Does Microsoft offer H1-B sponsorship now?
I got approached by a recruiter on LinkedIn, although it's obvious from my profile where my location is... After chatting, he told me sorry for inconveniences but they're not in the process of sponsoring visa right now. The role was SWE II in C+E. Did Microsoft stop sponsoring visas? Or is it for specific roles only? I know that since Trump and the process of sponsoring H1-B visas has been limited. Is it back again or still too hard to get? I also noticed it's much easier to get to interviews at Meta and Amazon in EU rather than US. #swe
If nothing changes recently, MS has been very generous when it comes to visa - it’s one of a few companies that initiates your green card process and H1B process at the same time. My guess is that they don’t want to indefinitely wait for you since h1b is literally a lottery. You’ll have to come to the US with other visas first. i.e. via L1 (internal transfer) as mentioned in the above comment.
I echo ..they are generous. I just casually asked would they process my H1B and they created a case for me. No questions asked. That was super awesome. I was completely prepared for rejection of my request.
MS has no problem doing H1B. They do it for anyone and everyone
But apparently they would have to stay in MS for a year somewhere else?
OP. That’s because H1B is not guaranteed. It took me 3 tries - 3 years - to get one.
I think you go to US on an L1 visa and switch to H1 being there.
But still, this means they're ok with starting the process with someone who will eventually need visa sponsorship? Or do you mean you need to go on your own to the US with L1 visa and try while you're there?
L1 visa is for intra company transfer, which can only happen if you have worked atleast a year in the same company in some other location outside US. So the usual move to the US is you work for Microsoft in some location for 1 year, move to the US on L1. Apply for H1 lottery every year until you get it. Because of the probabilistic nature of H1, you can’t directly go to US on H1 I think.