03-03-2004, 10:24 PM
I have a friend in the UK who is seeking work in the US as a teacher. He's presently a college lecturer, and equivalent employment at a community college position would fall under exemptions from the cap on the number of H-1B visas issued. But he's also got experience teaching younger students, and positions at US secondary schools are much more plentiful; secondary school employment does seem to fall under the H-1B cap.
And with the cap being reached in February, he seems to be in a Catch-22 as far as emplyment opportunities go
He can't apply for the visa before April, and that for an H-1B that won't be issued until the new US gov't fiscal year beginning Oct. 1;
But openings for teaching positions are beginning to show up only now, for posts starting in mid-August to early September (and many schools are likely to want a new teacher to be present for some orientation at least a couple of weeks before the term begins).
In other words, the window of opportunity to get a teaching position here (March - August) and the window for applying for the visa needed to take the job (October - February) don't overlap. Even if a school in the US otherwise wanted to hire him, the inability to have him get a visa earlier than a month or two into the school term might render him unemployable. And even if the visa cap for next year lasts a month or two longer, there's still barely any opportunity to get a job opening and a timely visa.
Is there something I'm overlooking in this dilemma? There's a shortage of secondary teachers here - some area school districts are offering recruitment bonuses for certified teachers and are adopting alternative certification programs to recruit people with no teaching experience or formal training as educators, yet it looks like a matter of timing might exclude a qualified and experienced teacher from being allowed to teach here.
And with the cap being reached in February, he seems to be in a Catch-22 as far as emplyment opportunities go
He can't apply for the visa before April, and that for an H-1B that won't be issued until the new US gov't fiscal year beginning Oct. 1;
But openings for teaching positions are beginning to show up only now, for posts starting in mid-August to early September (and many schools are likely to want a new teacher to be present for some orientation at least a couple of weeks before the term begins).
In other words, the window of opportunity to get a teaching position here (March - August) and the window for applying for the visa needed to take the job (October - February) don't overlap. Even if a school in the US otherwise wanted to hire him, the inability to have him get a visa earlier than a month or two into the school term might render him unemployable. And even if the visa cap for next year lasts a month or two longer, there's still barely any opportunity to get a job opening and a timely visa.
Is there something I'm overlooking in this dilemma? There's a shortage of secondary teachers here - some area school districts are offering recruitment bonuses for certified teachers and are adopting alternative certification programs to recruit people with no teaching experience or formal training as educators, yet it looks like a matter of timing might exclude a qualified and experienced teacher from being allowed to teach here.