ⁠During all this time, you MUST maintain your job. Can't afford poor performance ratings, PIPs or a vindictive manager. Can't afford to be unlucky to get laid off.
•    ⁠You don't care about green card? So you just keep at your job. But you see other employers offering more money, so you interview. Leetcode max for months to get another job.
•    ⁠Say you finally get a new job. The new employer applies for an H1B change of employer. Even with premium processing, USCIS takes 2-3 months to adjudicate, with regular processing 7-12 month (and you hope they haven't made any mistakes anywhere because the really do)
•    ⁠Every communication from USCIS happens with the slowest possible postal mail. So  god forbid your important documents are not lost by USPS, because postal mail does get lost all the time.
•    ⁠Also keep your fingers crossed that you don't get RFEs or other such BS from USCIS to prove that the job is a "specialty occupation". Adding more weeks/months to your process.
•    ⁠Hope that Trump doesn't become President again because last time he installed white nationalist Director of USCIS who made sure that the agency will not operate efficiently at all.
•    ⁠Then you start at new job. Now you are earning more but you got to impress your new company. So you work harder.
•    ⁠You are already 4 years into your work experience at this point
•    ⁠Let's say you need to switch jobs again because of layoffs, or abusive management, or whatever your reason. You leetcode max again, you work hard to get another job.
•    ⁠Even after passing the interview, they HR department of new company will not let you join the company because you are close to your 6 year max H1B limit, without an approved I-140 (green card 2nd step). So they can't extend H1B any further. End of the line for you.

Your entire life will be sucked by trying to understand the immigration system and trying to make sure your documents are in place.  It is depressing. Many Indians turn into alcoholics because of this. I certainly was one $350k/year earning alcoholic until a Doctor put some sense into me.

And notice that I haven't even talked about monetary pressures above yet. This is because you won't even get the chance to think about money as much with so many other pressures hanging down your neck. Here are some other pressures you will encounter in the process:

•    ⁠Money: Everything is expensive. You want to go to a mountain 4 hours away? Get a rental car for $200/day and pay for all the fuel yourself. You will likely live with 3 other people in a 2 bed apartment up until you turn 32 years old. And you will be coming with a massive loan? Good luck.
•    ⁠Dating/Marriage: Ain't happening. Most Indians (especially men) in America are ** in their lives. They either have to have someone they know from college or have to import someone from India. Good luck convincing a modern woman to abandon her life to come to the US. Even if she does, she can't work until she gets H4 EAD card (which USCIS will not issue until 7 months). Her ability to get a job will also be low because of lack of American experience.
•    ⁠Weird issues due to USCIS processing times: Did you know you cannot renew your expired drivers license when your H1B extension is still pending with USCIS? Did you know that you will be charged higher interest rates on car loans and insurance because of your H1B?
•    ⁠Cannot travel to India: Because even though USCIS has approved your H1b, if you travel outside the US, you will need to visit the US consulate to get a H1B stamp. This generally requires an interview for first time H1B applicants. Good luck getting an interview appointment. If you look for appointments today, you are likely to get an appointment for 2024. Oh, your ailing mother is dying? Forget it. You can't go visit her because if you do, you cannot reenter until you get that stamp. And your employer is likely to fire you if you remain outside the US for more than 3 months.

There is no escaping from this rat race because the minute you escape (or are thrown away by the employer), you get kicked out of the country.

And if you think this firing thing doesn't happen too much? It happened to me. I woke up on a weekday, did some code reviews, jumped into a 1:1 and lo, fired on the spot. Why? No one knows. USA has "at-will" employment. This is how precarious your entire H1B life is here.

Personally, my opinion is that America is closed for Indians. The immigration system is too political, clunky and unpredictable. It will (and routinely does) suck money and life out of hardworking Indian people. If I knew better 12 years ago, I would never sink so much of my money and life in America because the life I crave is right at my doorstep in India, for cheap and without slaving for a system that doesn't care about me.

EDIT: I forgot to add. Most Indians who came to America in the last 5 years know that they made a mistake. Most of them have run to Canada as soon as they realized this. All of this education, work, struggle, only to again apply for exams to Canada, get into a lottery, do more documentation and go into a cold freezer with few jobs.

 

India lo undipovude better antav..mari ee year more than 250K foreign students+ 65K h1’s +  god knows how many L1’s ..endhuku yegesukoni vasthunru vomerica ki?

[JackSeal]

34 minutes ago, nokia123 said:

India lo undipovude better antav..mari ee year more than 250K foreign students+ 65K h1’s +  god knows how many L1’s ..endhuku yegesukoni vasthunru vomerica ki?

Vachaka kani ardham kadu. Artam ayyesarki it will be too late. When you see from India every thing looks too rosy. If you say reality of vomerican life and working ass off they will think you are discouraging them.

Recently my friend came with familiy on H1B with 80k package. He was stuck in the same company for years as they promised him H1B while his peers jumped companies in India now earning tons. Why ante he got FOMO seeing his cousins rosy life in facebook/instagram. Ofcourse after honeymoon period now coming to reality.

 

[kevinUsa]

1 hour ago, Manishican said:

Canada worst other than visa. Housing is scary in Canada.

Ade hallucination lo undi bro

[Vaaampire]

Issues are everywhere. Raasinodu prathi daanini buthadam lo choosadu.

[melukunna]

spamming here: https://www.reddit.com/r/dailydealsupdate/

[TOM_BHAYYA]

Chatgpt summarized it in 5 points 

Summary:

1. The USA offers diverse landscapes and outdoor activities, making it a great country for adventure and nature enthusiasts.

2. However, life as an international person (student or worker) in the US can be challenging due to the complex immigration system and visa-related uncertainties.

3. The process of obtaining and maintaining a visa can be time-consuming and stressful, with potential delays and complications.

4. The high cost of living and financial pressures, along with limitations on travel and job changes, add further difficulties to the experience.

5. Many Indian immigrants in the US face hardships in their personal and professional lives, leading some to consider moving to other countries like Canada for better prospects and a more predictable environment.