Hello! I’m from Colombia and I’m 23yo, This is my case:
I’m in my 3rd year of bussiness (in Colombia its 5 years of college). I don’t really like it but I’m studying just to have my diploma as a backup. The thing is that I’ve been offered a Job in the U.S. as an H2B transfer and will be making more money than my expected wage when I finish college in 2 years. I believe this is a good chance but i don’t think its something that’ll fix all my problems but I’m really not motivated to continue in school. The hard part is that I would have to fly in 2 weeks and my semester doesn’t end until may 20th, meaning I would have to cancel all of my classes or fail them in order to leave, and I dont want to waste my parents money as they have the loan. Let me know what you think of this and apologies in advance as english is not my native language if I made some mistakes along the way. Thank you for your time.
What type of job ?
I’m going to be working as a the front desk manager in a hotel.
Stay in school in Colombia. Anyone can get that type of job in the US; nobody wants that type of position unless it is in a very expensive hotel with a training program.
However, if you are in danger of flunking out of school, then you will need to get a job.
The H2B visa is a short term work visa. Most of those go to people who are working here for only 4 to 6 months. How long is your contract for? What will you do when the contract ends and you return to Colombia?
Can you arrange to finish your classes in a distance format? Or, could you arrange to finish them after you return?
What are your projected living expenses while in the US? Do you have good evidence that you will be able to save any money? Do you have good evidence that this experience will help you get a better job once you return?
Personally, I would stay in school.
An H-2B visa is a dead-end road. It’s for temporary (often seasonal) jobs that expect you to return home at the end of the season. It does not lead to a permanent work permit or a path to immigration.
An H-2B work visa can be issued for at most 12 months. In rare circumstances, your employer may petition for an extension, but only if they can document that they are unable to find an American worker for the job. After 3 years in H-2B status, you become ineligible for another work visa (with any employer) and you will have to leave the country.
If you have been meaning to take a break from school and you want a brief adventure, this may be a great opportunity! Some young adults do an Au Pair year, you can work the front desk at an American hotel for a year. Just be aware that this is a time-limited opportunity and you will have to return home at the end.
Don’t forget to take into account the cost of living in the city you’ll be working. Many hospitality workers struggle to get by.
Rent, food and transportation are the big recurring expenses. Rent depends a lot on your destination. In some cities, young adults pay more than $1,000 per month for a room in a shared apartment. Transportation is another big expense because many Americans feel that they need a car. Many American cities don’t have a public transit system, and biking isn’t usually a good option either (because of the weather and distances involved).
Health insurance can be expensive too (several hundred dollars per month) if your employer does not pay it for you.
What would that salary be? In what city? Because many expenses are commensurate with salaries - right now, the living wage is $15-24 an hour depending on area (meaning that if you make less than $24 an hour in NYC or SF you struggle to make ends meet, cant afford to rent an apartment, etc.)
How reputable is the employer (ie’, an uncle’s friend, or Sofitel?)
I think I would finish my degree in Colombia, and then look for one of those type jobs.