How did you end up moving to the US?
Discussion
off_again said:
Sponsorship - yeah, thats a good question. I have no idea where to start so I cant offer that. But I am aware there are places you can go to that can assist. I know of a few people who came here under sponsorship. But you are dependent on that company, and they have to pay you accordingly - legally, they cant pay you more than a suitable candidate locally, so it usually means they pay you slightly less. And with the clamp down on the H-1B visa process recently (its widely true that several large international companies have been bringing in thousands of people, especially Indians, for cheap and well educated labor) and most of those programs have been reduced.
You've actually got this wrapped around the axle a bit. I'm not an employment visa lawyer, but I have been a beneficiary of L-1A, H-1B, E-1 and B-1 and a sponsor of L-1B and H-1B visas. In the case of H-1B, the sponsor is at liberty to pay above prevailing rate, what they are not permitted to do is pay less. Part of the labor certification process is that the sponsor must demonstrate that the position will pay at the rate determined by the DoL for that job description. In my case (for my H-1B petition), it actually secured me a $10k pay rise.
Blanket H-1B petitions, primarily exploited (and often abused) by Indian IT consultancies/outsourcing companies are far less numerous since the last administration's clamp-down - meaning that the annual H-1B 'lottery' is now less onerous for qualifying candidates. However the general consensus is that this is likely to revert.
Matt Harper said:
You've actually got this wrapped around the axle a bit. I'm not an employment visa lawyer, but I have been a beneficiary of L-1A, H-1B, E-1 and B-1 and a sponsor of L-1B and H-1B visas.
In the case of H-1B, the sponsor is at liberty to pay above prevailing rate, what they are not permitted to do is pay less. Part of the labor certification process is that the sponsor must demonstrate that the position will pay at the rate determined by the DoL for that job description. In my case (for my H-1B petition), it actually secured me a $10k pay rise.
Blanket H-1B petitions, primarily exploited (and often abused) by Indian IT consultancies/outsourcing companies are far less numerous since the last administration's clamp-down - meaning that the annual H-1B 'lottery' is now less onerous for qualifying candidates. However the general consensus is that this is likely to revert.
Trumps argument was;In the case of H-1B, the sponsor is at liberty to pay above prevailing rate, what they are not permitted to do is pay less. Part of the labor certification process is that the sponsor must demonstrate that the position will pay at the rate determined by the DoL for that job description. In my case (for my H-1B petition), it actually secured me a $10k pay rise.
Blanket H-1B petitions, primarily exploited (and often abused) by Indian IT consultancies/outsourcing companies are far less numerous since the last administration's clamp-down - meaning that the annual H-1B 'lottery' is now less onerous for qualifying candidates. However the general consensus is that this is likely to revert.
If you are a computer programmer you can program in your home country and send the code via the internet.
There is no need to move to the US, bringing your family with you to do your job.
NMNeil said:
Trumps argument was;
If you are a computer programmer you can program in your home country and send the code via the internet.
There is no need to move to the US, bringing your family with you to do your job.
I think Trump's rationale was valid in the case of those very prolific blanket sponsors (Tata being the most flagrant). I don't think he was very smart in the way he politicized it - or that he effectively nixed the visa for a lot of very worthwhile and valuable candidates, but I suspect that this administration will relax the H-1B restrictions, moving forward.If you are a computer programmer you can program in your home country and send the code via the internet.
There is no need to move to the US, bringing your family with you to do your job.
Haven’t looked in here for a while! I started work for a US startup after a random phone call one day in the UK. 15 months later the company was bought by a large US software company. 3 months later an opportunity came up for a role in the Bay Area and I jumped at it, always wanted to live in CA. It was basically doing the same thing as I was in the UK. Flew out on a Wednesday, started the new role on Thursday! I came out on an L1-B visa which meant I could only work for that company. Stressful couple of years going through a couple of layoff scenarios as we would have 3 weeks to return to the UK. Company sponsored my Green Card and we applied for citizenship August 1st 2020 and were naturalised a couple of weeks ago. Just the passport to get now and we’ll be sorted. Only the wife and I to worry about, so it’s all been relatively straight forward.
CA is very expensive. We rented for a couple of years until we got a Green card then bought a place in the South Bay Area 5 years ago. Property value has gone up 40% in that time.
With regards credit, yeah, that’s tough. Amex transferred my UK card to a US card which gave me a good card limit, but I had to go the secured card route too, with a $200 down payment. Quickly built up credit and now at 860+
Missing family is a big issue made worse buy the last year or so of not travelling and it’s always an 11 hour flight. Not sure where we’ll end up in 10 years when I retire, but can’t afford to live here, that’s for sure. However, being 40 minutes from the beautiful CA coastline, a few hours from Lake Tahoe/Yosemite and the outdoor lifestyle can’t be beat.
CA is very expensive. We rented for a couple of years until we got a Green card then bought a place in the South Bay Area 5 years ago. Property value has gone up 40% in that time.
With regards credit, yeah, that’s tough. Amex transferred my UK card to a US card which gave me a good card limit, but I had to go the secured card route too, with a $200 down payment. Quickly built up credit and now at 860+
Missing family is a big issue made worse buy the last year or so of not travelling and it’s always an 11 hour flight. Not sure where we’ll end up in 10 years when I retire, but can’t afford to live here, that’s for sure. However, being 40 minutes from the beautiful CA coastline, a few hours from Lake Tahoe/Yosemite and the outdoor lifestyle can’t be beat.
off_again said:
Bit of a late response from me too!
On a green card now, but the minimum period has passed, so can go for citizenship, which I think we will all do. No rush (and its $750 per person!), but would bring a level of predictability to things. And being able to vote would be nice!!! But not concerned about having to do tax returns for life - I dont see myself living a tax-free location any time soon, so chances are I will be tax neutral at worst.
They are putting the price up to $1170 sometime very soon, so worth applying sooner rather than later if you are considering it.On a green card now, but the minimum period has passed, so can go for citizenship, which I think we will all do. No rush (and its $750 per person!), but would bring a level of predictability to things. And being able to vote would be nice!!! But not concerned about having to do tax returns for life - I dont see myself living a tax-free location any time soon, so chances are I will be tax neutral at worst.
Like a few others, I don't know why I didn't see this thread before!
I was working for a US credit card firm in Europe in 2003, but when I transferred from troubleshooting the Paris operation back to Nottingham there wasn't really a role for me. At almost the same time, an American friend passed on a headhunter to me who was looking for a credit card guy who could bring the same skillset to a Californian mortgage company. I passed the interview, got an H1-B visa, and moved to Huntington Beach CA.
Two of my British university friends had already moved to the USA, and I was a "groomsman" at one of their weddings in 2004. The American bride's cousin was a bridesmaid, and she was (and is!) very nice. We're now married and living in Pasadena CA (via quite a few other places including Delaware, London and Amsterdam).
I was working for a US credit card firm in Europe in 2003, but when I transferred from troubleshooting the Paris operation back to Nottingham there wasn't really a role for me. At almost the same time, an American friend passed on a headhunter to me who was looking for a credit card guy who could bring the same skillset to a Californian mortgage company. I passed the interview, got an H1-B visa, and moved to Huntington Beach CA.
Two of my British university friends had already moved to the USA, and I was a "groomsman" at one of their weddings in 2004. The American bride's cousin was a bridesmaid, and she was (and is!) very nice. We're now married and living in Pasadena CA (via quite a few other places including Delaware, London and Amsterdam).
LarryUSA said:
Haven’t looked in here for a while! I started work for a US startup after a random phone call one day in the UK. 15 months later the company was bought by a large US software company.
That sounds similar to my own story, including not checking here often. I joined a tech startup in the UK out of university, as the first employee. A couple of the directors quit leaving me and one director, I bought in and we made a good go of it. Good enough that around eight years later we were acquired by a well-known US firm with offices everywhere. I ran one of the Chinese offices briefly, and then a Spanish division for a while and met my future husband, who is in the American military. A board opportunity came up that required moving to the US and they took care of everything. Here we are now settled in Long Island with two kids and enjoying life in the US. Most of the time. It's still nice to get back to the UK and see a different type of crazy.I moved to the USA in Nov 2013. I lived in Oxfordshire before and was earning ok late 30s early 40s income in sterling. Never felt as if I would be able to have a nice home or do well in the UK with the insane cost of living in south east England and as I worked for an American company I pushed hard for a move saying anything less would have me looking at options.
I moved to WI Milwaukee county and on an L1B then latterly and L1A. My employer then said they wouldn’t pay for a green card. I was mighty upset at that although it simply meant my proposal to my American girlfriend got moved up! I got my GC in fall 18 and swiftly left my employer in Jan 19. I now have an daughter a smart but modest home and my earnings are 3 times what they were before I left the UK. I feel profoundly grateful for what America has given me and am very much looking forward to being a citizen one day
I moved to WI Milwaukee county and on an L1B then latterly and L1A. My employer then said they wouldn’t pay for a green card. I was mighty upset at that although it simply meant my proposal to my American girlfriend got moved up! I got my GC in fall 18 and swiftly left my employer in Jan 19. I now have an daughter a smart but modest home and my earnings are 3 times what they were before I left the UK. I feel profoundly grateful for what America has given me and am very much looking forward to being a citizen one day
NNH said:
Like a few others, I don't know why I didn't see this thread before!
I was working for a US credit card firm in Europe in 2003, but when I transferred from troubleshooting the Paris operation back to Nottingham there wasn't really a role for me. At almost the same time, an American friend passed on a headhunter to me who was looking for a credit card guy who could bring the same skillset to a Californian mortgage company. I passed the interview, got an H1-B visa, and moved to Huntington Beach CA.
Two of my British university friends had already moved to the USA, and I was a "groomsman" at one of their weddings in 2004. The American bride's cousin was a bridesmaid, and she was (and is!) very nice. We're now married and living in Pasadena CA (via quite a few other places including Delaware, London and Amsterdam).
Updated: I became a US citizen last month! It was a very Californian ceremony. Around 100 people showed up in the morning, and we lined up to fill in some final paperwork. Each time 15 or so people were done with that, we stood (socially distanced) by a fountain and repeated the oath. Then we got some new papers that can be converted into a passport. It took just over 2 months from filling in the citizenship papers to actually becoming a citizen, which was by far my fastest experience with USCIS.I was working for a US credit card firm in Europe in 2003, but when I transferred from troubleshooting the Paris operation back to Nottingham there wasn't really a role for me. At almost the same time, an American friend passed on a headhunter to me who was looking for a credit card guy who could bring the same skillset to a Californian mortgage company. I passed the interview, got an H1-B visa, and moved to Huntington Beach CA.
Two of my British university friends had already moved to the USA, and I was a "groomsman" at one of their weddings in 2004. The American bride's cousin was a bridesmaid, and she was (and is!) very nice. We're now married and living in Pasadena CA (via quite a few other places including Delaware, London and Amsterdam).
My current company opened a consultancy business and I applied for a Role in California. One school age child came with us one older child (22) stayed at home worked the 2 year contract then returned had the chance to stay longer but family matters brought me home. Had a call today asking if I was up for a return, I so wish I could ......
Worked for a Swiss company in London in finance, then we had the 2008 crash and we outsourced to Slovakia, i went to Slovakia for a year to train the locals, after a crazy year in Bratislava i moved too head quarters in Switzerland for 3 long, boring years, made a noise about not being happy and they switched me out to NYC office on a L1
Loved it form the get go and still do, now with greencard living in NY state
Also to note, im not an important person in finance, i have zero qualifications (2 GCSE above C) i think i just got lucky and fooled them into thinking i was good at my job
Loved it form the get go and still do, now with greencard living in NY state
Also to note, im not an important person in finance, i have zero qualifications (2 GCSE above C) i think i just got lucky and fooled them into thinking i was good at my job
Gassing Station | USA & Canada | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff