Sisters in Cali, help please

[kRistetA]

I still have 8 years left on my B1-B2 (Business and Tourist) U.S Visa. My parents and my sister together with her family resides in the U.S. My other sister lives in Canada. In short I am the only one left. I am currently working as a corporate slave, and I can't meet ends. I am financially petrified and I don't want to ask help ... talk about independent ego.

I was thinking of going to the U.S to work, but how will I do it? I have a business visa, but I need a working permit/ visa to work. My ate told me that she can arrange a marriage to legalize everything, pero ayoko ng ganung option. Mabilis yun pero ayoko, hindi ko kaya. Hindi ako ganun ka practical. I worked my ass off to obtained my 10 years visa without my family's help, hindi ko kaya tanggapin na ganun lang basta ... pakasal= visa= citizenship.

I am open to the fact that I will end up being a TNT, pero natatakot ako. Handa naman ako maging cashier, kargador or whatever but because of my status I will end up working under the table talaga.

Mga GT sis, please help. I am sure meron din naging ganito ang phasing ng buhay sa inyo. Help please. I want to do it next year, gusto ko sana kapag umuwi parents ko dito next year sasama na ako pabalik.

Thanks in advance.

[shopaholic18]

may mga similarities tayo...my parents and brother will be migrating in a month and i will be the one left...hindi ako independent like you and im not that fulfilled in terms of work...i just work in hospital practicing my profession...i don't have any tourist visa or whatever to go to US but still i would want to go there soon too..open ako sa marriage setup if it happens kasi single pa naman ako...i just hope i make the right decision when the time comes...but clearly all i want right now is to be with my family the soonest possible legal way...mahirap mag TNT pag nadeport ka hindi ka na makakasunod dun with your family...if your willing to wait for ages magpa petition ka nalang pero the fastest na siguro is marriage next to working then by petition...

[kRistetA]

exactly my point kaya ayoko din mag TNT. kaya lang alam ko kasi hindi rin naman ganun kadali makahanap ng mag sponsor ng H1.

grabe na yung pag ka homesick ko, alam ko naman na pede ako punta U.S anytime pero syempre iniisip ko rin pano magiging buhay ko din. iba talaga kapag hindi mo kasama family mo eh diba, iba yung pakiramdam. kapag kausap ko sila naiiyak na lang ako kahit walang dahilan. grabe yung pag ka emotional ko. na alala ko nga nung nag punta ako dun last year pagkakita ko pa lang sa kanila sa airport umiiyak na ako, sabi ng pamangkin ko "ate bakit ka umiiyak?" ang sabi ko lang "natutuwa ako kasi andito na ako, nakita ko na kayo!"

waa super missed ko na family ko!

[mooncake and leaves]

Life in the US is already difficult as a legal resident so expect it to be 10 times worse as an illegal one. Jobs are scarce and you won't get the benefits that actually make living and working in the US worth it. The jobs you're probably gonna get are in factories or nursing homes. Wage is either minimum or lower.

Still, there are companies that are willing to sponsor. But you're right-there aren't a lot of them anymore.

I think, as bad as it is to be separated from your family, it's not something you won't be able to get used to. Being homesick, the pain of separation- these things take a lot of time to get used to. It's a new situation so parang ang hirap. But you do get used to it. So give it time.

As for your career-sa akin kasi, if you're going to be an illegal immigrant, you're not going to have much of a career to speak of anyway, so why bother. If you really want to come to the US, exhaust all possible legal means. Mas ok pa nga na magpakasal ka. It isn't noble but at least, you're more secure.

[shopaholic18]

^^i guess ma fifeel ko rin yan...actually andito pa nga sila nalulungkot na ako...so im making the most out of the time they're here...iniisip ko nalang makakasunod ako agad...which is gagawin ko naman whatever it takes...positive ako dun, like i want something i would do everything to get it...there's no reason for me to stay here so why bother right...its just so frustrating in way but I believe that everything has a purpose...enjoy na muna natin Pinas, i have no plans or going back na kasi once i get there...vacation nalang siguro...i know madami din pala ngayon nagpapakasal just to get there...advise ko lang is don't close your doors...ask for signs (sensya na naniniwala padin ako dito)...kung ano ba dapat mong gawin...God will always guide your decisions...buti ka nga anytime you can go there...ako wala pa ni tourist visa...gusto ko kasi pag pumunta ako dun migrate na agad...well i hope we can reunite with our families soon...

[kRistetA]

@mooncake and leaves

Thanks for replying. Two days ago I decided to stay and wait for 2 more years hoping that I will be promoted (from work) and wishing that I will be granted a Canadian tourist visa so I can visit my other ate.

What you said is a real scenario of my dilemma. Most of my cousins in New York and LA are TNT's, most of them are licensed and professional workers here in Manila. Some of them end up marrying their boyfriends (good thing they found American citizens who fall in love with them and I know they strategically look for it  ), my 3 niece's and a nephew marry in such a young age just to be legal.  One of my tita in marry a gay friend and a guy cousin marry a Mexican girl for $10,000 (excluding allowance, rent, food, etc).

I guess it's really hard. For the meantime I'll be contended with what I have, thank God I have a Tourist visa. I can visit my family anytime.

@shopaholic18
I can't wait to be reunited with my family. Someday we will be

[shopaholic18]

^definitely sis...in God's time...

[anmar]

I don't advise the TNT thing. Mahirap kasi you can't drive and driving is a necessity here in the US. Marrying someone & paying them to get your GC is possible pero strict na ang Immigration ngayon. Mabuti pang hanapan ka nalang nila na ireto sayo na makatuluyan mo TALAGA at least pag ininterview ka ng Immigration eh totoo yung isasagot mo at wala kang kaba kasi REAL marriage naman at hindi FIXED.
I would suggest to find an Employer to sponsor you. There are filipino employment agencies here in LA who can help you find employers. Punta ka sa filipino store & kumuha ka ng newspaper & look in the classified ads -maraming agency naka post. Try to call them & ask how it works. You just need to pay upfront a marketing fee & they will fax your resume & tawagan ka lang nila kung may interview ka. At least dito e sila na maghahanap ng employer who will sponsor you.

Kung ayaw mo naman magbayad ng marketing/placement fee, ask  your family & friends baka their employers are hiring and are willing to sponsor or look in classified ads for jobs and ask if they are willing to sponsor. Usually Persian employers are willing to sponsor kasi alam nila mga Filipino hardworking yun nga lang medyo kuripot.

[morbiedoll]

California's not your best bet right now imo. Ang taas ng unemployment rate dito. Mainly because big companies are hiring illegals din to work for below minimum pay. no benefits. tho they say may employment boom this 2011. i hope so. hindi ka rin magbbeneft sa under the table, my aunt (legal immigrant) works as a caregiver earns $500 for 4 days. pero at the end of the day, pagtanda niya wala siyang healthcare benefits, & pension.

like you said. all in God's time. Make yourself more marketable while waiting for time. I learned that the hard way. From being a fresh grad of nursing, to working at target, to more retail jobs. to being an RN resident.

goodluck sis

[gnela_21]

sis kRistetA, I second yung sinabi ng mga sisses natin dito. Although we may not be in California, it think applicable yung mga advise nila kahit san state ka nakatira sa US. Lemme tell you how my life had been for the last 2 years. Note that I am here legally, as an H4 visa holder. If you're not familiar, H4 are dependent of H1B (working) visa. We are legally allowed to stay and study here as long as the H1 visa wherein we are dependent to are valid. Pero we are NOT allowed to work.

I had been able to get a DL (driver's license) since that's allowed here in IL, so that give me freedom. Tama yung sabi ni anmar, driving is a necessity. Not unless you live in cities like NY wherein you can take the train or bus. Otherwise, super hirap kapag dependent ka sa ibang tao to get around. Nakakabaliw.

An option for me to work is to look for employers who will sponsor me, unfortunately, that had been hard. Often the jobs that you'll be applying to, will ask you if you'll need a sponsorship to work, and as soon as you said yes, your application goes to the bottom of the file. Sad to hear but true. We're lucky that our GC application was already filed and we just received our EAD, now I am legally allowed to work. And I tell you, job hunting is not easy. Kala ko once na pwede na ko magwork, madali na. But no, hindi pala.

You've mentioned that you're an independent individual, I am the same thing. Kahit we have relatives in CA, we chose to live and stay here in IL (Chicagoland) and make our lives as it is. Ayoko din umasa sa mga kamag-anak. So yung option mo nung una is basically the opposite of what you believed and live by.

I would also suggest that you exhaust all possible means to live and work here legally. You do have your B1/B2 visa naman, you can always come and visit. Make use of that time to see if possible ka makahanap ng work. It's very hard but it's not impossible.

Just to give you an idea, the majority of people that I know who got here from H1 and L1 (intercompany) visa are: PTs, Accountants and IT professionals. Madami pa ding need for PT nowadays, pero dadaan na sa butas ng karayom ngayon to be licensed in the US. I thought mahirap na ang process before, I was wrong. It's doubly hard now. Pero with persistence and hard work, kaya pa din. Goodluck sayo sis!