For international MBAs, the odds of winning the H-1B U.S. work visa lottery can be poor.

Green Card for MBA

An MBA’s chances of obtaining the visa change from year to year, depending on the number of applications for the 85,000 visas issued annually through the lottery.

This year, employers submitted H-1B petitions for a record 233,000 workers.

But there are ways to improve the odds, and also a small handful of viable workarounds, from temporary career exile to the use of alternative visas and even green cards, business school career services officers say.

Advantages of studying MBA in USA on Work visas like H1B or L1


1. Employer Sponsorship for education or Affordability:

Typically, if you work full time in a good company (NOT desi consulting companies), they offer complete or partial re-imbursement of tuition fee towards MBA or any higher education that matches your professional goals.

2. In-state Tuition Eligibility: This is not applicable if you are applying for private schools. But, if you are applying to top state university Business schools as a H1B visa or L1 visa holder, You are eligible for instate tuition if you work in a state for more than one year and pay taxes.

3. MBA Projects – Live Company Data and Managers help: When you are studying MBA, you will be given assignments and projects to work on.

4. Networking with Working Professionals for Career Growth:

Typically, if you are working full time and take MBA classes, you will be taking classes most of the time in the evening or weekends and majority of the students will be working full time just like you.

5. Career Growth with Work experience : One of the biggest advantages of studying MBA while working is, your work experience is ticking, you are never without a job or not working.