Soundarya Balasubramani's Linkedin Analytics

The stupidest thing I ever did in life: cry for two days because Google rejected me after a final round 🤦‍♀️ Ok, before you get your pitchfork out, hear me out. Back in 2018, when I was a grad student, it felt like the end of the world. I'd worked so hard. I’d crossed oceans to study and build my career. Getting into a place like Google felt like the ultimate validation. When the rejection email came, I shut down for two full days. Walked around New York City thinking if anyone will ever hire me. Cried like hell. But looking back now? That wasn’t failure. The real failure was believing that a single company's decision could define my worth. As kids, we used to fail all the damn time. I played all sorts of video games: Super Mario, GTA, Claw, Spiderman, FIFA. When I died in the game, did I sit around crying thinking if I'll ever win? HELL NO. I hit "Restart" and tried again. And again. And again. Somewhere along the way, we forgot: Failure was part of the fun. Failure was how we learned. If I could talk to that 21-year-old version of myself, I’d say: → Are you seriously letting a one-hour call with a stranger decide your value? → Are you really saying one “no” means you’ll never learn again, or try again? → You’ve already crossed oceans, got into a great school, and have two arms, two legs, and a sound mind. What more do you need? Today, I see failure VERY differently. It's not when someone says "no" to me. It's when I let that "no" ruin my whole day. 🎁 Here's a list of 100 companies that are actively hiring right now (with links): https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e p.s. fun fact: Google reached out to me sometime in early 2022 asking if I'm interested to interview for a PM role that I'd be "perfect for." I would've killed for this before. But by then, I had happily quit my corporate job, so declined it politely. How the turntables... :)

Microsoft announced layoffs of over 6000 employees (3% workforce) this week. Here's an in-depth compilation of resources for those affected. Context: Microsoft announced reduction of its workforce by more than 6,000 employees, representing about 3% of its total headcount. They said this is a step to "optimize resources and ensure continued robust investment in Microsoft’s burgeoning AI platform." This brings up the headcount of layoffs in 2025 to ~60,000. ✅ 5 options to stay back as immigrant → Ask your employer for a “garden leave” where they keep you on the payroll for an extra month or two. → Move to a B-2 visitor visa temporarily until you find a new job. Check out https://www.filemyb2.com/ for resources on this. → Move to an H-4 visa if you’re married to an H-1B visa holder (and get an EAD if your spouse has an approved I-140). → Go back to school on an F-1 visa until you find a new job. → Consider applying for the O-1 visa. Check this free course I published on the same: https://lnkd.in/d8fNeYUi 📎 Top job boards for immigrants on visas: ChicagoH1BConnect: https://lnkd.in/gd4aCyYD AiTou Technology: https://www.aitou.io/ MyVisaJobs.com: https://lnkd.in/gDVfv6U6 H1BVisaJobs.com: https://h1bvisajobs.com/ USSponsorMe: https://usponsorme.com/en/ 🗣️ Top tools for finding mentors and mock interviews: adplist.org: https://lnkd.in/ghbZpx9r (find free mentors) JobInterview.coach: https://lnkd.in/gXFwwCUN (AI Job interview coach) Pathrise: https://www.pathrise.com/ (find paid mentors) Duut: https://tryduut.com/ (mock interviews & free webinars) Exponent: https://lnkd.in/guNkxkQv (find paid mentors) 📝 Top tools for optimizing your resume Teal: https://www.tealhq.com/ Careerflow.ai: https://www.careerflow.ai/ Jobscan: https://www.jobscan.co/ Cultivated Culture: https://lnkd.in/gUVSzkQu 🖲️ Top job search trackers Simplify: https://simplify.jobs/ (autofill job applications) Huntr: https://huntr.co/ (organize job search) Jackfruit: https://www.jackfruit.ai/ (organize job search) Riva (sold to Teal HQ): https://tealhq.com (improve resume & track jobs) SkillSyncer: https://skillsyncer.com (improve resume & track jobs) Hope this helps. Please re-share this to help others affected! 🎁 Finally, I put together a list of 100+ AI startups that are actively hiring right NOW: https://lnkd.in/gsXrXnQn Sending my best for everyone impacted. 🙏

A rare story: Carole Sioufi lost in the H-1B lottery - but found a creative way to stay back and contribute to STEM research in America. 👉 Get an in-depth guide on the concurrent H-1B: https://lnkd.in/dt7YV_N5 Context: When Carole Sioufi moved from Lebanon to Boston at 28 for her master's, she didn't plan to stay in America. But landing her dream job at Branchfood changed everything - until the H-1B lottery threatened to end. ❌ Carole’s crisis: - Non-STEM master's meant only 1-year OPT - Found the perfect role at Branchfood as Market Research Analyst, but… - Lost in the H-1B lottery in 2021 - Had just 3 months left on OPT Fortunately, Carole was the kind of person who grew stronger in a crisis. She reached out to everyone in her community and inquired about possible options. Solution: file for a concurrent H-1B after getting a cap-exempt H-1B. ✅ What is a cap-exempt & concurrent H-1B? - Cap-exempt H-1B: An H-1B that doesn’t require you to go thru a lottery, if you work for a hospital/university/non-profit research organization, etc. - Concurrent H-1B: A “second” H-1B that you can file for on top of your primary one. (There’s no limit on the # H-1Bs you can have) To execute on the above, Carole connected with Danielle Goldman at OAF through her community. ✅ Open Avenues Foundation (OAF) - Open Avenues Foundation (OAF) is a cap-exempt non-profit. - They partner with colleges throughout the country to offer a “Global Talent Fellowship” program, where they match professionals in STEM/business fields with students who are want to be mentored. - OAF partners with the immigrant’s employer to hire them on a cap-exempt H-1B, after which the employer can keep them on by filing a concurrent H-1B. ✅ How the OAF pathway benefitted Carole: - No lottery requirement for cap-exempt H-1B - Could keep an original job through concurrent H-1B - Gave her runway to try the H-1B lottery again - Built valuable mentoring experience - Found a community of peers facing similar challenges - Got her H-1B picked the next year! ✅ Where is Carole today? - Carole was promoted to COO at Branchfood, where she worked toward a more sustainable food system, achieving everything she envisioned for that chapter of her life. - Branchfood also applied for her green card, which was approved in March 2023, making her a permanent resident! 👉 Get an in-depth guide on the concurrent H-1B: https://lnkd.in/dt7YV_N5 Please re-share this post to help others facing visa challenges! p.s. This is NOT legal advice. Rather insights shared based on my research.

Imagine being forced to leave the U.S. when you’ve built everything here. Julien Denaes and his wife Caroline moved to the U.S. in 2012. Caroline secured a J-1 visa for her postdoc moved to Boulder, Colorado, where Julien started his own company. 💡 But in 2014, everything changed: → The Swiss government cut postdoc funding. → Caroline lost her J-1 visa, and Julien lost his J-2 dependent visa. → Lawyers discouraged Caroline from filing for the O-1A visa (even though she had several published papers). → Within a month, they were forced to relocate to Montreal. Despite the setback, Julien and Caroline badly wanted to return to their life in America. Julien discovered the Global Entrepreneur-in-Residence (GEiR) program, a hidden gem that allows immigrant founders to stay in the U.S. through mentorship. ✅ Here’s how he made it work: → Applied to University of Colorado Boulder’s GEiR program. → Got a cap-exempt H-1B through the university. → Worked 20 hours/week mentoring students while building his startup. → Lived on $25,000/year. Eventually, he obtained an O-1A visa to work for his own company! Today, he's an EB-1A green card holder and successfully sold his startup. :) 🎁 Want to know how Julien did it? Comment below “guide” or get it directly here: https://lnkd.in/g5gKPn6k Know someone stuck in the immigration maze? Tag them below. 👇 #immigration #o1 #eb1 #entrepreneurship #america

💸 How I paid off my $100,000 student loan within 12 months of graduating. A big reason was landing a job at Salesforce with a $130K salary. But that alone wasn’t enough. I was intentional about every rupee and dollar. → I sent my signing bonus home. → I lived lean. → I saved $5,500/month and paid down my loan piece by piece. This post breaks down exactly how I did it—step by step. 🎓 If you're an international student thinking about how to fund your education or repay your loan, this is for you. 🎁 Get a list of 100+ startups actively hiring here: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e Or comment “Hiring” and I’ll send it your way. #StudyAbroad #StudentLoans #CareerGrowth #Immigration #Unshackled

If you’re facing domestic abuse on a dependent visa like the H-4 - or know someone - please read this. Especially if you’re a woman who moved to the U.S. after marriage, gave up your job, and left your support system behind. For many, the worst-case scenario isn’t just unemployment—it’s being in an abusive relationship without knowing your rights. Here’s what most people don’t realize: ✅ You can apply for an Abused Spouse EAD ✅ You can self-petition for a green card under VAWA ✅ There are 50+ nonprofits that offer free legal aid, housing, and counseling. If you or someone you know needs this - please send this to them. 👉 Get a free guide on the Dependent Visa here: https://lnkd.in/geCqU7_T Or comment “guide” and I’ll send it to you. 🔁 Re-share to help someone who may need it silently. #Immigration #H4Visa #VAWA #WomensRights #ImmigrantSupport #USVisa #DependentVisa #H1B #DomesticAbuseAwareness

NTT DATA & Neysa Networks to build a $1.23B AI data center cluster in Hyderabad. Context: Japanese IT services giant NTT DATA, Mumbai-based AI cloud platform Neysa Networks, and the Telangana government have signed a tripartite MoU to establish a cutting-edge AI data center campus in Hyderabad. This moves India one step closer to its goal of becoming an “AI capital.” ✅ Key highlights: → Investment & Scale: ₹10,500 cr (≈ $1.23 billion) investment to build a 400 MW data center cluster with capacity for 25,000 GPUs. → Power & Sustainability: Will run on a blend of grid and renewable energy up to 500 MW, featuring liquid-immersion cooling for maximum energy efficiency. → Strategic Vision: Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy calls this “a landmark move” to accelerate sovereign, scalable, and eco-conscious AI infrastructure in India. → Ecosystem & Jobs: The facility will partner with local academic institutions to nurture AI talent, and it follows recent big‐ticket projects by AWS, STT GDC, and CtrlS—reinforcing Hyderabad’s leadership in data center investment. Exciting times ahead for India’s tech infrastructure and workforce! 🚀 🎁 If you're looking for a job, get a list of 100+ startups actively hiring here: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e

Yesterday: Harvard University was blocked from enrolling international students. Today: Harvard sued the Trump administration. 📌 What happened? → Yesterday, the Trump administration officially revoked the university’s ability to enroll F-1 and J-1 visa holders - impacting 6,800 international students. 📌 Why did this happen? → The Trump administration says Harvard failed to comply with a list of demands sent on April 16. These demands included: (a) records of students protest activity dating 5 years; (b) video footage; (c) disciplinary records. → In response, the DHS revoked its SEVP certification - the license that allows it to issue I-20s to international students. → The Trump admin said this is part of a broader effort to “protect national security.” 📌 How does this affect Harvard? → Harvard currently has 7,000+ international students across undergrad and graduate programs. → Without SEVP certification, they can’t enroll or retain those students. → It also puts future admits into limbo - many of whom were set to join this fall. → On top of this, $3 billion in federal research funding to Harvard is currently frozen. 📌 Is this final? → No. → Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. → They’re asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) - which would halt the decision immediately while the case proceeds. → This legal process could take weeks - or longer. 🙏 Please reshare to help more students stay informed. Follow me for daily updates on immigration & policy shifts. ... 🎯 If you're an international student, visit https://lu.ma/uac to attend a job fair that we're hosting at the Unshackled Events Conference in the Bay Area on August 15th. Meet 50 companies ready to hire AND sponsor you.

#PITCHFEST Calling all aspiring and current immigrant founders: apply for the pitchfest at Unshackled Events 2025. Starting a company is hard. Starting a company as an immigrant feels like hiking 12 miles uphill with a backpack full of rocks. To make the lives of immigrant founders less miserable, we're hosting a pitchfest at the Unshackled Events 2025 happening Aug 15-16th in the Bay Area. ✅ Eligibility: - You're building an early stage venture that hasn't raised funding yet. - You have at least one immigrant founder (current or former visa holder, green card holder, or naturalized citizen). ✅ What you'll get: - 8-minute live pitch + Q&A with renowned investors from the valley - Dedicated exhibit space to showcase your startup to 500-1000 attendees - Exclusive private mixer with investors - Up to 2 free Exclusive Passes for the conference - Press release for finalists on Business Insider (alongside other rewards) ✅ How to apply - Submit this short form: https://lnkd.in/d4SEUZMV - Watch out for an email with next steps - We'll review and select 20 startups to present live - There is a presentation fee of $499-$999 (depending on # passes you need) if you choose to present at the conference Please tag any founder friends you have and spread the word! ... 🎁 If you're looking for a job, get a list of 100+ startups actively hiring here: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e <3

Stop wasting time applying to companies that aren't hiring. Check this list instead. Everyone’s saying “the job market is dead.” That’s only half true. The market isn’t dead - it’s just shifting. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: → 8.8M open roles right now → Only 6.3M unemployed workers to fill them → That’s a gap of 2.5M+ jobs Some sectors are slowing down. But others are booming - and desperate for good talent. ✅ I pulled together 5 sectors where startups are actively hiring right now: → Healthcare → Cybersecurity → Construction & InfraTech → Transportation & Logistics → Agriculture & FoodTech Inside the list, you’ll find: → 100+ high-growth startups still hiring in 2025 → Direct links to their careers page → Companies across engineering, product, data, and business roles ✅ GET IT HERE: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e Or comment "HIRING" below and I’ll DM you the list. Follow me to receive next week's free resources! :)

Should you move to the U.S. or stay back in India? This post on Reddit caught my eye. Thought I'll give you a breakdown of how to go about making this decision. 1. What are you optimizing for right now? Some people move for money. Some for better opportunities. Some for freedom. Know your “why” - not your parents’ or not society’s. Yours. 2. Are you okay with ambiguity? U.S. immigration is not for the faint-hearted. You'll first need a stable work visa. You'll have to do taxes in two countries. You might go years/decades without a green card or PR (even through the fastest pathway). 3. Understand the pros & cons ✅ PROS - Cleaner air - Better roads & infrastructure - Faster & more reliable processes - Cheaper electronics & cars - Global work experience - Diversity ❌ CONS - No domestic help (everything from dishes to daycare is DIY) - Shockingly expensive healthcare (with insurance) - Visa anxiety - Lack of good public transport (outside of some cities, you 100% need a car) - High cost of living Like one comment said, “$200K is the bare minimum for a family in a mid- to high-cost city. And even then, don’t expect to live like you do in India.” TL;DR: Ask yourself: - What are you optimizing for? - Are you prepared to handle the uncertainty? - Will this move get you closer to the life you want 5 years from now? If the answer is yes, go for it. If not, it’s okay to say no. 👉 Get a free guide on the EB-1A green card in America here: https://lnkd.in/gdx7DjXb Or comment "guide" and I'll dm it to you!

2015: Chasing grades. Overachieving to feel worthy. 2020: Lonely. High-paying job. Low sense of meaning. 2025: Finally realized the key to happiness. 🎁 Get a list of 100+ startups actively hiring here: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e 10 years ago, I was a third-year undergrad, obsessed with academic validation. Every A+ felt like a band-aid for a deeper emptiness. I didn’t have real friendships - mostly just peers from the clubs I was part of. ~ Fast forward to 2020: I had a master's degree from Columbia University and a high-paying job at Salesforce. On paper, I had "made it." But I woke up most mornings asking: What’s the point? I had few friends. A strained relationship with my parents. And a constant feeling that something was missing. ~ Today, I finally understand what was missing: Presence. Perspective. Play 🙃 The key to happiness wasn’t more success. It was getting out of my own head. And not taking everything so damn personally. Because it's not about me (& never was). I'm not the central character in the story called "life." I'm simply a witness to it. A participant when I choose to be. Now, I try to engage with life moment by moment: - Flying a plane (yes, I really did it :P) - Walking in nature. - Laughing at dumb jokes. - Calling my parents & friends just to say hi. - Singing without shame. Not everything needs to mean something. Sometimes, just being is enough. If you’re in your 2015 or 2020 era right now - hold on. It gets lighter. I promise =) 🎁 Get a list of 100+ startups actively hiring here: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e <3

After 6 months on farms, I discovered something wild: my brain actually works when it’s not being bullied by stimuli. Some of you know that I've been living a nomad life the past 7 months. Mostly on farms. Just trees, water, horses, and silence. Best part of it? The daily walks, uninterrupted by smartphones, notifications, cars, pollution, and (frankly) humans. I spend anywhere from 30-90 minutes on the walk doing a range of things: - silent meditation - picking up a question I got asked recently - thinking through a plot in my novel 1000 Days of Love - reflecting on a past experience to see if I'd do something different - singing =) This quiet, long, uninterrupted walk has led to more creativity than the most complex Notion productivity template lol. Try it out wherever you are. Just 30 minutes a day. p.s. I recently began using PLAUD.AI Notepin to record ideas on the walks. Amazing. (This isn't sponsored) p.s. Also no, this was not a candid. But you can forgive me because there aren't many humans where I am to take candids. 🤷‍♀️

BIG NEWS: The Trump administration is restoring thousands of visas for students who got it terminated the past month! 🎉 Over the past month, thousands of international students across the U.S. woke up to a nightmare. Without any prior warning, many received an email saying their SEVIS records had been terminated overnight. This meant they instantly lost legal student status - and faced real risk of deportation. Some even pre-emptively left the country. 📌 Why did this happen? Initially, the administration cited alleged involvement with campus protests that were considered anti-American. However, many students whose visas were revoked said they did not participate in any protests or break any laws. The situation triggered over 100 lawsuits filed by students, immigration lawyers, and advocacy groups. 📌 Now, some relief: The Justice Department informed the court last Friday that the records of these students will be restored - meaning they will regain legal status again. According to Inside Higher Ed, an estimated 1,800 students across 280 universities were impacted and are now expected to be reinstated. 📌 But it’s not fully over: ICE still reserves the right to terminate SEVIS records in the future if any student is found violating immigration laws. DHS officials have also said a new system is being developed to better manage future visa terminations. In short: this is a major relief - but please be cautious and stay on top of ALL latest news! 🌿 Please re-share this post so it helps more people. 👉 If you'd like a free guide (written wleadlith a lawyer) on the F-1 OPT, H-1B and O-1 visas, click here: https://lnkd.in/gfZXs3N4 :)

I thought avoiding conflict made me a good daughter. It didn’t. It just made me a stranger at home. Here’s what growing up in an “orthodox”, conventional South Indian family looks like [on average]: - Parents take immense pride in their kids’ education - Kids use academic success as a way to earn their parent’s love - Parents show love through action, not words - Conflicts are conveniently swept under the rug - Emotional vulnerability is non-existent I grew up in such a setting. For a long time, it didn’t bother me, because I was simply sleepwalking through the relationship. I’d speak to my parents when it was necessary (“Hey, I need 100 rupees to buy a bag”), related to academics (”Look, I got 99 marks!”), or to share an important update (”I got into Columbia!”). But in early 2023, I decided to return back to India as a 26-year-old and live with my parents to write a book. I ended up spending 9 months in India. That’s when it hit: my parents love me, but they don’t know me. And vice versa. We didn’t know each other in the real sense of human beings. We were simply connected by an invisible thread of biology. At first, we began having micro-conflicts (”You cannot wear shorts!” “Yes I will!”) Then, it became bigger conflicts (”Marrying someone from a different religion? How dare you?”) Those bigger conflicts slowly pushed both my parents and I (especially I) to reflect on our relationship. Eventually, I started understanding who they are, and why the are who they are, with more compassion. We began to talk… a little more than before. Then, I started sharing more about my day, my life, my thoughts. They did the same. And now, we actually have conversations over a disagreement instead of just shouting over each other. The above is a compressed version of a two-year-journey. But NONE of it would’ve happened if we didn’t have those initial conflicts—and continue to have them even today. Take it from me, a girl who was terrified of conflicts: they’re not bad. They are often the key to getting closer to those you love, once you know how to have it productively. I’m still learning that. What did your relationship with your parents look like growing up? Has it changed over time? Share below. 🌿 If you'd like to join a course + community that Rajesh Setty and I are launching soon - focused on growth, generosity, and connection - join the list here: https://lnkd.in/gyffV5NH Thx for reading! :)

Mercedes-Benz hits a major milestone in India 🇮🇳 Context: Mercedes-Benz has officially rolled out its 200,000th 'Made in India' car from its manufacturing plant in Pune. ✅ Key highlights: → Mercedes-Benz India began local production in 1995. → It now assembles 15 different models in India, including the popular C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, and several SUV models. → The Chakan plant is one of Mercedes-Benz’s largest assembly facilities outside Germany. → India remains one of the company’s fastest-growing markets, reflecting a rising demand for luxury cars. India is becoming a key manufacturing and export hub for major global brand! 🌿 Re-share to spread the good news. 👉 Follow me for daily updates on tech, immigration, and global career opportunities.

"Do you need sponsorship to work in the U.S. now or in the future?" As an international student, this is every individual’s nightmare! To make your life a little bit easier, here are 3 resources to help you find companies that offer sponsorships: ✅ H-1B Sponsorship Checker: This is a Chrome plugin that tells you if a company-sponsored an H-1B in the past couple of years. It works across LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, Handshake, and Google Jobs. Link to install: https://lnkd.in/gVYqguPX (I have no affiliation) ✅ VisaJobs: This is a job board. But, they let you use the filter “visa support” to filter for jobs that provide sponsorship. Companies are from across the world, but they offer remote positions. Link: https://visajobs.xyz/ (I have no affiliation) ✅ GitHub Repo: I came across this Github repository filled with companies that sponsor visas. Link: https://lnkd.in/g_Ud3duG Hope that helps. Please re-share this post so it helps more immigrants and international students! 🙏 Finally, here's a list of 100+ startups actively hiring that I'd put together: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e Sending my best <3

I finished my first half-marathon last weekend in New York! 5 months ago, I was on call with my friend Siddharth when we both casually decided: 'Let's run the Brooklyn half marathon together in May.' That decision led to a domino effect of healthy choices: - Running thrice a week - Strength training 2-3 times a week - Eating home-cooked food - Choosing protein-rich ingredients - Drinking more water - and a plethora of others~ So even before I began my race last weekend, I got the benefit from that little choice we made. Finishing the half-marathon was a fun cherry on top <3 Distance: 21 km Time: 2:10:00 Pace: 6:11/km Mission: Accomplished! I can't wait to run another half-marathon in the next few months. If you have any suggestions, share below. =) #marathon #accomplishment #running #newyork #healthy

I left the US and returned to India in 2023. Best decision ever. It’s crazy to think about it now, but I’ve spent more time in India than America the last 2 years. In early 2023, I decided to leave America because I wanted to work full-time on my book and company, Unshackled Events. (And I couldn’t since I didn’t have a visa for it.) So, I packed my bags, moved all my stuff to a friend’s garage, and got on a one-way flight to Chennai. I’ll be honest: I didn’t want to return. When I left India, I thought, "This is it. I’m not coming back." So on that long flight, a part of me kept thinking: “God I feel like I failed. I spent so much money on my loan, time on education, and after all that… was it all a waste?" Turns out: it wasn’t. It was just fear talking. =) Because once I landed and settled in, I didn’t care where I was. I cared about what I could do every day. The more time I spent, the more I loved living in India. 💚 Freedom: After years of worrying about immigration, it felt liberating to wake up and do whatever I wanted. 💚 Cost of living: Life is Chennai was exponentially cheaper than San Francisco. 💚 Family: At first, it was awkward to live with parents again and we kept having small fights. But over time, Chennai and Bangalore became one of the biggest blessings. 💚 Convenience: I left India when every used cash. And then I see the whole country using PhonePe and apps for everything. 💚 Finally, a perspective shift: I used to think India limited freedom. And maybe it still does - but there’s also things to love about it. Just as there are things to not love about America. In the end, I did get an O-1A visa as a CEO & founder to return to America. But, interestingly, I’ve still spent more time in India and will continue to go back and forth for a while. Ironically, the same immigration system that I was writing about was the one that pushed me out of America - and helped me fall in love with India again! 🎁 Comment below ‘guide’ for a free, in-depth guide on the O-1 visa (written with a lawyer). :)

Hiring international students in America costs $0. Yes, really. Graduation season is here. While most students are celebrating, international students are racing against a ticking clock. Why? Because they have 90 days to get a job - or leave the country. If you’re an employer, here’s the good news: hiring international students is much simpler (and cheaper) than you think. Especially in the first 3 years after graduation, when they’re on OPT or STEM OPT. 📌 First, what's OPT and STEM OPT Extension? → OPT = Optional Practical Training → A temporary work authorization for F-1 students for 12 months post-graduation → If the student’s degree is in STEM fields, they can extend OPT for 24 additional months 📌 Hiring students on OPT (12 mo) → No need to sponsor & spend money → Students get the work permit (EAD card) themselves → You just need to provide an offer letter → Processing takes 60-90 days, so students apply early 📌 Hiring students on STEM OPT (Additional 24 mo) → No need to sponsor & spend money → Your company must be E-verified (simple process) → You need to offer a training plan (Form I-983) → Gives them 24 extra months to work! 📌 Beyond STEM OPT? → Most students enter the H-1B lottery, which is a random selection process. → If selected, you need to sponsor the visa and pay legal + filing fees ($4,000 - $8,000) → Alternatively, if the student is highly qualified, you can sponsor an O-1 visa for them ($8000 - $12,000). No lottery for the O-1! TL;DR: Hiring intl. students is easier than you think - especially in the first 3 years after graduation. 📌 If you're an employer with open positions, check comments for a google sheet with students who are actively looking for work! 🎁 If you're an international student, here's a list of 100+ companies actively hiring RIGHT NOW: https://lnkd.in/gX6G364e good luck <3