You would have to get an employer to file a work visa petition on your behalf, if you qualify for H-1B and if the job offered to you fits the classification. Only then , when the petition is approved, would you be able to work.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 11/30/2011

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The B1/B2 visa is a visitor's visa without the ability to work. You can change it to another status that you qualify for; now, what kind of sponsorship do you have to help you change your visa type? I mean, is anybody filing a petition for you (like a USC married to you)? Is a US company out there filing some kind of a visa (like the H-1B) for you to be able to switch your status? You can't work in the US for the asking.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 11/11/2011

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No, not unless you have the ability to change to another non-immigrant status, such as H-1B, which takes an employer sponsor and working in a specialty occupation, or adjust status, such as by marrying a US citizen.

Answer Applies to: Tennessee
Replied: 11/11/2011

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You can change status for a working visa. However, normally, you must leave the country. An attorney must determine if you are eligible and most of the time, you need a sponsor.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 11/11/2011

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Yes if you qualify. Most visitors to the US come in on B1/B2. Contact an immigration lawyer and work it out.

Answer Applies to: Arizona
Replied: 11/11/2011

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You need to find someone to hire you first, and offer to sponsor you.

Answer Applies to: Florida
Replied: 11/11/2011

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It might be possible to change from a B-1/B-2 to another visa. There are a number of work visas available, but each of the visa categories has independent requirements. I would need to meet with you to discuss your education, work experience, credentials and any potential job offers to determine if there is a visa category that is appropriate for you. We would also need to examine your immigration history to make sure that there are no status violations or other things that might be problematic for obtaining a visa.

Answer Applies to: Colorado
Replied: 11/11/2011

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You can typically change from a B1/B2 non-immigrant visa to another non-immigrant visa. There are various non-immigrant visas that allow employment authorization, but they are in general tied to job offers by employers. There is no blanket non-immigrant visa you can apply for to be authorized to work.

Answer Applies to: New York
Replied: 11/11/2011

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If you are currently maintaining valid and unviolated nonimmigrant status as a B-2 visitor, and you are authorized to remain in that status for the time it would take to adjudicate and approve a petition for H-1B status, then you may be able to change your nonimmigrant status from B-2 to H-1B temporary worker (if you qualify for that status.) The requirements for H-1B status are set forth in the attached memo. Unfortunately, the most daunting problem that you may face is more technical in nature, and that is the issue of the H-1B "cap" or quotas. There is a limited number of H-1B numbers each fiscal year, and applications for fiscal year 2012 (10/1/2011 - 9/30/2012) H-1B numbers began on April 1, 2011, and those numbers are expected to run out sometime in the first or second week of December. Given the time it takes to secure an LCA for H-1B filing, there may not be sufficient time to get your case filed and adjudicated before the numbers run out for this year, and new filings for cap-subject positions won't open again until April 1, 2012 for fiscal year 2013 positions that start on 10/1/2012.

Answer Applies to: Illinois
Replied: 11/11/2011

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More information is needed. Whether this can be done depends upon you academic degree, employer demand for your experience, and whether an employer will pay the average wage for the position. It can be very expensive to file. Some employers may refuse to file for a foreign worker depending upon the situation. I strongly recommend an appointment with a competent and experienced immigration attorney.

Answer Applies to: Illinois
Replied: 11/10/2011

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Yes, if you have the skills and educational background required by an employer to want to hire you, the employer can apply to the government to seek a work permit for you. In many cases, the employer will be required to show that they have unsuccessfully tried to find a US citizen worker to fill the position prior to applying for you and that they can pay the usual salary for you that the position attract in the market where the job position is located.

Answer Applies to: Virginia
Replied: 11/10/2011

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I suggest a paid consultation to review the various work classifications to see if you qualify for any of them. Most work visas will require you to have an employer sponsor and then you will need to meet the requirements of the classification and apply before your current B-1/B-2 expires.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 11/10/2011

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You need to find an employer who offers you a job that qualifies for a work visa. You otherwise can only apply for a work permit if a U.S. citizen spouse petitions you for green card and you apply for adjustment of status.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 11/10/2011

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