I understand your frustration, but DO NOT GIVE UP. I was an IS and now on H1-B. I got my degree in Social Work and I am a Licensed School Social Worker. Next step is to get a clinical. But wow, it was difficult, especially in my chosen field. I recall my advisor stating why I got in such field and that I would never find sponsorship. She did not even try to encourage me to look for a job. Her attitude was more like I do not know what you will do when you graduate and you pick the wrong field. I did not give up; that is not an option. Got several rejections, but finally got working on OPT, than got my H1B with the same company after that. I am trying to get my GC and still because I really need another job, which is not easy with this economy. But you have to keep on moving. And like someone was saying, most employers especially those not experienced will not evn give it a 2nd thought. Also, look out for those companies who want to pay you nothing because of your situation. I got that and than I said no to them because regardless, I do not want to be taken advantage of, especially when you look at the job you are doing, the commute, time and effort and know that you should be making at least more than half of what they want to pay you. But keep on working and it will come to you.

For me if you are business major and have several experiences in your resume and have great fluent English , it would be much easier. I noticed most of people who got hired is because of their precious experience and great communicator. I also notice engineering or tech people who have xperience and go for MBA in US are also easier to find job. Most of the good job in hedge fund, trading, banking company been asking me crazy math brain teaser question. So please brush up your skill and of course your resume as well. Mkesure you can explain whatever in it clearly and smartly

The conclusion is USA is trying to weed out entry level who has no work experience and low quality people. They try to get the best talent and this is really competitive.

I suggest you go to other country if you have zero or no great experience and not really smart student. You cannot be average here, otherwise u only depend on luck.

Finally I found people like me at one place. I am also an international student with Master’s degree in technical field. I have been looking for jobs since 2 months and had no luck yet because of this sponsorship issue. Its a bit weird trend that big firms are reluctant to sponsor visa whereas start-up firms are so welcoming on this issue, and they seem more knowledgeable too. I have lost two job at second round because of being an international student. Its really frustrating!!

wow its seems like i am in same boat as you are but mine is more harder because i am international student and i am deaf too that they won’t hire me because of that… but im not give up trying and I have gone for interviews few times they turn me down because of sponsorship but I mostly volunteer which it is helped me little bit and that I have keep look for a job but i don’t know where i can look for a help because career center or any kind of job workshop will not know what to do to help international student that they just offer a advice that is it……. it is tough road but just rem to not give up and trying there is always way to get what you need to make it happen.. I wish yall good luck…..

I am going through the same situation as you did 2 years ago. Just curious…how long did it take you to get an offer from a company that would sponsor you for H1B? Hope your job search is going more smoothly this second time!

Sophia

Im another int student that has just beginning to feel the frustration that comes along with being discriminated. I wanted an internship between my junior and senior year so I decide to look for it, but nothing!!! so I decided to research about the problem (I knew that i was not alone in this situation, and someone must of write about it and how to tackle it).

Here is my advice: !!!!NETWORKING!!! ( we need to met people who can hire us, make friends, because friends wont care if we are not U.S citizens, and they will help us with the paper work)

I’m going to start my senior year and try this method, at least its giving me some hope. Good luck to everyone else in this situation.!

~**THIS LIST IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL FOR TECH GUYZ. SO LOOK AT IT**~

2) IF U R IN BUS. PROGRAM THE UR PRIMARY FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES SINCE THEY ARE VERY WILLING TO HIRE US. AND NEVER MISS ANY OPPORTUNITY IF THEY COME ON CAMPUS!
PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS(FOR ACCT. MAJOR MOSTLY, THEY HAVE SOME FIN AND MIS POSITION WITH THE SPA TEAM. ASK THEM)
DELOITTE( GOOD ONE FOR MIS, FINANCE, ACCT) SUCH A GREAT COMPANY TO WORK FOR
ERNST & YOUNG ((FOR ACCT MAJORS MOSTLY BUT MIGHT HAVE SOME FOR FIN)
KPMG( ANOTHER GREAT COMPANY FOR ACCT. MAJORS MOSTLY BUT MIGHT HAVE FOR MIS AND FIN)
QUALCOMM ( GERMAN PIONEER IN TELECOMMUNICATION, GREAT FOR TECH GUYZ)
BLOOMBERG ( GREAT FOR FINANCE AND TECH GUYZ, WANT SOME FAT CHECK THEN THIS IS COMPANY U SHOULD APPLY, BUT THERE WORKING ENVIRONMENT IS NOT GOOD, CROWDED BUT WHO CARES!)
SEO-USA.ORG ( A GREAT PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS! IT IS A SPONSORED PROGRAM BY ALL THE LEADING FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. U APPLY HERE AND UR RESUME WILL BE DIRECTED TO OF THESE COMPANIES INCLUDING GOLDMAN SACHES, CREDIT SWISS, U NAME IT! DEADLINE IS DECEMBER SO HURRY!)

PLEASE REPLY BACK AND LET ME KNOW IF IT HELPS. WISH U GOOD LUCK…

I was beginning to feel that I was alone in this situation until I came across all your stories. They are very sad but do not give lets keep praying, I know that God will make away for us even where there seems to be no way. My story is not different from many of yours. I got layed off from my job in March just before the company I was working for could file my H1-B petition. To make it worse, I was working in a bank and most of the banks took the economic stimulus package and the new law is that they cannot hire foreign workers to replace Americans if they took this package. Needless to say, I have been sitting home since May 2009, all jobs that I have interviewed with have directly told me they do not hire international students and most of them are not sponsoring H1-B. I am 26 years old, have an MBA and almost 5 years experience working in the financial industry and alot of companies in Minnesota are not willing to hire me even if I tell them that I do not need an H1-B and that I have a CPT. Does anyone have any advice on how we can get jobs in this current economic situation which has greatly led to an increase in discrimination against international students?

“Do not give up, keep trying and keep looking for opportunities, if you seek it, you will find it.”

I study in alabama at UAB . i am doing masters in electrical engg . I came to know that alabama power and the southern company don’t hire international students .

Don’t forget to put everything on your side. Being an international student means you probably have no local attachments and you will probably not be able to practice solo. So the notion that a JD is a JD does not apply to you-. Meaning: go for the best ranked school you can afford (USNEWS rankings have acquired a life of their own, no point in fighting); do extremely well in your first year, and GET A SUMMER INTERNSHIP.

In any event, if you love the law, go for it. Just accept that you might have have to settle for a job in “law-related” fields. And if that’s the case, one should wonder, then why spend all that money on a legal education, when one could get a good “law-related” master’s degree for less.

were you able to find a nursing job now? im still looking for one but i know no one is sponsoring..=(

like most of you, i also have the same dilemma. I am an international student with a BS nursing degree in northern california. during my four years in college, i was jobless because no one would hire an international student. Most hospitals or other healthcare field are asking for your ssn before they can process your application. we are all aware that we need their acceptance first before we can have ssn. but they never understand it. i have gone through a total of 4 rejections in seeking for a job. with this economy right now, my number will still go up.

good luck to all of us…..

Thanks!

ps: I placed better that 95% of my class. Had senior leadership roles in 3 organizations, worked 2 internships (how did I get em? oh that is another story altogether) and I still have trouble finding a full time job as a college grad.

This is a short story of my life. I might just write a book about it (finger crossed).

I am also one of many international student out there, who is currently struggling to find a job. I just graduated this May, and currently on OPT Status (it is a 1 year work permit which costs $340). I have been moving from Kansas to California in an attempt to find a better opportunity, and It turns out to be worth the long journey. Each week I will have at least 1 or 2 interviews in CA, better than only 1 interview per-month in KS. But until now, my interviews have been producing the same outcome, a rejection.

Several companies were offering me a free training, free accomodation, and a free sponsorship, and so on. But I know that these companies are crooks, scammers. They always ask the victim to sign a ‘Contract’. This contract lists nothing that favors its employee. It is funny that all of these companies have employers with Indian accent.

Like everyone else, I have my bad day, and my car just got stolen. I went to the police station to report this incident, and I was surprised when they ask me whether I want to prosecute or not.

I come to this country in a hope of finding a more peaceful and non-discriminate place to stay. But all hopes are lost when it discriminates me just like my own country did to me (I am a chinese born in another country with a majority of muslim citizen). I paid 3 times the tuition of a citizen to study here. I feel frustrated of seeing the “ONLY US CITIZEN OR GREEN CARD NEED APPLY” words in major job postings.

I’m sorry to hear that you’re having the same frustrations as other international students. I wish that there was more that I could do to help, but it seems as though employers just aren’t willing to make the effort to go through the sponsorship process.

I think that the best way to attack this mentality is for international students to start working together to bring awareness to this issue. Have you talked to your Career Services Office about this?