MS India to MS US to FANG US
If I move to MS US from India, what are the visa challenges one has to face? Does FANG entertain candidates on L1 in different companies?
You can't switch on L1. You need to keep trying h1b every year. Once you get it, you can make a move
Best course if you are on L1B is to switch to H1B, and then switch companies. L1B to H1B can take years! If on L1A then get GC in EB1 category, and then switch companies.
L1 visa is specifically for internal company transfer. So you can't change companies on it unless you move to H1B. Either score a H1B lottery while in Msft US or interview with other companies and ask them to apply H1B for you(which they usually don't).
Yes, people on L1 are stuck. Imagine you being in Amazon on L1, when Msft, Google, Fb, and so many companies are out there offering either good WLB or great pay or even both.
But then why didn’t you go to Msft, Google, Fb India in the first place? You would’ve been stuck at a better company at least.
Google/Fb interviews in US are easier as compared to their interviews in India. No idea about Msft IDC interviews, but Msft Redmond interviews are easier than Google/Fb US interviews.
Your only chances are MS applying for a H1B and you getting selected in the lottery.
Don't come to USA, the green card wait will be 50+ years for you. Simply because you were born in India. Had you been born in PAK/BAN/Nepal, you'd get the GC in 2 years.
Thanks I am not interested in settling down for long, but want to have my options available if I move.
You are better off coming for Masters (if you can afford to pay, or afford to take a loan.) You do not need to worry about H1b BS at all. If you can work hard, which I think you can, since you are in MSFT, then you can pay off the loan within 6 months of your first job out of college, and then depending on your lifestyle you'll save a lot for the remaining 2.5 years. If you get H1b (which you'll have more probability because of Masters, and also because of the proposed merit-based/points-based system), then you're even more lucky.
You need H1B to switch.
Yes. But is there something they FANG does / can do in such case where I can move in a renewed L1 to new company. I wonder how people who move in internal transfer don't feel stuck till they get H1B
They do feel stuck. They just don't show their inner shitty feeling to outside world.