> what are the main clause that one (non-citizen) should push for
> in a job contract that would prevent potential abuse.
A physician contract is essentially a pre-nup. If everything works well, you don't need a contract at all. If things go sour, thats where the contract becomes essential.
I wouldn't sign a contract that:
- doesn't have a bilateral 'termination without cause' provision with a reasonable notice period (e.g. 90 max 180 days)
- has any sort of 'liquidated damages' provision for the case of you leaving before the term of the contract is up.
- imposes a restrictive covenant that is poorly defined
> And how much say an applicant has in modifiying a contract
Depends on your leverage. If you are in a hard to get specialty and the employer is somewhere far out, your ability to change things to your favor is better than if you are in a dime a dozen specialty trying to work in a suburb of a popular city.
> and whether a contract lawyer would help the matter.
If you sign a physician employment contract without prior review by a contract attorney, you are trying to do something you are not trained for: practice contract law.
The practice had an attorney write the contract, and typically for their benefit. So why would you not have an attorney on your side to look at the provisions and what they mean ?
> What are the common verbal promises that one should
> never fall for.
- I'll make you partner after 2 years.
- Your income will go up after the first year, but we don't write that into the contract.
> At what point should the GC sponsoring talk be done and
> whether that can be part of a contract.
Difficult question. I would certainly bring it up during the contract negotiations at the latest. I would try to get it into the contract, that way if the employer suddenly wants additional committments for sponsoring you you have this breach of contract as a lever if you want to leave.
