Hacker News Reader

Comment by techie128 | Hacker News Reader

I have 3 offers to write books. I, unfortunately, cannot do that due to the H-1B visa restriction. I have been in US legally for over a decade, making 350K+ annually. Our HH income is 700K USD. Before someone jumps in and say but why don't you apply for a EB5 greencard, it's not so simple either. It is 600K (500K + legal and other fees) of my hard earned money down the drain with ZERO certainty of a greencard for YEARS. I would rather go to Canada when my spouse cannot work here any more (H4 EAD Revocation) than to continue contributing to the US economy where people like us are not cared for.

View on HN

This was a good decision ref EB-5.

Currently, if there is any crazy possibility, USCIS will reject your petition. EB-5 will take 2-3 years and you don't know how things will be then or even if the program will be around then. USCIS will refund your fees, but you will be out lawyer fees and investment.

Move to Canada. You can start your own company in Canada. Salaries are lower and government gives back a good chunk of developer salaries to the company.

You will also get some stability in life. As you get older, it is more difficult to immigrate to other countries.

How does your wife get to 350K+ annually on an H4? That's insane.

It’s not really insane. Many a times, there are skilled spouses who can’t get an H1 because of lottery or some other issue. My spouse had an illustrious career in India and did an MBA in US. She made a lot more than 350k per year and she was on H4 too.

One of my friend’s spouse is a Director in a company. Her company screwed up her Green Card. So she couldn’t extend her H1 beyond 6 years. She had to move to H4 too.

> Her company screwed up her Green Card. So she couldn’t extend her H1 beyond 6 years. She had to move to H4 too

What was the screw up?

What about it is insane? Do you think H4 EADs are only for low paid jobs or for people who have no job prospects to undercut wages in the IT sector? She is a highly qualified engineer. She works for FANG in the Bay Area and is on a high growth trajectory. What is insane is that people like her and me will take our multi-million dollar assets and exit the United States because this government is so hostile towards immigrants. The US not only loses law abiding, highly qualified people but also the taxes that we pay. Together we pay taxes roughly equivalent to 4x the median HH income of the US. Let that sink in for a bit.

What is even crazier is that both our respective employers will move us abroad with whatever relocation package we need to keep us working for them. We will take our jobs with us. Possibly establish teams abroad which we would've done in the US if the damn immigration system would've let us stay.

Since H4 is not tied to a job, it's just a bit weird to me that you can have any long term prospects on it. But fair play.

You pay taxes that highly because you're compensated that highly. Don't be under any illusions, you and every high earner in this country is UNDER TAXED. In any european country, you would be paying a LOT MORE in taxes on a similar income.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com