Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong's journey from apartheid South Africa to American billionaire demonstrates how immigration policy choices shape national prosperity. Arriving in the United States in 1980 with belongings in a single U-Haul truck, this surgeon-turned-entrepreneur now holds about $5.4 billion (as of November 2025) in net worth, controls hundreds of patents worldwide, and has generated billions in medical innovations that save American lives. For today's physicians, researchers, and entrepreneurs following similar paths, modern visa categories like the O-1A extraordinary ability visa and EB-1A green card offer structured pathways created by the Immigration Act of 1990 that didn't exist in Soon-Shiong's era.
Born July 29, 1952 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Patrick Soon-Shiong is the son of Hakka Chinese immigrants who themselves fled China during the Japanese invasion of World War II. His parents ran a small general store in a country where racial classification determined every life opportunity.
Growing up under apartheid's institutionalized racism, Soon-Shiong experienced systematic discrimination despite exceptional academic talent. He was classified as "Chinese"—neither black nor white—which meant carrying mandatory ID cards, restricted bus seating, and limited educational access. When Soon-Shiong applied to medical school in 1969, the University of Witwatersrand admitted only 2 Chinese students among 200 total under strict racial quotas: 196 white, 2 Indian, 2 Chinese.
Despite these barriers, he graduated in 1975 at age 23, ranking fourth in a class of 189 students. His exceptional credentials, however, couldn't protect him from apartheid's discrimination in practice.
Soon-Shiong's medical internship in Johannesburg revealed the cruel reality behind the credentials. Despite his top-tier medical training, the government required him to:
The 1976 Soweto uprising proved pivotal. Soon-Shiong treated Black students injured when police opened fire on protesters. "I was looking after these kids, and now I'm visiting them in the I.C.U. That really scared me," he later recalled. This experience crystallized his understanding that staying meant accepting permanent second-class status regardless of achievement.
Today, physicians and researchers facing similar discrimination in their home countries can pursue immigration pathways that recognize extraordinary ability and contributions to their field, bypassing employer-sponsored limitations.
In 1977, Soon-Shiong immigrated to Canada with his wife Michele B. Chan, a fellow Chinese South African. Canada served as a strategic stepping stone—a place to gain additional credentials and North American medical experience before attempting U.S. entry.
During his three years in Vancouver, he:
This multi-stage pathway remains relevant today. Many physicians first establish themselves in Canada before transitioning to U.S. opportunities, particularly when direct U.S. visa sponsorship proves challenging.
In 1980, Soon-Shiong moved to the United States to join UCLA's surgical program. The couple arrived with everything they owned packed in a U-Haul truck. Michele cried when she saw their $400-per-month apartment near UCLA—a stark contrast to their hopes but a necessary sacrifice. They had no car and relied on a hand-me-down television that required occasional slapping to function.
Michele initially earned more money working as an actress while Patrick completed his training. By 1983, at age 31, he joined UCLA Medical School faculty. He became a board-certified surgeon in 1984, and in 1986 performed the first West Coast pancreas transplant.
The timeline illustrates what medical professionals should expect:
Soon-Shiong is a U.S. citizen, as confirmed by Congressional records. The extended timeline before naturalization—potentially 20-27 years after arriving in the U.S.—suggests that citizenship, while valuable, wasn't urgent for his success. His green card provided sufficient stability to build companies, accumulate wealth, and contribute to American medicine.
If Dr. Soon-Shiong were immigrating today with his credentials, he would qualify for multiple visa categories that offer faster, more predictable pathways than existed in 1980.
The O-1A visa recognizes individuals with extraordinary ability demonstrated through sustained national or international acclaim. Soon-Shiong's profile would easily meet the criteria:
Today's physicians with similar achievements can access O-1A visas through expert immigration attorneys who build compelling evidence packages highlighting research impact, citations, and recognition.
The EB-1A green card offers permanent residency without employer sponsorship—ideal for researchers whose work transcends any single institution. Soon-Shiong's credentials would qualify:
The EB-1A pathway eliminates the labor certification requirement, allowing self-petitioning.
The EB-2 NIW particularly suits medical professionals whose work benefits U.S. public health—exactly Soon-Shiong's profile. His diabetes and cancer research, transplant techniques, and hospital access initiatives all serve national interests.
The NIW requires demonstrating:
Physicians working in underserved areas, conducting critical research, or developing innovative treatments can self-petition through EB-2 NIW, bypassing employer sponsorship requirements entirely.
The United States gained extraordinary value from admitting Patrick Soon-Shiong—value that far exceeds any public investment in his immigration or education.
Soon-Shiong's early research at UCLA focused on transplant immunology, particularly pancreatic islet cell transplantation as a treatment for diabetes. This groundbreaking work involved:
While the technique didn't become standard treatment, the research advanced scientific understanding of diabetes, immunology, and transplantation—contributing to the knowledge base that enables today's treatments.
Abraxane represents Soon-Shiong's most significant clinical contribution. The drug reformulates paclitaxel (Taxol) using albumin-bound nanoparticle technology, which:
The FDA approved Abraxane in 2005 for breast cancer, 2012 for NSCLC, and 2013 for pancreatic cancer, and it is widely used for metastatic breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers. At its peak, the drug exceeded $1 billion in annual sales.
This single innovation—developed by an immigrant who was forced to work at 50% salary in his birth country—saved American lives while generating billions in economic value.
Beyond pharmaceutical innovation, Soon-Shiong invested heavily in healthcare access for underserved communities:
At the 2015 MLK Hospital opening, he declared: "Medical apartheid will end right here, the health desert will end right here." His apartheid experience drove commitment to healthcare equity—a direct benefit of his immigration to the United States.
Soon-Shiong's journey offers actionable guidance for current immigration applicants, particularly in medicine, science, and entrepreneurship.
Soon-Shiong's credentials—fourth in medical school class, publications, recognition, pioneering techniques—formed the evidence base for his visa applications and career advancement. Today's applicants should:
Immigration petitions require concrete evidence of achievement. Expert attorneys help organize this documentation into compelling narratives that meet USCIS criteria for extraordinary ability or outstanding researcher classifications.
Soon-Shiong's Canada → USA route may seem inefficient, but it provided:
Today's applicants might consider:
Immigration law complexity has increased dramatically since 1980. Professional legal guidance provides:
Expert immigration attorneys demonstrate success across thousands of cases with personalized guidance tailored to each applicant's specific situation.
Soon-Shiong's 30-year journey from first immigration to citizenship sets realistic expectations:
Modern pathways can accelerate timelines through:
However, applicants should prepare for multi-year timelines and build careers that succeed regardless of immigration status at any given moment.
Soon-Shiong's story provides quantifiable data supporting skilled immigration policy:
His companies generated significant economic activity and tax revenues. This single immigrant—who arrived with belongings in a U-Haul after facing 50% salary discrimination in his birth country—generated more economic value than thousands of average Americans combined. The policy implication is clear: barriers to high-skilled immigration represent economic self-sabotage.
Soon-Shiong challenges the linear "permanent departure" model of immigration through his ongoing South African engagement.
In 2021-2022, Soon-Shiong committed an initial $195 million to South African COVID-19 vaccine development and manufacturing. He opened NantSA, a manufacturing facility producing vaccines for African distribution.
This investment represents circular migration at scale:
As a South African-born American physician and entrepreneur, Soon-Shiong's status allows:
Immigration service providers should address dual citizenship strategy, cross-border business structures, and tax implications for high-net-worth individuals maintaining ties to multiple countries.
Soon-Shiong's explicit embrace of multicultural identity—African, Asian, and American simultaneously—offers an alternative to traditional assimilation models. His philanthropic focus on healthcare equity connects directly to his apartheid experience, suggesting that maintained cultural memory drives civic contributions.
This challenges the assumption that successful integration requires abandoning origin country connections. Instead, circular migration and dual loyalty may produce greater total value across multiple societies.
If you're a medical professional, researcher, or entrepreneur with achievements comparable to Soon-Shiong's early career, multiple visa pathways are available.
Review your credentials against visa category requirements:
If you meet criteria for multiple categories, immigration attorneys can recommend optimal sequencing—such as O-1A temporary status while building additional evidence for EB-1A green card.
Immigration petitions require extensive documentation:
This evidence gathering takes months. Starting early—ideally years before intended immigration—strengthens applications significantly.
Alma combines legal expertise with technology to streamline complex immigration cases with personalized guidance at critical decision points and transparent pricing. For entrepreneurs and startup founders with 1-25 foreign nationals, Alma offers streamlined support with flat-rate pricing and fast onboarding—exactly what Soon-Shiong needed in 1980 but didn't have access to.
The immigration process shouldn't be harder than the medical research, scientific breakthroughs, or business building you're already accomplishing. Expert legal support removes obstacles so you can focus on the contributions that will define your American journey.
With over 100 publications, pioneering transplant techniques, and a top 2% class ranking, Soon-Shiong would easily qualify for O-1A extraordinary ability or EB-1A classifications. The EB-2 NIW would also be viable given the clear national interest in his diabetes and cancer research. Modern applicants with comparable credentials should consult immigration attorneys about all three pathways to determine optimal timing.
Apartheid's systematic racism proved decisive despite Soon-Shiong's exceptional credentials—he was forced to work at 50% salary of white colleagues and faced strict quotas limiting medical school admission to only 2 Chinese students per 200. The 1976 Soweto uprising, where he treated injured Black students in the ICU, crystallized his understanding that merit would never overcome systemic barriers in South Africa. Today's applicants facing similar discrimination may qualify for multiple visa categories including employment-based options.
The Canada → USA pathway in 1977-1980 provided strategic advantages through Canadian immigration's point-based systems that were often more accessible than U.S. pathways. The three years in Vancouver allowed him to earn a master's degree from University of British Columbia, gain North American medical credentials, and build professional networks that facilitated his UCLA recruitment. Today's applicants sometimes use similar strategies—building additional credentials in countries with easier initial immigration while preparing stronger applications for ultimate destination countries.
Soon-Shiong arrived in the USA in 1980 and is confirmed as a U.S. citizen, though the exact naturalization date is not publicly documented. He likely obtained permanent residency (green card) within 5-10 years of arrival given his UCLA faculty position, with citizenship eligibility beginning after 5 years of permanent residency. Modern applicants should expect green card timelines of 2-7 years depending on category and country of origin.
Yes—Soon-Shiong's initial $195 million commitment to South African vaccine manufacturing demonstrates how cross-border business structures enable continued engagement with countries of origin. As a South African-born American, he can legally operate businesses in multiple jurisdictions while maintaining tax compliance in each country. This requires sophisticated legal and tax planning—foreign business income must be reported to the IRS, foreign bank accounts require FBAR disclosure, and treaty provisions may affect taxation.
USCIS requires meeting at least 3 of 10 criteria for O-1A or EB-1A classifications. Soon-Shiong's profile illustrates strong evidence: over 100 publications meeting "scholarly articles" criterion, recognition from American College of Surgeons meeting "prizes and awards" criterion, first West Coast pancreas transplant demonstrating "original contributions of major significance," and UCLA Medical School faculty meeting "critical role at distinguished organizations." Medical professionals should compile complete publication lists with citation metrics, grant awards, patents, media coverage, recommendation letters, peer review participation, leadership positions, and salary data.
