Pete Cross, the Palm Beach Post's photography editor, learned of Xin's work from other journalists, and followed her progress at the nearby Miami Herald. After meeting her at a journalist's social event, Cross invited her to interview at his office, which led to a job offer. Next came the hard part. The Post had to convince U.S. immigration officials that Xin was the best candidate for the job, and she would earn the same wage as an American citizen in the same position. Fortunately for Xin, they succeeded.
Many international students view internships as a great way to fulfill that requirement.
Temporary work visas also are available in limited numbers, especially for high-tech majors and graduates who join small firms. In such cases, Americans may not be readily available to do the same work. And the higher the degree, the easier it is for a firm to hire an international student, says Robert Weatherall, career services director at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Even so, career counselors and foreign-student advisors agree that if you hope to remain in the U.S. after college, you should start preparing immediately. Processing all the necessary documents often takes much longer than anticipated.