Yes, this is for H1B.

The $2500 is what I know to be the fees my attorney charged my company for the whole process.YMMV. Some companies, esp those "specializing" in visa workers might ask you to bear the cost.

This year the stampede to file the application is less because of the weak economy. Finding a sponsor is a tougher task here.

If you can manage to find a employer/sponsor + you have good credentials(which you might have, given your UCB pedigree), you have a good chance of landing the visa this year.

> Some companies, esp those "specializing" in visa workers might ask you to bear the cost.

This is highly illegal. Don't do this. Don't go through all these shady "consulting" sweat shops. My suggestion is to look for jobs at non-profit institutions such as national labs, hospitals/medical centers (Mayo Clinic etc.)/university medical centers, universities (all state universities), university owned research labs (like ARUP etc.). They will sponsor your H1B (Non-Profit) which has NO quota. Search for more on this.(There's H1B Profit and H1B Non-Profit)

If you're really that desperate, search for jobs at the above entities that are based in the mid-west and south. They need a lot of smart people but not everyone's willing to move to their shitty place. Your immediate goal is to survive in the States as a legal non-resident so don't be too picky on Alabama and the bible belt.

It's not completely illegal, there are some costs associated with an H1B application that it is legal for the employee to pay. Just not the entire cost.

Disclaimer: I'm an F1 Intl. student in the US.

USCIS requires H1B petitions filed for an employee to be paid by the petitioner (employer). All those shady sweat shops who used to take poor Joe Schmoes' money for filing got raided big time in NJ and other areas.

That's just the uscis fee. The employer is allowed to make you pay some portion of the legal fees.