Since no one has pointed it out yet, I'll also mention the Diversity Visa (a.k.a. Green Card lottery). This allows you to gain permanent residence in the US (if you are eligible).
It opens every year in October, and is free to apply. There are lots of scam sites that will offer to enter you in the lottery for payment, but you can do it free here: https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/
If you get accepted, it takes around 18 months from entering the lottery to actually entering the US, so you have to not be in a hurry.
The allocation of visas is quite odd, a bunch of countries are not eligible to enter (including UK, Canada, Mexico). Other countries have different quotas based on their region. As a result, those applying from Australia/NZ have a much higher chance of winning than those applying from Europe or Africa.
It's based on a formula. Regions which saw fewer immigrants are granted more visas.
Because Australians have access to the E-3 visa, relatively few of us who live and work in the USA become immigrants for the purpose of the Diversity Lottery calculations.
It opens every year in October, and is free to apply. There are lots of scam sites that will offer to enter you in the lottery for payment, but you can do it free here: https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/
If you get accepted, it takes around 18 months from entering the lottery to actually entering the US, so you have to not be in a hurry.
The allocation of visas is quite odd, a bunch of countries are not eligible to enter (including UK, Canada, Mexico). Other countries have different quotas based on their region. As a result, those applying from Australia/NZ have a much higher chance of winning than those applying from Europe or Africa.