You've heard the news again and again: US companies are starving for experienced technology workers, and they're willing and eager to hire techies from abroad. But how do you find a job in Boston or Seattle when you're from Bangalore, India, or Sydney, Australia? What's more, is a job in the US really the right thing for you? Here are some of the key points you should know if you're thinking about applying for a job in the US.

Is the US really looking for more techies from overseas?

Without a doubt, international techies are welcomed in the US. The evidence? How about an increase, from 115,000 to 195,000, in H1-B visas.

Learn More For more information, see related articles: H1-B Visa Program A Job Q&A Sanjib Mahapatra, Senior Programmer

This is the type of visa typically granted to programmers, network engineers and other professionals who find jobs in the US. Technology companies actively lobbied for an increase in the number of H-1Bs, which prompted Congress to pass the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act. This increased the number of H-1B visas granted each year through at least the year 2003. Some say that the number of H1-B visas issued by the US could increase even further at that point, although it's conceivable that the number could drop again.

What do I need to know about H-1B visas?

An employer, not an employee, applies for the H-1B visa. That means you cannot simply apply for an H-1B, receive authorization to work in the US, and start approaching employers. Instead, you must find a position and then allow your employer to apply for the H-1B visa.

Until recently, an individual in the US on an H-1B had to wait for government approval before switching from one employer to another. The new law includes provisions to increase the "portability" of H-1Bs. Now, an individual is able to start working for a new employer before the government approves the change in status from one employer to another.

The H-1B visa allows individuals to stay in the US for a maximum of six years. If an individual wants to stay in the US longer than that, he or she must apply for permanent residency.

How do I find a job from thousands of miles away?

People find tech jobs in the US through a number of methods. "A lot of it is when they come here as students," says Karoline Hough, assistant branch manager at the St. Louis office of IT staffing firm Bradford & Galt. International students often secure jobs on an F-1 student visa after graduating. When that visa runs out, after a year of employment, the student may be able to have the company petition for an H-1B visa.

Much recruitment is done online, says attorney Jose E. Latour, who runs usvisanews.com. Contact is made through email or maybe the phone. Techies hear of jobs through Monster.com and other sites on the Web. Referrals are still one of the best ways to find a job from abroad. Techies in the US often email friends back in India or China, referring them to the consulting companies where they work.

What are the pitfalls?

Don't think working in the US, even if your wage will be exponentially higher, will be nirvana. In India, Sanjib Mahapatra held positions as a lead analyst and project manager, but in the US, he found things were not quite as he expected. The company that brought him to the States subcontracted him to other companies and couldn't always find work for him. Eventually, his visa was canceled. He found another job and was able to stay in the US, but not at the same salary he initially had here. His advice? "Don't leave a good job without first investigating US-based consulting companies."

Moreover, consulting companies may ask H-1B holders to move from job to job with startling frequency. "It takes a certain type of person to do that," says Hough. "It takes so much flexibility on the part of the consultant. They have to be able to go anywhere in the country on no notice. Their project in LA may end on a Friday, and on Monday they need to be in New York."

Will the new visa law improve things for international techies?

The Mercury News, a daily newspaper in California's Silicon Valley, published a front-page reportcovering fraud and abuse in H-1Bs among techies. An organization, Immigrants Support Network, was formed to lobby on behalf of H-1B holders. Advocates hope the new H-1B law will make it more difficult for employers to take advantage of international techies. With the increased portability of H-1B visas, techies from abroad should have an easier time moving from one company to another without having to maneuver an array of bureaucratic and legal hassles.

Certainly the law means more opportunities for international techies. "It's going to make it easier for people to get jobs here," says Latour, "and it's going to make it easier for companies to hire the people they need."