If I start working on H-1B in October, can I switch to J-1 in the meantime?
I’ve been offered an H-1B position at a CPA firm. But even if H-1B is approved, waiting until October seems difficult — I’d like to know if I can switch to J-1 in the meantime, work under that, and then switch back to H-1B.
Just technically speaking, a change of status filing and approval alone typically takes around 6 months, so considering another status change purely to work before your H-1B start date doesn’t seem to offer much practical benefit.