I’m a staff engineer in Germany who’s been trying to migrate to the US for years. The US still pays 2-3x more than anywhere else, but if you’re not American, your visa dictates your entire life.
When I moved to Germany, it was simple: job offer, two months later I’m there. When I left my job, I had 8 months of unemployment benefits, healthcare covered, zero deportation worries.
The US? Every visa option is a nightmare. If you’ve never had to worry about visas before, the US immigration system will shock you with how restrictive it is. 60 days to find a new job or you’re out. Your spouse might not be able to work. One layoff can end everything.
Your Visa Options (And Why They Matter More Than You Think)
H1B: The $100K Lottery Ticket Nobody Can Afford
CAUTION
Breaking: September 2025 H1B Overhaul
The Trump administration just added a $100,000 fee to H1B petitions (effective September 21, 2025). This applies to ALL new H1B petitions including the 2026 lottery.
The H1B used to be the go-to visa for engineers. With 85,000 spots and the new fee, only the absolute highest-paid positions make economic sense.
NOTE
- $100,000 one-time fee per petition + $5-10k legal
- Lottery odds: ~29% in FY2025 (before the fee killed it)
- Companies are already pulling out of H1B sponsorship
Here’s the thing: if a company thinks you’re worth $100k in visa fees, you probably qualify for O1 anyway. The H1B is dead.
O1: The ‘Extraordinary’ Visa That’s Now Your Best Bet
The O1 visa is for individuals with
With H1B basically dead, everyone’s scrambling for O1 visas now.
You need to demonstrate “extraordinary ability” through at least 3 of 8 criteria: publications (research papers, technical blogs), recognition (awards, conference speaking), leadership (major projects, open-source with wide adoption), high salary ($200k+ total comp), judging others’ work, professional memberships, and media coverage.
Takes 2-6 months with
Most engineers need 4-6 years experience with 2-3 years focused portfolio building.
WARNING
O1 → Green Card Reality: Having O1 doesn’t guarantee green card approval. You need to meet EB-1A’s higher bar (same criteria but stricter review, ~76% approval rate in 2024). Plus: 60 days to find new job if laid off, spouse can’t work on O-3, and
Best for: Senior engineers with FAANG offers or startup equity who are cool with not knowing where they’ll be in 5-10 years.
L1: The Corporate Fast Lane
The L1 visa allows multinational companies to transfer employees to their US offices. With H1B out of reach, L1 is now the most reliable way in for most engineers.
You need 1+ years with the company outside the US, and they need US operations. You’ll either get
L1A gets you faster green card track (
The trade-off is simple: you’re stuck with one company (golden handcuffs) and typically get lower comp since you can’t leave. But no lottery, no massive fees.
Major companies (Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon) have L1 pipelines through their London/Dublin/Zurich/Toronto offices. Pre-Series B companies typically use contractors/EOR which don’t count for L1.
Here’s how the L1 pipeline works:
- Hire you in their London/Toronto/Dublin office
- Work there for 12 months
- Transfer you to US on L1
- Start green card process immediately
The Make-or-Break Factors
Spouse Work Authorization (Critical for Families)
| Visa Type | Spouse Can Work? | Timeline | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-1 → L-2 | ✅ Immediately | Day 1 | Automatic work authorization, no extra paperwork |
| H-1B → H-4 | ⏳ After 2-4 years | After I-140 approval | Must wait for employer’s green card process to reach I-140 stage |
| O-1 → O-3 | ❌ Never | N/A | No work authorization available for O-3 at all |
| TN → TD | ⏳ With delays | 3-6 months | Must apply for separate EAD and wait |
Your 60-Second Decision Tree (September 2025)
- Work for a multinational? → L1 (spouse can work)
- Have exceptional credentials? → O1 (94% approval but spouse can’t work)
- Canadian/Mexican? → TN (fast but not dual-intent)
- Under 30? → Student route or build O1 portfolio
- None of the above? → Remote work from Europe/Latin America
The Backdoor Routes
The Student Route
The student visa hack is more important than ever:
- Timeline: 3 years to work (1 year
OPT STEM extension - The play: Use those 3 years to build your O1 portfolio - you can’t get L1 while in the US
- Success rate: Guaranteed work authorization beats playing the lottery
TN: The NAFTA Cheat Code
- No lottery, renewable 3-year permits, start immediately
- Catch: Not dual-intent - can’t pursue green card while on TN
- Common path: TN → O1 → Green card
The Canada Detour
- Get Canadian citizenship (3 years) → TN visa to US
- Work for US company in Canada → L1 transfer after 1 year
US vs Europe: The Real Comparison
US Pros: Higher salaries, cutting-edge tech, great healthcare (with job), dynamic career growth, SF/NYC are walkable
US Cons: Expensive childcare, limited PTO (2-3 weeks), visa stress, most cities car-dependent
Europe Pros: €200 childcare, 5+ weeks vacation, job security, walkable cities, easier immigration
Europe Cons: Lower salaries, slower career growth, higher taxes, less cutting-edge work
The tradeoffs are real. In Germany, I never worry about deportation or healthcare. But buying a home on an engineer’s salary? Impossible. The career ceiling is much lower, growth is slower. You’re choosing between HelloFresh, Delivery Hero, and Zalando in Berlin - that’s basically it.
Meanwhile in the US, you have hundreds of companies competing for talent, actual equity upside, and 2-3x the salary. But you’re always one layoff away from having to leave the country.
Who should actually move?
- Singles under 30 willing to grind
- L1 transfers (spouse can work)
- Making $400k+
- Must be in-person at cutting-edge AI
Remote vs. Moving
A $100k remote job in Portugal can beat a $250-300k visa-dependent job in NYC. That NYC salary becomes ~$110k after childcare and single-income pressure.
Remote works better for mid-level engineers, families needing dual income, or anyone with offers under $300k and dependents.
Your Action Plan (2025)
Companies to Target
AI companies (mostly SF-based, in-office):
- OpenAI, Anthropic (limited Europe hiring)
- Cursor, Perplexity, CodeRabbit, Replit, Cognition, Cline, Notion (US-only)
L1-friendly: Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple (global offices)
Remote-first sponsors: Vercel, Linear, ElevenLabs, PostHog, Supabase Smart strategy: Work remotely first to prove yourself - companies are much more likely to sponsor visas for proven performers than unknown candidates.
Next Steps
Outside the US: Target L1-friendly companies or build O1 portfolio. Consider Canada/Europe offices for transfers.
On OPT/STEM-OPT: Build O1 portfolio aggressively - you have 3 years max.
Already on H1B: Your visa is gold - start green card process immediately
Tools to Help You Decide
Before making any big move, run the numbers. I built Tech Cities Index to help software engineers compare 120+ cities worldwide on metrics that actually matter: purchasing power, safety, salaries, cost of living, weather, and more.
The salary converter shows exactly what salary you’d need in another city to maintain your quality of life. You might be surprised that $100k in Lisbon often beats $300k in San Francisco once you factor in childcare, housing, and visa stress.
The Bottom Line
Look, if you can make it work, the US is still where the opportunities are. With H1B dead, you need O1, L1, or remote work.
Here’s what most people get wrong: many startups offer $150-250k which sounds amazing. But if you have kids and your spouse can’t work (O1)? After $2-4k/month childcare and single income pressure, that $250k in NYC is more like $110k in real purchasing power. Yes, you’ll get equity, but you’re betting everything on that lottery ticket.
Use the salary calculator to find YOUR minimum acceptable offer. Don’t just take any US offer because the gross salary looks good.
But also remember: even a mediocre initial offer at a good startup can be a stepping stone. Being there gives you access to the network and rapid income growth that remote workers miss.
It’s not the end of the world if you can’t make it happen though. In Europe, you still have good healthcare, affordable childcare, walkable cities, and you can actually sleep at night without visa stress. The US dream is worth pursuing if you can swing it, but life in Europe isn’t exactly suffering either.