“MS in US” has always been a dream for many middle-class Indians. Nevertheless, the number of college applications from Indian students had come down significantly in the last two years as can be seen from this article. One obvious reason is President Trump’s stance on the H1B visa policies. But, is there a major change in the visa policies for students doing Master’s degree? Is the current job scenario in the US as bad as it is portrayed? Let’s hear it from Murugesan Ramakrishnan who finished his Masters in Data Science from the University of Virginia and recently joined Chewy.com, an e-Commerce company, as a Data Scientist.

Hello Murugesan, Congrats on completing your master’s from one of the prestigious universities in the US and joining Chewy.com as a Data Scientist. Thanks for accepting the request to share your thoughts on the current job scenario at the US for the benefit of other aspirants.

How was your Master’s experience at the University of Virginia?

I loved my graduate life completely! I got to design my program tailor fit for me by choosing the right electives, met and became friends with many amazing people, got to explore cities, which were once a dream. What I distinctly felt different about colleges here are that the professors are much more approachable and smarter than what I saw in my undergrad. This is a great environment to be in to pursue one’s higher education.

What are the available platforms to search for a job in the US? And, which is the best platform in your opinion?

There are a variety of options to look for a job in the US. The prominent ones are LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, Career/Job Fair at college, and the official company portal. I have received more calls from Indeed and Glassdoor than other platforms. However, I received my Chewy.com offer through a LinkedIn job posting.

How important are the employee referral and networking for landing a job?

Employee referral and networking play a significant role in getting a call, though converting the call entirely depends on how your interview goes. But, it is advisable to ask for a referral from your first level of contacts only. If you randomly ping a person on LinkedIn and ask for a referral, you are unlikely to get it. However, if you could build a professional relationship with your prospective referrer through any conferences or events, you may get a positive referral.

You may choose to have a look at this The 20-Minute Networking Meeting​ ​book to learn the art of professional networking.

How are the job opportunities for non-CS students in the US?

I find it as same as India. Though there are many options available for Computer Science Engineering followed by Electrical Engineering, the opportunities are quite limited for other streams. So, if you are coming to the US for a non-CS major, it is highly recommended to connect with the alumni from your target schools and have a word with them regarding the job prospects in your respective stream.

When is it recommended to start the job hunting process? Should one start from the beginning of the graduation itself?

Only a few tech companies would be willing to hire graduates 6-8 months in advance for the “New Grad” roles. So, it is not helpful to apply for jobs right from the starting of your program, as most of the companies would not be willing to hire graduates more than six months in advance. The success rate is more if you start applying three months before graduation.

How long can a student be unemployed after graduation?

As per USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services), a student can remain unemployed for a period of only 90 days post the completion of the degree program, before having to leave the US. That is something to be cautious of, though the OPT period is 12-36 months depending on the major.

Could you explain about the OPT period?

Graduate students are eligible to apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) for a period of 12 months. OPT can be extended to 36 months if you pursue your degree in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) background. The OPT period is limited to only 12 months if you are into a non-STEM degree. So, one should be aware of whether that particular program in the US is STEM recognized or not.

What proportion of the companies discriminate between the locals and foreign nationals when it comes to hiring?

It is true that companies prefer permanent citizens and green-card holders to others, including those having an H1B visa. In every job application, there will be a question on whether you would need sponsorship or not. The moment when you choose you need sponsorship, probably half of the companies would eliminate you without even considering your profile. But, there are a handful of companies who give less importance to the sponsorship and more importance to the experience and skills that the candidates bring to the table. If you have a solid relevant work experience of at least two years coupled with good grades and projects, you will most likely be able to find a job in the US, definitely after a bit of hassle.

If you want to have a look at the companies who provide sponsorship for your employment, you can refer here. The list shows the top 100 H1B visa sponsors.

Can you explain a bit about the H1B visa?

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa issued to professionals who work on specialty jobs. If you would like to continue your stay in the US post the allowed OPT period, you need an H1B visa to be employed in the US. Once obtained, it is valid for a period of three years and can be further extended to another three years. You can apply for the H1B visa only once in a year. So, if your OPT period allows you to stay in the US for three years, you can have three chances to apply for an H1B visa. Every year, the USCIS issues 85000 H1B visas, of which 20000 is reserved exclusively for professionals with a master’s degree or higher.

What are the major changes that President Trump has brought in the H1B visa policies during his tenure?

There are no major changes in the number of people who could be granted an H1B. However, the norms for issuing an H1B visa are slightly tightened. Earlier, if there are any missing items or mismatches in the H1B application, USCIS issued an RFE (Request for Evidence) document. So, those who file for H1B have to be very meticulous now as the USCIS won’t likely issue an RFE and it can result in straight rejection of your H1B visa application.

The spouses of H1B holders were able to seek employment in the past. The current administration is trying to cancel this option, which would force the spouses to find a different route for employment in the US.

The current administration has tweaked the lottery system to favor professionals with advanced degrees from US colleges. In the past years, the master’s cap applications were selected first and those who were not selected from the master’s cap were considered under the regular cap afterwards. From 2019-20 season, this order is reversed. All the eligible candidates, including the master’s degree holders, will be considered under the regular cap first. Those with master’s degree who were not selected under the regular cap will be then considered under the exclusive master’s cap. According to USCIS, this will result in an increase of 16% of the selected candidates with a master’s degree. That is great news for those who come to the US for doing masters. Outsourcing firms are the ones that took a big hit because of this proposal.

In addition, there is also a proposal to increase the H1B application fee; the funds will be used to train American youths in technology-related activities.

In summary, the implemented and proposed changes in a way put the Master’s students at an advantage rather than a disadvantage.

What is the eligibility criteria for the master’s cap (advanced degree exemption)?

• You should have been graduated (not just completed the course work) from the college.
• The university from where you obtained your degree should be accredited by a nationally recognized agency.
• The institution should be public or non-profit in nature.

Not all US institutions are accredited and public/non-profit in nature. So, one should be conscious of these things before considering a US college for doing the masters, if dependent on the master’s cap quota.

What is the last possible option for students who are not able to find a job within 90 days post-graduation?

Some colleges provide a job within the university for selective students. If a batch has about 50 students and only a couple of students from that batch are not placed, then the college may consider these students for a part-time role within the campus while allowing them to look for a full-time job outside. It highly depends on the department and the college and so it should be considered the very last option to extend the stay at the US and continue job hunting.

What would you like to suggest for those who want to come to the US for Master’s program?

I feel that the US dream is totally worth its hype and the country and people here are so welcoming. Of course, there would definitely be tough times like landing a job. Just keep pushing yourself thinking about why you started all this in the first place and the end goal that you’ll achieve, which is amazing. Good luck to the aspirants!

Thanks, Murugesan for committing your time and sharing your valuable insights for the benefit of Master’s aspirants. Team KK wishes you the best with your Data Science career and H1B visa application.

@Readers: If there are any factual discrepancies found in this article, please feel free to comment below. We shall correct it accordingly.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to encourage/discourage students to apply to the US amidst the current political scenario. It is intended to enable the aspirants to take an informed decision after consulting with the right stakeholders before joining the Master’s program in the US.