A lot of confusion around US immigration comes from treating H1B and permanent residency (the green card) as two alternative choices. In practice, for most international students, they're not alternatives at all — H1B is typically the temporary work visa that comes first, and a green card is a longer-term status you might pursue once you're already working in the US on H1B or another status.
Where most students actually start: OPT
Before H1B even enters the picture, most F-1 students use Optional Practical Training (OPT) — 12 months of work authorization tied to your degree, extendable by 24 months (36 months total) if your degree is STEM-classified. OPT is what bridges graduation and your first real shot at an H1B.
H1B: a temporary, employer-sponsored work visa
H1B is a non-immigrant visa, meaning it's explicitly temporary — typically granted for three years and renewable once, up to six years total (longer in specific green-card-pending circumstances). Critically, it's employer-sponsored: you need a US employer willing to file the petition on your behalf, and there's an annual cap with a lottery system when demand exceeds available slots, which it usually does.
Permanent residency: a different category entirely
A green card grants permanent resident status — the right to live and work in the US indefinitely, without employer sponsorship tying you to a specific job. For employment-based green cards, the typical path involves your employer sponsoring you through a process called PERM labor certification, followed by the green card petition itself. Depending on your country of birth and category, the wait can range from under a year to well over a decade — India specifically faces some of the longest backlogs due to per-country caps on employment-based green cards.
How they actually connect
The realistic sequence for most Indian students looks like: F-1 student visa → OPT (and STEM OPT extension if eligible) → H1B (ideally secured before OPT runs out) → employer sponsors green card process while you're already working on H1B. You can be on H1B while your green card application is in process — which is why H1B is often described as a "bridge" status rather than a destination in itself.
What this means for planning
- Your OPT window is the real first deadline — securing an employer willing to sponsor H1B before OPT expires is the immediate priority, not the green card
- Given the India-specific green card backlog, many professionals spend years on H1B (often renewed) while their green card application is pending — plan your life around that reality, not an optimistic timeline
- The $100,000 H1B fee has made some employers more selective about who they sponsor — a strong, specific skill match matters more than ever