Exploitative Visa Practices and Effects on Immigrant Architects

This episode shines a light on the withholding of critical information by architecture firms to create an uneven power dynamic as firms hold visa sponsorship over young, foreign workers.

Our storyteller this week is Cat - a pseudonym - who shares their personal experience with the H1B visa process in the United States and the challenges they faced while working at a reputable architecture firm. 

Cat discusses the lack of transparency, exploitation, and the difficulty of seeking a life in the US versus other countries. 

“I asked my employer, can I have my receipt number so I can go into USCIS system to look up whether or not I got selected this time. They told me that there is no longer such a thing as a receipt number. But this contradict with the official statement that USC has put out on their own website, this number obviously exists. It's just my employer decided not to disclose it.”

Key takeaways:

1. The path to sponsorship can take years with uncertain results
2. Lack of transparency in the H1B visa selection process
3. Employers can legally withhold sponsorship information from workers
4. Risk in the visa process creates opportunities to take advantage of sponsored workers
5. There are many countries that provide better options for young architects

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