[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

My wife has been selected in the H1B lottery.

1. Will I be able to find a job in Technical Writing? I do not know anyone from India who is a technical writer in USA. Is it realistic to get a job in a software company while on an H-4 visa?

2. How difficult is it to find a job as a dependent of an H1B visa holder? Is there any bias against such people since there is a chance that they might lose their authorization to work if the H1B visa expires.

3. Is it possible to extend the H1B visa indefinitely (providing the current policies do not change)? It does not make much sense for me to leave a stable and well-paying job and come back without a job after a few months.

I am not sure of point 1 but for others here are my suggestions.

2. It is not too much difficult to find a job to be honest and the location being Plano, TX you will have lot of options. Answering this strictly about the ease of finding job as a dependent and no there is no bias. As for your profile, I am not sure how easy it is.

3. What do you mean by extending visa indefinitely? If you meant about visa extensions after travelling there, you can get it done until 6 years or if you are able to start the gc process and get the approved I140. With this you still need to apply for extension basis I140 but if for some reason the GC application gets rejected, you will have to move back (there might be a period as low as a week to a max of a month/two if in the middle of kids schooling year).

I always believe it is good to have a working experience at global locations to understand and better ourselves in work place etiquettes and other nuances (atleast in my case I found the experiences enriching). So given that your wife has got through in lottery I would suggest your wife to travel there and you hold the fort here for some time. Meanwhile get the dependent visa process completed and start looking out for jobs from here. Once you get through, you can travel there and start the H4 conversion process. Only thing to note is to make sure you are a good school district.

[nandrive]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

1. Will I be able to find a job in Technical Writing? I do not know anyone from India who is a technical writer in USA. Is it realistic to get a job in a software company while on an H-4 visa?

It's been sometime since I relocated from USA so have stopped following immigration laws, so please do your research. If my memory serves right you can not get EAD just like that on H-4, H1B spouse should have something called form I140 approved (H1B holder's employer should file for it). If the information is wrong don't hold me liable my knowledge may have been outdated.

Regarding Technical writers, I have worked with Indian and French origin tech writers in Australia, so in USA it should not be a concern.

I would suggest you to do proper research and planning and take the risk, I always believe we get to live only once, life will be boring if we don't take calculated risks. All the best.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

1. Will I be able to find a job in Technical Writing? I do not know anyone from India who is a technical writer in USA. Is it realistic to get a job in a software company while on an H-4 visa?

2. How difficult is it to find a job as a dependent of an H1B visa holder? Is there any bias against such people since there is a chance that they might lose their authorization to work if the H1B visa expires.

You might want to focus more & research your options on getting work authorization on an H-4 visa. Last I know, H4 visa owners do not get work permits although there seems to be some ongoing bills (ref link) on that aspect.

As long as you get a work authorization, the US market is pretty much a supply-demand game. As long as there is demand for a skillset, there will be jobs given to any individual who has the skills.

Expatforum is a good starting point with pretty active individual forums for each country.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by sunilch

However, if you can get a full-time WFH (read Anywhere) job in India, you can then move to US with family and keep everything safe here. So take this Option 4: Find a always WFH job and then move.

This option 4 will probably need to be clandestine, in front of USCIS authorities during the vis interview and CBP authorities at ports of entry in the US or elsewhere (the Abu Dhabi airport has a US port of entry where CBP officers stamp your entry).

Why this is so - legally, I have a gut feeling, one can't be working from the US if one is on H4 without work authorization. This opens up cans of worms over work permits and taxation and what not. Best to tell the concerned authorities that the OP will be a home-maker and that only his spouse has a H1B.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

My wife has been selected in the H1B lottery.

I am not sure whether this option is available or allowed by immigration policy. You can check with your current organization whether they can do a intra company transfer (L1 visa) for you. This way your job is secured and you will be legally able to work independently than as dependent visa from your wife. Product based organizations won't generally lose someone who is with them for so many years especially with the domain and product knowledge gained over a decade in technical writing. Please reach out someone top in the HR and discuss the possibility.

All the best whichever way you decide

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

My wife has been selected in the H1B lottery. Now, assuming that she gets the visa.... we have a major decision to make

I am no expert on US visas so won't comment on that part. Just that Rs 55 lakhs in India after adjusting for purchasing power differential is probably ~2X in buying power compared to US$85,000 in USA. A family of four can live in a small town in Texas in that sum but it is a squeeze compared to the comfort with which you live in Bangalore.

Having said that if visa rules would permit you to work there or be self employed I would say take the plunge and all four go. Here I assume the comprehensive medical insurance will cover all 4 family members. I am not a votary of Indians migrating for good (just my old time prejudice) but a few years of work & life exposure in USA will certainly hold both of you in good stead. All the best.

[KL01toKA03]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Save the stress, and send your kids to study abroad earlier in life.

I am at that point in life where I am prepared to take a risk. Even if I decide to not change anything, there is an inherent risk with my profession. Although I am consistently the best performer in my team, my work has little visibility to the higher management. I often have sleepless nights thinking of a time when they would think that they could hire a few people who could be paid significantly lesser to do my work. Moving to country where wages are higher would put me in a place where I am not among the highest paid members of the team.

Originally Posted by Samurai

You have two birds in hand and are eyeing one in the bush. I won't say more.

The bird I have is very rare in India. I want to take it to a place where it is common, and with less risk from poachers.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

A family of four can live in a small town in Texas in that sum but it is a squeeze compared to the comfort with which you live in Bangalore. ... a few years of work & life exposure in USA will certainly hold both of you in good stead. All the best.

That is exactly the idea. We plan to stay there till the children reach college. After that, we see no value in staying in US after that. We know that it is going to be a fresh start, and that it demands coming out of our comfort zone.

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

I am not sure whether this option is available or allowed by immigration policy.

My employer will most probably not allow me to work from USA. Although, I haven't asked, I know others who have asked and did not get approval.

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

If you meant about visa extensions after travelling there, you can get it done until 6 years or if you are able to start the gc process and get the approved I140.

This is close to what I had meant. Can she apply for green card a few months after she reaches there? What is the criteria for acceptance/rejection? If there is a clear path to a green card, we are willing to take a few risks.

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Y Last I know, H4 visa owners do not get work permits although there seems to be some ongoing bills (ref link) on that aspect.

Will definitely get more information about that before deciding.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

I am at that point in life where I am prepared to take a risk. Even if I decide to not change anything, there is an inherent risk with my profession. Although I am consistently the best performer in my team, my work has little visibility to the higher management. I often have sleepless nights thinking of a time when they would think that they could hire a few people who could be paid significantly lesser to do my work.

As a software professional you know better than me that in USA stand alone contributors with serious subject matter depth are immensely valued and one can continue to be employed as a sole contributor till 65 with ease so long as one remains up to date. Best of luck

[papr23]

Originally Posted by nandrive

It's been sometime since I relocated from USA so have stopped following immigration laws, so please do your research. If my memory serves right you can not get EAD just like that on H-4, H1B spouse should have something called form I140 approved (H1B holder's employer should file for it). If the information is wrong don't hold me liable my knowledge may have been outdated.

Right, you cannot got to US as a H1B's dependent and start working immediately and it is a long process. Here is what I have heard during a water cooler talk. Husband got H1B and moved to US along with the wife. After 6 months (or 1 year?) wife goes to a nearby university for a 1 year course with in-state tuition fees which is significantly lower compared to an international student. At the end of the course if she manages to get a job, her employer can file an H1B for her.
Also for post-university jobs in US, the rules are not the same for all domains. STEM based degrees can stay longer in US even without an H1B.

Ditto.

Originally Posted by nandrive

If the information is wrong don't hold me liable my knowledge may have been outdated.

[carthick1000]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

we have a major decision to make...

It is a big life decision where you want to spend a good part of your life. So I guess it is a sole decision of your family. And pls remember that, all the suggestions here is just going to help a very tiny bit, as a lot of factors change over the course of time and everyone's situation is unique when it comes to living in a foreign land.

I would strongly advise you to introspect what you actually want. If that is answered to your best ability and if everyone involved is happy with the decision, then go ahead with that decision. Practical things matter less in the long run, if your decision reflects what your family needs. And BTW, as mr. Narayan rightly pointed out, 85000USD will definitely be a squeeze for a family of 4 with 1 income. It might change if an additional income comes into play, but that includes a lof of if's and but's. Regarding exposure to different cultures, never ending possibilities, indeed a life abroad can give you and your family a much wider perspective.

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

her salary should be around 80-85 thousand dollars per year.

Few of my friends moved on H1B recently on avg salary of 96 to 98K USD per annum to Frisco TX. The ground situation is that rentals have moved by at least 30% to 50% on average & so have prices of everything. A friend is paying 1800 USD for a 2 BHK & that's minimum you will need with 2 Kids. World wide inflation is not limited to India but is a global phenomenon.

The salary she is going to get is way less than that what you both are getting in India in my opinion at least. Add to it the Un-certainty with 2 kids, I would suggest do micro level analysis before taking a call. We need to get over this myth that US is better for kids.

I was in similar situation for Canada till 4 months back with boys of 14 & 8 yrs respectively. Ultimately, I realized move is not worth in any way upon doing the micro level analysis. With the proposed salary, I was not ready for compromise on my life style & live a hand to mouth existence. Thankfully, I was able to resist the lure of "Onsite"

[shifu]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

2. How difficult is it to find a job as a dependent of an H1B visa holder? Is there any bias against such people since there is a chance that they might lose their authorization to work if the H1B visa expires.

Been there, done that. My information is quite old, but the chances of getting a job as a dependent on a H1 visa holder is quite small. No reputed organization will take the chance because you losing your visa status is dependent on the H1 visa holder, and your employer has no control on that. The jugaad for that is to become an employee of a body shop and get the job as a consultant in an organization. But this has it own pitfalls as the body shop will not provide you medical insurance, AND if you don't get a project for few weeks/months, you will need to "run payroll".

I believe the current wait for a Green Card is 100 years! Which means if you apply for a GC in 2022, your turn will come in 2122. I could be wrong in understanding this, and there might be some visa categories where the processing is faster. I am not 100% sure. Please do this homework before deciding.

[hema4saran]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

My wife has been selected in the H1B lottery. Now, assuming that she gets the visa, we have a major decision to make and would appreciate suggestions from people who have faced similar situations. Here is some background on our realities:

As someone who resides in Dallas area, work in Plano and on H1b visa, I'll tell you the reality.

1. You cannot immediately work on H4 after landing. Your wife's employer needs to start her GC process. There are multiple steps in that and getting her i-140 approved will take minimum 1.5 to 2 years. If she is working for one of the big Indian consulting firms, then chances of getting this filed immediately is thin. The you need to apply for H4-EAD which needs to be approved.

2. Anything less than $100k per year in Plano is tight squeeze in current market for a family of 4 especially with your EMI in India. 2BHK Apartment costs close to $2000 per month today which used to be around $1300-$1400 two years back. At $85k, her take home will be close to $5000 give or take $300 after Federal tax, health insurance and Social security tax.

3. DFW metro (Dallas-Fortworth) is full of Indian communities and you will get almost everything here. In some companies, you will see more Indians in the floor than Americans .

4. School Education for kids are free in public schools. Plano and nearby cities have one of the best school districts in Texas. You'll not have any issue in enrolling your kids.

5. I would suggest her to travel alone to US and work here for an year, get the exposure and come back to India. Having US work experience in resume will be added advantage for her. But if you want to settle in US, then you need to be ready to face some challenges and uncertain situations.

6. Last but not least. Just lottery selection alone will not confirm the visa. After this, it takes anywhere from 4 months to 1 year (worst case scenario) to get the visa stamped. Then travel will be based on the project availability.

7. Job market is wide open today in US and finding a job for you is easy if you have work authorization.

Please PM me if you need any additional info.

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

Option 2: My wife and children go to USA while I stay back for some time. I can go there once in a few months and search for jobs. Challenges are similar to Option 1, but this is not preferred, since it will be difficult for my wife.

Just a word of caution against this option to begin with. With all the running around involved in starting a new job, setting up a household, and also kicking off schooling for the kids in a new country, one can go insane without the support of loved ones. It wouldn't be prudent to send small kids along with the wife. Married men (with kids) who go to the US on H1B, always come alone, save money for a year, research apartments, schools, etc setup a base, and then get the wife and kids over after one or two years. (based on married men with kids who move on H1B that I have seen in the last 24 years, there may be exceptions). Your case is no different, just gender roles are different. It would be helpful to indicate what option your wife prefers.

For this option 2 to work, you need to step up and take care of the kids (perhaps with support from extended family), the wife travels and sets up a base. You can also see how much you all could possibly save in a year, and then decide for the next school year.

I am a firm believer in exploring new career options. I have known Civil engineers who were in cement sales, who did a 6 month mainframe Y2K courses, and are living life king size after grabbing shady H1B opportunities, upskilling, and making continuous career moves. It doesn't require tech wizardry, but it requires keen interest, basic smartness, and steadfast diligence.

So, dont turn 4 lives upside down. Let your wife go explore this option on her own, and then she can decide in a year if moving bases is worthwhile. If nothing, you guys can all have a month long vacation in the US next summer, and wrap it up.

[nikhil_pon]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

We earn 55 lakhs per year in India, have 2 apartments in Bangalore (one without loan, and another one which we purchased recently with a 20 year loan. EMI is approximately 1.25 lakhs per month).

I went through all the suggestions and advise by the forum members. Fully agree with Samurai's post.
If you both are earning 55 lakhs post tax in India, better not to go for around 80 - 85K USD household income. If you both are just married and no kids then it would have made sense to move, but since you have 2 kids need to consider their needs as well while they are in US. School education is free as mentioned by others there are decent schools in Texas.
If you are keen to settle in US, then probably you can think of doing a full time Masters program from the same city where your wife will work so that you can manage the kids also along with the studies. Currently the job market is good for most technology jobs so finding a suitable job after your Masters should hopefully not be an issue.
Looking down the line few years, unless the employer files for Green card in EB1 category for India born the wait time is projected as several years. The children can be in H4 status until they are 18 I believe after that may need to return to home country or convert to F1 student and later to H1 visa status.
If you stay back in India and Ok with managing the kids by yourself when spouse travels but it will difficult for her to manage the kids alone in a new country and there might be work pressure as well that she needs to manage, so not a good option to send the spouse and kids to US.
If you had lesser experience like say 4 - 5 years then it would have been much easier to shift your job to a different domain by upskilling.
Consider all the pros and cons before taking a decision on the move. Good luck!