If you’re looking to create a lucrative side-hustle online, why not try for a visa? You could potentially live the life of a digital nomad and travel the world while simultaneously creating valuable content for others to use.
You might be thinking that to do this you need to be an experienced, digital nomad with a solid knowledge of marketing, SEO and content creation. You would be partially right, but you might be underestimating the power of the H1B visa.
What is the H1B visa?
This is a type of visa that allows skilled foreign workers to enter the US and work for top American companies. The H1B visa is available for employment in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree or higher, and jobs that require at least a master’s degree or higher.
Those who qualify can apply for an H1B visa, and once approved, can begin working in the US. They can initially work for a sponsoring company for a probationary period of up to three years. After which, they can either extend their stay in the US and apply for citizenship, or return to their home country.
You might be wondering how to make money with an H1B visa. While it is true that you can get paid to create content, or find an online business that needs your help, there are a number of ways that you can earn money with an H1B visa that don’t necessarily involve creating content. From being a virtual assistant to selling your photos on iStockPhoto, there is a way that you can make money with an H1B visa, without needing a computer science degree.
Create a Blog
If you’ve ever written an article before, you might know how tedious it is to research, draft and then publish a piece of content. Blogging is a fantastic way to both learn and then apply what you’ve learned, while also creating a steady stream of revenue.
Blogs with content curated from various news sources, are highly regarded by search engines and can lead to higher search engine rankings and, thus, more organic traffic to your site. If you’ve got a computer science or business degree, you could build a WordPress blog that features content curated from industry news sources. You’ll need a few thousand words of content each week to keep your blog interesting and engaging, so you can set yourself up for success.
On the other hand, if you’ve got a creative flair and are confident that you can generate interest in your niche, you could consider self-publishing a book. With a bit of luck, you could even make a living wage from your book-writing.
Start An Online Store
If you’ve got a large following on social media, you might consider using your fame to start an online store. As the name suggests, an online store provides the ability to purchase products and services online. In most cases, online stores don’t require a large investment to get started, and allow you to maintain a small business without all the overhead of a traditional brick-and-mortar business.
With an online store, you could sell and ship products worldwide, and get a small commission for every successful sale. If your chosen product is in high demand, and you’re confident that you can satisfy customer needs, you could consider starting an online store in your niche.
Start A MLM Company
Multi-level marketing or MLM makes money by selling products or services to someone else, who then becomes a distributor, selling the product or service to yet more people. In most cases, MLM requires a small investment to get started, but you can then earn a stable revenue stream from recruitment and commissions.
To start an MLM business, you could consider building a team of sellers. Each member of the team would then be responsible for recruiting new team members and getting them to also become salespeople. Once you’ve got a team of distributors, you can consider expanding into different industries or launching a separate business to provide additional support to your existing team.
Sell Your Photos On Stock Photo
Another way to make money with an H1B visa is to sell your photos on stock photo websites, like Shutterstock. When someone clicks on a stock photo and makes a purchase, you’ll earn a small commission.
If you’re at all familiar with the stock photo industry, you’ll know that demand for stock photos far exceeds supply, which means there’s plenty of work for everyone. If you’ve got a decent camera, some creative juice and an internet connection, you could consider selling your photos on stock photo websites, and getting paid to take photos for brands and businesses worldwide.
Get A Part-time Job
With an H1B visa, you can apply for lawful permanent residency, which allows you to work in the US. If you’re eligible, you can get a part-time job at a company or business that already employs American workers, or applies for a specific job opening within the company.
Depending on your line of work, you might be able to find a job that doesn’t require a specific skill set. For example, if you’re a medical professional, you could work for a company that provides medical services, or you could get a job at a hospital. You’ll need to complete an online application, and if selected, you’ll need to prove that you’re able to work in the country.
Blogging Doesn’t Have To Be Difficult
Anyone who tells you that blogging is difficult to do successfully, needs to be punched in the face repeatedly. Blogging is a fantastic way to both learn and then apply what you’ve learned, while also creating a steady stream of revenue.
If you’ve got a business degree, you could build a WordPress blog that features content curated from various news sources, and then monetize the content using affiliate programs. You’ll need a few thousand words of content each week to keep your blog interesting and engaging, so you can set yourself up for success.
If none of the above seem right for you, you could always try marketing direct to consumers, using platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to get the word out about your company. The key to making money online is to find a way to stand out from the crowd, and this often comes through unique content that is engaging and attention-grabbing. If you can do this, then you can potentially create a lucrative side-hustle or even a full-time income stream online.