4 Steps to Prepare Your International Students to Answer Questions About Sponsorship During a Job Interview

Step 1: Get them in front of an immigration attorney

Before your international students attempt to handle sponsorship questions, they need to know which immigration process fits their situation. The best way to do this is by scheduling an initial consultation with an immigration attorney. They need to do this before they start looking for a job.

An immigration attorney can point them to the most suitable immigration process. The attorneys can also describe activities and internships your students can perform to enhance their immigration profile. And most importantly, attorneys can also provide essential coaching on how your students can discuss their immigration status with potential employers.

Many immigration attorneys are willing to perform these initial consultations at no cost or for a modest fee. You don’t know any immigration attorneys? Find an immigration attorney who specializes in work visas with our free search tool.

Step 2: Help your international students understand that “no” is the start of the conversation

Fact: most companies will say “no.” But because they say they don’t, doesn’t mean they actually don’t sponsor.

The topic of sponsorship is often clouded by misinformation. This leads many hiring managers, who are not well informed, to play it safe and say, “We don’t sponsor,” without really understanding what sponsorship involves.

For this reason, your students should understand that “no” is not the end of the conversation. This is simply their starting point to have a meaningful discussion with their interviewer(s) about sponsorship.

The issue that your students face is one of misinformation. Fortunately, this presents an opportunity, as you can equip your students with the knowledge to effectively communicate with potential employers about sponsorship in a way that could shift their perspective.

Step 3: Learn the best answer for “Do you need sponsorship?”

At some point in the interview an employer will ask your international students point-blank, “do you need sponsorship?”

We suggest your students answer this way:

“I already have a work permit [in the form of their OPT]. If you want to keep me indefinitely, we can easily make that arrangement. The process is simple and requires very little input from you. I have an immigration attorney who handles a significant portion of this [that’s why it’s important that you meet an immigration attorney first]. The bottom-line question is whether you think I am the best candidate for this position.”

It's important to note that we're avoiding a simple "yes" or "no" response. Providing an absolute answer in this context can be counterproductive. By offering this more-detailed response, your students: clarify they can start working immediately, introduce the idea that the process may be simpler than anticipated, and show preparedness.

Step 4: Learn how to navigate objections

In some cases, the company may firmly indicate they don’t do work visa applications. If this happens, we suggest your students follow up with the following statement: “I understand. I am interested in learning why. Do you have any particular concerns about applying for a work visa?”

Once your students understand the employer's specific reservations, they can effectively address them. The most common objections are cost, effort, legal and fiscal scrutiny, that they will leave once you get their "papers", the creation of an unbreakable tie to your students, and having to wait too long to bring them on board. Here’s how your students can easily address each one.

Concern 1: Cost

Employers will typically have an inflated view of the cost to complete a work visa application. Many times, their perception of cost far exceeds reality.

Real costs: Depending on the process they qualify for, the costs will vary, from $7,000 for an H-1B non-immigration work visa, to $19,000 for an EB-2 or EB-3 employment-based immigration process. Prepare your students to discuss ways to offset the costs. For example, the students may consider forfeiting signing bonuses; and/or performance and end-of-year bonuses.

Ultimately, you want to help your international students feel comfortable discussing the costs of their immigration process with an employer. It's important to remember that hiring new employees, American or foreign, inherently involves expenses. Even roles considered low-skilled, such as housekeeping staff, generate hiring costs around $3,500. So, help your students to start thinking of their immigration expenses as a normal part of the hiring process.

Concern 2: Effort

Hiring managers are busy, and they seldom have time for additional responsibilities – like overseeing an immigration process. In this case, perception also tends to exceed reality as immigration processes don’t demand a significant effort from the hiring manager.

Instruct your students to respond to objections concerning effort by mentioning their immigration attorney. They need to reassure the hiring manager that the process is largely managed by the attorney, requiring minimal effort on their part. The manager's main role is simply to provide the necessary information to the attorney, who will take care of the application process.

Concern 3: Legal and fiscal scrutiny

Privately held businesses tend to value their privacy, especially when dealing with government agencies – particularly when it involves financial disclosures. The idea of sponsoring your students can raise concerns about increased government interaction, leading to potential disclosure of sensitive information, and the risk of unexpected inspections or audits.

While sponsoring an employee does involve some interaction with the government, your students can explain that the required disclosures are usually minimal. In most cases, it simply means providing tax filing information – data that businesses already generate and submit to the IRS.

This is a type of objection that can also be easily managed by introducing an immigration attorney in the conversation. Your students can highlight that the entire process will be evaluated by their immigration attorney, so all the steps are safe for the employer, and completed legally and correctly.

If the employer has any other specific concerns, instruct your students to find documentation that explains the reality. For example, if the employer doesn’t think an OPT constitutes a valid work permit, your students can print documentation from the USCIS.gov website, and offer it as proof.

Concern 4: Your students will leave

Believe it or not, this is a frequent concern among employers. They think your students will use their business as a trampoline to become a permanent resident and then move on to other opportunities, or that they will go back to their home country.

This objection can be diffused with an employment contract. Many companies offer financial incentives to tie their new recruits for specific periods of time. Prepare your students to discuss their willingness to sign such a contract.

Concern 5: Creating an unbreakable tie to your students

Some businesses worry that sponsoring your students means committing to an unbreakable contract with them and/or the U.S. government. They fear that once they start the process, they won’t be able to terminate their employment if needed.

In reality, sponsorship can be stopped at any stage without consequences - aside from any costs already incurred. For better or worse, employers can let your international students go just like they would any American employee.

Concern 6: Having to wait too long

Immigration processes can be lengthy, which leads some employers to dismiss sponsorship as an impractical hiring strategy. However, they may not realize that your students are available to work right away under CPT or OPT, making them a viable candidate from day one.

To address this, make it clear that you can begin working as soon as your CPT or OPT start date - potentially right away. This is also a great chance to demonstrate that you’ve consulted with an immigration attorney and fully understand the timeline for your immigration process. Depending on the situation, walking them through the timeline can help ease their concerns and overcome this objection.

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