Thanks for taking the time. For Canadians or Europeans with PhDs and a sufficient track record to make EB1 feasible, is it better to work at a research institution while one gets a green card, or is it better to just plow ahead with a startup and then do the EB1? Can you discuss pros and cons? I've seen many colleagues delay their startup aspirations while they wait for immigration reasons .. I want to understand if this is being prudent or a folly. I've heard the green card that you get as a researcher is nominally approved for that job title. Are there issues people face when they eventually attempt to become naturalized?
Interesting question but it really varies. There are advantages from a green card perspective to starting your own company because the successes of the company can be attributed to you. That being said, the esteem of getting a PhD or doing a post-doc at a prestigious institution also helps. My general feeling about all this is not to let immigration drive these decisions because immigration usually takes care of itself if one does what one loves and wants to do. This is a general statement but I rarely see a positive outcome when one defers making a decision, whether to start a company or change jobs, because of immigration considerations.
