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Unshackled is the name of a book and its accompanying online community. On here, you’ll find articles on everything from building your profile for an O-1A visa to starting a company on your H-1B. Want to get such resources directly in your Inbox? Join 7000 immigrants who hear from us every Wednesday.
Here's the next big update on the Unshackled launch party happening in Silicon Valley on July 22nd: you'll get to meet some of your favorite immigrant influencers! Including Yudi J, Roshni Chellani, Aneri Desai, Iswari Maranwe, & Lekhana Satish.Further, the following O-1 & EB-1 recipients will also be there: Deb Dutta (founder of criya.co), Dasha Kroshkinova (founder of studyfree.com & Forbes 30U30), and Zamir Shukho (investor at Vibranium VC). Next week, I'll reveal an important panelist!As a reminder: We've only got 100 more tickets left. Ticket prices will increase to $119 by this weekend. Be sure to get it by then.
Before we jump into the newsletter, I want to welcome 135 new subscribers to our newsletter since last week. Welcome, folks! And thanks to you if you forwarded this to a dear friend. 🙏
You're receiving this email as part of the Unshackled weekly newsletter. Immigration is a complex world. So every Wednesday, I try to simplify that by sharing top stories, curated resources, & fun tweets from the internet that matter to you. I also sprinkle it with updates on my upcoming book, Unshackled, at the end. If you find value reading it, forward this to a lucky friend. If this was forwarded to you, get your own here! Read all the past editions here. 💃
This week's TL;DR
- Canada creates a new pathway for 10,000 H-1B holders.
- Domestic renewal of H-1B for Indian-born immigrants, coming soon.
- AMA with Anu Ramakrishnan, an EB-1A visa recipient.
📌 UNfold: Top stories
On an H-1B and want to move to Canada? You might just be able to!Canada's Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, announced a new initiative allowing 10,000 American H-1B visa holders and their families to obtain open work permits in Canada. Yep. The program aims to support skilled workers in the tech industry and strengthen cross-border movement between Canada and the US. If you're approved, you can work for any employer in Canada, while your family members can apply for study or work permits. The initiative addresses the challenges faced by H-1B visa holders and benefits Canada's tech sector. Specific details on eligibility and applicant numbers have not yet been announced.Domestic renewal of H-1B and L-1 visas coming soonIf you're an Indian-born immigrant in the US, you can soon start renewing your visa without having to leave the country. The US State Department plans to start with a pilot program later this year for a small pool of immigrants, which will then be expanded to all H-1B and L-1 visa holders in 2024. This decision follows a bilateral meeting between President Joe Biden and PM Narendra Modi about the opening of new US consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. This has been in the works for a long time, but there's finally light at the end of the tunnel.10 years ago, something historic happened behind the walls of the White HouseOn June 27th, 2013, the U.S. Senate passed a revolutionary immigration reform bill called the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act." It passed it with a historic majority: 68 versus 32. Sadly, it never passed. Why? Because of politics. I share a brief glimpse into what happened in this post. But, the full backstory is present in chapter 1 of Unshackled. I soon plan to publish it for free on my website. Stay tuned.
🎁 UNlock: Relevant resources
AMA with Anu Ramakrishnan, EB-1A Visa Recipient [AMA from unshackled.club]In this "Ask Me Anything" interview, I interviewed Anu Ramakrishnan. She is an EB-1A visa recipient and a Director of Product Management for a healthtech company. We talk about everything from getting press for your work to getting recommendation letters. This was originally conducted within the Unshackled community. Apply here to join.Layoffs on H-1B & the 60-day grace period [Article from Unshackled]I've begun publishing excerpts from my book, Unshackled, on the website. My eventual plan is to publish the whole book for free. For now, this article focuses on navigating layoffs on your H-1B visa, the 60-day grace period, and your alternative options if you get laid off.An app to help immigrant workers reclaim wage theftReclamo, a web app developed by Justicia Lab, helps immigrant workers reclaim lost wages due to wage theft. Users can answer questions, learn their rights, and file legal claims within an hour. It's already recovered $1 million in lost wages in New York's construction industry. The app addresses the lack of legal aid for low-income Americans and frees up public prosecutors. Reclamo's AI assistance has the potential to enhance access to justice and target repeat offenders.💡 None of the information shared in this newsletter is meant to be legal advice. If you're looking for legal advice, speak to a lawyer, or hit reply and let me know so I can connect you with one.
💫 UNcover: Picks from the internet
- Curious about what the EB-5 investment visa is all about? Check out this free webinar, happening today. [June 28th, 11 AM PST]
- Want some more info on Canada's new policy for H-1B workers? Here's a LinkedIn post where a lawyer breaks it down for you.
- Finally, something fun to begin your day with. :)
🪄 UNveil: This week’s sponsor
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📕 What's the latest on Unshackled?
Launch, launch, and launch.I gotta tell you... I have so much respect for event organizers because organizing just this one event is draining the life energy out of me. But, it's also extremely rewarding: this event has become a catalyst for me to meet insanely talented people, fast.Besides the launch, I'm thrilled to have found a community manager for unshackled.club. We're still looking to hire a part-time content writer though. If you or someone you know is interested in writing content around immigration & taking care of the weekly newsletter, please hit reply and let me know.Hey, by the way, if you haven't yet, be the 937th person to pre-order the book below. 👇
And, if you enjoyed reading this email, forward it to one friend. It helps more than you know. Plus, now you get rewarded for it!Until next week, stay awesome.Yours truly,Soundarya 💚