Tried the travel-route first myself - seasonal gigs abroad sounded freeing until every posting demanded a work permit I didn't have. Same wall hit me when I pivoted to targeting US companies. What actually moved the needle wasn't spraying resumes everywhere but finding the intersection of three things: industries burning for talent (tech, healthcare, engineering), employers with a paper trail of approved visas, and roles marked cap-exempt so the March lottery doesn't wreck your year. For 2026, keep your eyes on university labs, children's hospitals, and AI startups - they're still filing. A tool like https://avisajob.com/ saved me months because it only shows you live sponsors, no expired listings or silent pullbacks. Also, know that smaller metro areas often sponsor faster than saturated coastal hubs. Your odds multiply when you stop guessing and start following the data.