Is CPA a requirement if you want to apply for H1B visa as an accountant?

Question

I am currently working on my OPT work visa in Houston, TX as a staff acccountant making $45,000/year which meets the requirement of $44,650 prevailing wage. I have my Bachelor's degree in both accounting and finance. However I heard from someone that in order to apply for H1B visa as an accountant you have to get your CPA first, in which I could find any proof online. Is that true?

Answer 1

1. You cannot apply for any employment visa. Only qualified employers can apply for their qualified employees.

2. Accounting does not qualify for H1-b visa, it's not high-tech! Not even MBA or masters in accounting qualifies.

3. You only have a bachelors degree. Minimum legal requirement for H1-b is a bachelors in a HIGH-TECH field plus minimum 2 years post-baccalaureate experience, or masters degree. In practice, today minimum of masters for employers to spend the vast time, money & hassle of getting an employment visa. Typically costs an employer $10,000-25,000 for the visa, legal fees, etc.

4. Over 31 million Americans are currently looking for work. Real unemployment rate is 23%. Another 27% of American workers are self-employed, independent contractors, freelance. So half the US workforce has no "job." Only 20% of Americans earning MBAs the past few years have been able to find any work at all within a year after graduation. Your current employer could have hired half a dozen of your US classmates, and they'd be glad of the work. There's no way your employer can obtain labor certification to hire a foreign accountant. US has thousands of more highly qualified accountants than you currently looking for work.



It's time for you to go home. Find work in your own country. There's none for you in the US.

Answer 2

H1b Visa Requirements

Answer 3

H1 Visa Requirements

Answer 4

There are basically NINE ways that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:



(1) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.



(2) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. scientific or medical training. A degree is normally a must. Or you have superior specialist skills with at least 12 years experience. (H visas)



(3) You have an Employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (2) above.(L visas)



(4) You may get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland, are not generally eligible unless you, your spouse or parents were born abroad or held a different citizenship.



(5)You own or buy business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no green card)You must be a national of a qualifying Treaty countries. The business must have a minimum value of around $150k (more the better) bearing in mind you will need somewhere to live and with any startup business you will need at least 2 years living money as back up. So a figure of $350k would be a nearer minimum (E-2 visas)



(6)You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US $1m in assets to bring with you. half of that in a few areas. And your background will be investigated to the hilt. (EB-5 visas)



(7)You have a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister and no further) who is an US citizen who would sponsor you, approx time this take 2-12 years?



(8.The R1 visa is available to foreign members of religious denominations, having bona fide non-profit religious organizations in the U.S., for entering the U.S. to carry on the activities of a minister or religious worker as a profession, occupation or vocation



(9)THE UNUSUAL You are in a position to claim refugee status/political asylum. or You get a member of Congress to sponsor a private bill with legislation that applies just to you.

The S visa issued to persons who assist US law enforcement to investigate and prosecute crimes and terrorist activities such as money laundering and organized crime





Recruitment agent will not take you seriously if you are not already in the US. Writing for jobs is really a waste of time; likewise US employers have no idea what foreign qualification are or mean (except Degrees) it may pay you to get your qualification translated into a US equivalent, there are Companies that do this (www.wes.org) ..

But if you are getting a visa under (2) above then you need a job offer before you can get the visa. Your Employer will be your sponsor this will cost them upward of $5k. So you can see you have to be offering something really special to get considered They may also have to prove to the Dept of labor that there is no American who can do the job if the position is to be permanent ©

DO NOT USE VISA CONSULTANTS







follow the flow chart

http://immigrationroad.com/green-card/immigration-flowchart-roadmap-to-green-card.pdf

Answer 5

The issue is that your prospective employer would have to prove that there were no Americans with your qualifications available. This is obviously false. However, the more qualifications you have, the greater the odds that an employer might try and do this. but there are plenty or qualifies, unemployed accountants in the US so I would not hold your breath.

Answer 6

You cannot apply for a work visa. The employer does. If you are working in the US without one, you are here illegally.

Answer 7

Hi, I am also in Houston, Texas and an international student with a degree in Accounting. Could you please email me regarding how your process went and if it was successful! Thank you so much!

Answer 8

Would you please update us . Did you got your H1B Visa ?