I've heard that some YC companies have hired foreign workers, which implies they've gone through the H1B process. Care to share any experiences? How much does it costs to sponsor an H1B employee?
We've done it at Loopt. I can't remember the exact cost but it wasn't that bad. I've heard startups that haven't raised at least an angel round have a harder time. Good immigration lawyers are pretty good at this.
It's not that expensive. The problem, really, is that no sane person would wish to stop at the H1B. So, do you have a plan to get the person a greencard? That's a far more involved process and places onerous restrictions on the employee while it is pending.