Has anyone worked in NYC? (or USA generally)
Discussion
Wondering if anyone has worked in the big apple and if so what is your general experience of it, things like:
- What part of NYC
- What commuting between boroughs is like
- How easy was it to get upstate and out of the city for a weekend
- Rent costs, looking at budgeting approx. $3k/mo in Manhattan?
- Overall thoughts on the city, how it compares to any other cities worked in (London?)
I'm a QS and there seems to be a bit of a demand for QS or 'construction cost managers' in the states, decent salaries, and consultancies like my current place are gradually expanding there and after chartered QS' (moving within my company may also help RE visas, sponsor etc.) I'm in Saudi currently, but fancy a bit more of a work / life balance and thinking of giving the US a go for a bit before eventually returning to the UK. Whilst I have always liked NYC (ableit only visited as a tourist twice), I am also looking at Nashville, or Seattle, the main draws being the work / life balance and the national parks / nature.
I'm not absolutely fixed on doing it but just thinking of giving it a go whilst I am still young and untied to anywhere / anyone.
So just Interested to hear if anyone has moved or worked in the states and their overall thoughts on it as a brit (or not a brit)!
- What part of NYC
- What commuting between boroughs is like
- How easy was it to get upstate and out of the city for a weekend
- Rent costs, looking at budgeting approx. $3k/mo in Manhattan?
- Overall thoughts on the city, how it compares to any other cities worked in (London?)
I'm a QS and there seems to be a bit of a demand for QS or 'construction cost managers' in the states, decent salaries, and consultancies like my current place are gradually expanding there and after chartered QS' (moving within my company may also help RE visas, sponsor etc.) I'm in Saudi currently, but fancy a bit more of a work / life balance and thinking of giving the US a go for a bit before eventually returning to the UK. Whilst I have always liked NYC (ableit only visited as a tourist twice), I am also looking at Nashville, or Seattle, the main draws being the work / life balance and the national parks / nature.
I'm not absolutely fixed on doing it but just thinking of giving it a go whilst I am still young and untied to anywhere / anyone.
So just Interested to hear if anyone has moved or worked in the states and their overall thoughts on it as a brit (or not a brit)!
No direct experience of NYC, but apart from that...
The big question- how do you intend to work legally?
Moving for a company you already work for is "easiest"- L1 visa. Need to have worked for them for at least a year, and there are other qualifications required depending on sub-type (SME or managing)
Manhattan rents have gone up over the years. Average monthly rent fir a 1 bed is now about $4800 a month.
Moving internationally is expensive.my move 10-ish years ago ran to about $70k, including all the bells and whistles and tax.
Apart from that, the biggest change will be salary package- benefits are very important here (mainly health insurance and pension provisions) Can be very difficult to do a "like for like" comparison.
The good stuff i take from your post is that you like exploring. The USA is fantastic for that. Nashville would be my choice from your locations listed.
M.
The big question- how do you intend to work legally?
Moving for a company you already work for is "easiest"- L1 visa. Need to have worked for them for at least a year, and there are other qualifications required depending on sub-type (SME or managing)
Manhattan rents have gone up over the years. Average monthly rent fir a 1 bed is now about $4800 a month.
Moving internationally is expensive.my move 10-ish years ago ran to about $70k, including all the bells and whistles and tax.
Apart from that, the biggest change will be salary package- benefits are very important here (mainly health insurance and pension provisions) Can be very difficult to do a "like for like" comparison.
The good stuff i take from your post is that you like exploring. The USA is fantastic for that. Nashville would be my choice from your locations listed.
M.
Edited by Mortarboard on Tuesday 26th August 15:35
Nashville is ace. I think unless you’re earning mega money you’ll always feel a bit poor in NYC. I lived and worked in Florida, which I loved, but I don’t think anyone chooses it unless they have to!
Friends of mine really rate Texas. Austin, for me, is a particular highlight as I’m more into the smaller towns and cities than the NYCs, LAs and San Frans.
It’s so easy to get around (at least by air) and there’s so much to explore in the US that I’d probably just take any opportunity that arose rather than being specific.
Friends of mine really rate Texas. Austin, for me, is a particular highlight as I’m more into the smaller towns and cities than the NYCs, LAs and San Frans.
It’s so easy to get around (at least by air) and there’s so much to explore in the US that I’d probably just take any opportunity that arose rather than being specific.
My choice for scenery and travel would be the west coast, but Nashville might be an interesting choice - Brits are definitely over-represented on the left coast and NY, you might have more novelty value in Nashville
If your company is US-based, it may have blanket L-visa approval, which makes the visa fairly straightforward and quick. You’ll need to have worked (or contracted) for them for one of the last three years. There are other visa options, but not many ans not as easy or quick, so an intra-company transfer is the easiest. The downside is that your visa will be tied to them and and if they let you go, you have a short time to leave the US
If you are serious about the move, come back here for lots more practical advice on negotiating your US package and on the relo
If your company is US-based, it may have blanket L-visa approval, which makes the visa fairly straightforward and quick. You’ll need to have worked (or contracted) for them for one of the last three years. There are other visa options, but not many ans not as easy or quick, so an intra-company transfer is the easiest. The downside is that your visa will be tied to them and and if they let you go, you have a short time to leave the US
If you are serious about the move, come back here for lots more practical advice on negotiating your US package and on the relo
Intra-company...
The moving cost is less if you don't have a full container of furniture plus vehicles to move. Relo costst includes replacing white goods and TVs with US voltage stuff, temporary accommodation and car hire until your own stuff arrives, as well as a tax equalisation advisory service in the move years (which should save you more in tax than the tax service costs)
At my company, if they asked you to relocate then the company picked up the moving costs, if you requested the move, it was down to you (except for the visa costs)
The moving cost is less if you don't have a full container of furniture plus vehicles to move. Relo costst includes replacing white goods and TVs with US voltage stuff, temporary accommodation and car hire until your own stuff arrives, as well as a tax equalisation advisory service in the move years (which should save you more in tax than the tax service costs)
At my company, if they asked you to relocate then the company picked up the moving costs, if you requested the move, it was down to you (except for the visa costs)
I think that most of the pertinent stuff has already been stated - though I would reiterate the importance of the "how" bit.
I suspect that your type of career position would be difficult for a US based corporation to justify the expense and effort to sponsor a foreign hire, compared to drawing from the indigenous talent pool.
An intra-company transfer may be a possibility (and after marriage to a USC is probably the most utilized by folks on here - me included) - but requires the jumping through of multiple hoops by the petitioning company that can be quite onerous.
It is probably less productive to worry about things like relocation costs, health insurance and retirement provision, until you've figured out a realistic pathway to legal employment.
I suspect that your type of career position would be difficult for a US based corporation to justify the expense and effort to sponsor a foreign hire, compared to drawing from the indigenous talent pool.
An intra-company transfer may be a possibility (and after marriage to a USC is probably the most utilized by folks on here - me included) - but requires the jumping through of multiple hoops by the petitioning company that can be quite onerous.
It is probably less productive to worry about things like relocation costs, health insurance and retirement provision, until you've figured out a realistic pathway to legal employment.
My nephew is currently working and living in Nashville previously he was in NYC for a couple of years
He's a civil engineer managing projects for an Irish owned co
The visa was a bit of an issue for him for a while, he got an initial one no problem but had some issues renewing it, but eventually sorted
He loves Nashville
When he was in NYC he lived initially in Manhattan then moved out to Brooklyn but found it wasn't saving him any money once commuting was taken into account so moved back into the city
As said above living in NYC is very expensive, I think his flat was around $4.5k pcm, and whilst moving further out saved him a bit, commuting was expensive
He's a civil engineer managing projects for an Irish owned co
The visa was a bit of an issue for him for a while, he got an initial one no problem but had some issues renewing it, but eventually sorted
He loves Nashville
When he was in NYC he lived initially in Manhattan then moved out to Brooklyn but found it wasn't saving him any money once commuting was taken into account so moved back into the city
As said above living in NYC is very expensive, I think his flat was around $4.5k pcm, and whilst moving further out saved him a bit, commuting was expensive
Not me, but friends. One thing is make sure your experience out there will be recognised by UK employers (assuming you ever want to come back).
Have a friend working in Chemical Engineering and his move back to Europe was very difficult as many employers weren't recognising the value of his international experience versus candidates who had UK experience
Have a friend working in Chemical Engineering and his move back to Europe was very difficult as many employers weren't recognising the value of his international experience versus candidates who had UK experience
I haven’t lived in NYC but have visited a lot, my sister has lived there of over thirty years and I have a few friends that live/lived there.
It’s easy to get on and off Manhattan to the other Boroughs with the subway or train but if you’re using the bridges the traffic can be woeful. Personally I think I’d want to live on Manhattan only.
Cars (given this is PH) - Not an easy place to own one…you either need to have a space in a parking garage (expensive) or if you can park on the street where you live cars need to be moved regularly as when they clean the street they will tow your car if it hasn’t been moved. I’ve hired a car there and driving is pretty manic
NYC is an amazing city especially whilst you are young or don’t have a family as you get older things get harder. It’s a very expensive place to bring up a family.
If I was looking at setting up life in America I would definitely look at other cities. Not been to Nashville but have been to quite a few states/cities in the South and really enjoy the lifestyle. Seattle is also a great city.
The other thing to consider is climate, it can get incredibly cold in a city like NYC…Nashville will be very different !
It’s easy to get on and off Manhattan to the other Boroughs with the subway or train but if you’re using the bridges the traffic can be woeful. Personally I think I’d want to live on Manhattan only.
Cars (given this is PH) - Not an easy place to own one…you either need to have a space in a parking garage (expensive) or if you can park on the street where you live cars need to be moved regularly as when they clean the street they will tow your car if it hasn’t been moved. I’ve hired a car there and driving is pretty manic
NYC is an amazing city especially whilst you are young or don’t have a family as you get older things get harder. It’s a very expensive place to bring up a family.
If I was looking at setting up life in America I would definitely look at other cities. Not been to Nashville but have been to quite a few states/cities in the South and really enjoy the lifestyle. Seattle is also a great city.
The other thing to consider is climate, it can get incredibly cold in a city like NYC…Nashville will be very different !
Thanks for the replies all certainly some things to note.
I think the sponsorship and visa process is the most important thing to look into currently, and if I couldn't do an intra-company move then I'm not sure I would bother at all. That said, they are posting occasionally on Linkdn about sponsoring expats to move over which is positive. I wouldn't really be looking to 'set up a life' over there, moreso just live and work for a couple of years is what I had in mind, if possible.
Earthdweller thats good to note, cheers.
Cheib - I did think about the driving situation as well, if I were in Manhattan I'd be half inclined to just not have a car, if it was feasable with the job. Riyadh is pretty bad for traffic mind. I would however be going from one extreme to the other in terms of climate!
certainly some things to note. I think the sponsorship and visa process is the most important thing to look into currently, and if I couldn't do an intra-company move then I'm not sure I would bother at all. That said, they are posting occasionally on Linkdn about sponsoring expats to move over which is positive. I wouldn't really be looking to 'set up a life' over there, moreso just live and work for a couple of years is what I had in mind, if possible.
Earthdweller thats good to note, cheers.
Cheib - I did think about the driving situation as well, if I were in Manhattan I'd be half inclined to just not have a car, if it was feasable with the job. Riyadh is pretty bad for traffic mind. I would however be going from one extreme to the other in terms of climate!
vaud said:
Mortarboard said:
Oh, and to add to the above, a H1B is very much under attack by the current administration.
M.
You want an L1A.M.
The disadvantage of both L1 visas is that they aren't transferable to another employer and if for any reason you part company with your employer, you are technically supposed to leave the country within 14 days, regardless of any housing or car leases you may have taken out. This happened to many during the dot-com crash in the early 2000's although some managed to get a holiday visa that gave them a bit longer to sort out their affairs before having to depart.
At least H1-B visas are in theory transferable, although there are other issues like strict annual limits on new visa numbers, which are subject to political interference
mikef said:
L1A is for management, with a knowledge of the company's operations that couldn't be found in the US market. L1B is for do-er's with a specialised experience of their activities that, again, couldn't be found in the US employment market. The L1A can be renewed for a couple of years longer than L1B, although it sounds as though that isn't an issue if the OP only wants to stay for a couple of years - although I suspect few companies would go to the expense and trouble of a work visa for a short period, and Americans genuinely don't understand why anyone wouldn't want to move there permanently
The disadvantage of both L1 visas is that they aren't transferable to another employer and if for any reason you part company with your employer, you are technically supposed to leave the country within 14 days, regardless of any housing or car leases you may have taken out. This happened to many during the dot-com crash in the early 2000's although some managed to get a holiday visa that gave them a bit longer to sort out their affairs before having to depart.
At least H1-B visas are in theory transferable, although there are other issues like strict annual limits on new visa numbers, which are subject to political interference
True and good points. The disadvantage of both L1 visas is that they aren't transferable to another employer and if for any reason you part company with your employer, you are technically supposed to leave the country within 14 days, regardless of any housing or car leases you may have taken out. This happened to many during the dot-com crash in the early 2000's although some managed to get a holiday visa that gave them a bit longer to sort out their affairs before having to depart.
At least H1-B visas are in theory transferable, although there are other issues like strict annual limits on new visa numbers, which are subject to political interference
Definitely stay in town if possible, especially if you are young and single . I negotiated for my firm to pay my apartment cost (10 mins walk to work and great nearby amenities/shops) base at 59th off 3rd (Upper East Side) which would have been rather lumpy! Don't bother with buying / owning a car as you will pay a fortune for underground parking, and you realise you hardly drive it anyway. Everyone I knew just hired a car if they were going out of town. Had a stream of friends from the UK dropping in to visit me (more to visit Manhattan!). Working in Manhattan (as a single male) was probably one of the favourites period from my career!
. I negotiated for my firm to pay my apartment cost (10 mins walk to work and great nearby amenities/shops) base at 59th off 3rd (Upper East Side) which would have been rather lumpy! Don't bother with buying / owning a car as you will pay a fortune for underground parking, and you realise you hardly drive it anyway. Everyone I knew just hired a car if they were going out of town. Had a stream of friends from the UK dropping in to visit me (more to visit Manhattan!). Working in Manhattan (as a single male) was probably one of the favourites period from my career!Edited by chip* on Sunday 7th September 19:38
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