International Students in the Hudson Valley
Student Career Options – Choosing the Right Visa
Many international students in the Hudson Valley who hold F-1 student visas will eventually graduate and decide to stay in the U.S. to further their careers. There is a surfeit of immigration pathways available to them.
Many will go on to work with either Optional Practicing Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which is available to F-1 students who graduate, or who require work authorization for their studies. OPT and CPT work authorization are invaluable tools in building up work experience in the U.S. Students typically leverage this experience to transition to either an H-1b visa (which requires a bachelor’s degree) or even green card sponsorship via the EB-2 NIW or EB-3 pathways.
Of course, many international students find love and are able to adjust status to green card holders through marriage with an American citizen.
Hudson Valley International Students
The Hudson Valley is home to several universities with large international student bodies. Many of these immigrants go on to work in businesses in Orange County, Ulster County, Rockland County and elsewhere, contributing their knowledge and skills to the local economy.
The Culinary Institute of America, for example, has graduated some of the most celebrated chefs and cooks in the world. Located in Hyde Park (Dutchess County), 14% of the student body are international students. Graduates of the CIA include Roy Choi, co-host of The Chef Show on Netflix (and born in New York to immigrant parents from South Korea), and Maneet Chauhan (born in India) – celebrity chef, author, TV personality, and founding member of Morph Hospitality Group.
Other prominent immigrant-friendly Hudson Valley colleges include Marist College (Poughkeepsie), Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson/Red Hook), and SUNY New Paltz (Ulster County), which hosts more than 500 international students. Vassar College, in Poughkeepsie, also has a large international student population, at about 10% of the student body.
Student Visas – Building a Clever Country
Many prominent American companies were started or are run by immigrants who first came to the U.S. on F-1 student visas. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, X, SpaceX, and other companies, was an international student at the university of Pennsylvania before applying for an H-1b professional visa, and eventually an employment-based green card. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, and Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, followed similar paths. All are now American citizens.
Student Visa Lawyer
For help determining which immigration visa is best for you, it’s important to speak with a qualified attorney. Please get in touch today: +1 845-288-2435 / beaconimmigrationlawyer@gmail.com.
Beacon Immigration PLLC is a law firm located in the Hudson Valley at 6 Eliza Street, Suite 5, Beacon, NY 12508 (Dutchess County).