For many professionals in India who want to settle abroad, their options often reduce themselves to mainly two: acquiring an H-1B visa for the U.S., or applying for Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada and Australia. Each of these paths has its respective pros and cons—and making the right choice may have repercussions on your career and life.
This article provides details on both options with an eye toward choosing the one that fits in with what you envision for yourself with contributions by experts from one of the top immigration law firms in the U.S.: Luke Bowman and Associates.
What is an H-1B Visa?
An H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa for U.S. companies to hire foreign professionals to work in specialized fields such as technology, engineering, finance, and health care. Most Indian professionals looking for jobs in the U.S. tech sector seek this visa.
However, it runs on a lottery system because only 85,000 new visas are issued in one financial year- there is high competition.
Highlights of H-1B:
- Employer-sponsored
- Initially for 3 years (Can be extended up to 6 years)
- Can convert to Green Card with the support of the employer
- Immediate cancellation with loss of job
- Difficult paperwork and legal issues
- Due to complex processing, candidates are highly recommended to engage the best immigration attorney in the USA to avoid errors and delays.
What about PR in Canada or Australia?
On the contrary, Canada and Australia both offer PR under a points-based immigration system, unlike the H-1B route, where you have to fight for PR in front of an employer. Skills badges given to trained professionals would weigh in factors like education, age, work experience, and even language acquisition: A candidate need not have an employer intervening or sponsoring him.
Paying PR:
- Straightaway from the beginning into residency
- Access to health care and social benefits
- Freedom to work with any employer or start a business
- Transition to citizenship is smooth
It, therefore, becomes a much more secure and independent option, especially for people serious about long-term settlement and freedom of choice.
The H-1B vs PR: A Rapid Comparison
Sponsorship: An H-1B requires sponsorship by a U.S. employer, whereas PR is independent of the employer in Canada or Australia.
Type of Settlement: The H-1B visa is a temporary visa that is non-immigrant. On the contrary, PR, either in Canada or Australia, gives a permanent settlement option right from the start.
Job Flexibility: H-1B visa has limits to the job since you are bound to the sponsoring employer. This means it is complicated to switch jobs. PR, in contrast, provides full job flexibility – you can work with any employer or even start your own business.
Processing Time: H-1B involves a lot of uncertainty due to the lottery system every year. Canada and Australia, on the other hand, follow a transparent, points-based system that has predictable timelines.
Legal Assistance: Almost all H-1B applicants require serious legal assistance in difficult paperwork and procedures. PR applicants, on the other hand, also require professional assistance, but the process is quite simple.
Guest post submitted by Luke Bowman
