How hard is it to move to the US?

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 10:14 am

Hiya guys,

my girlfriend and I both work in the IT industry, we're both fed up with our jobs and with living in London in general.
(when you're tired of london your tired of life? yeah, right :roll: )
I'm interested to know how difficult it would be to find work
in either the US or Canada, and how difficult it would be to
get a work permit. We're extremely flexable on where we
live, and even what sector we work in, we're both looking
for a change.
I hold an Irish passport, she's Malaysian, which
may cause a problem as its a muslim country.
Anyhow, we're still looking at the options, just
though it would be good to get your opinions at this early stage.

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 10:52 am

Marko,

I'm hardly an expert (my last experience with INS was more than 15 years ago, when my wife got her US citizenship). But a few observations:

There's a difference between temporary work-related visas for high-skill workers (H1B) and permanent resident visas (the so-called "green card").

Last time I looked, permanent resident visas were based, in part, on country of origin - good for you (Irish get a double quota, thanks to Ted Kennedy), bad for your girlfriend (poor/populous countries like Malasia are generally a long wait). The base assumption is a green card is a stepping stone to getting US citizenship (not always true, but the base assumption) and carries the automatic right to work.

I'm not up on the details (my company hires H1B holders, but I'm an engineer, not an immigration lawyer), but H1B visas are based on needed skills, not origin. However, they need to be arranged by the employer/agency, and if you lose your job (or want to change it) you have to go through the paperwork again. If you're between jobs, you have a limited time (30 days?) to find a new employer and start the process over again.

Since you're both high-skill workers, you have a better chance at getting a H1B than most (though as Redwolf can testify, IT jobs, even in Silicon Valley, are harder to find than they were during the boom years). But if you're planning a short "working holiday" kind of visit, for a few years at most, it may be the easier route.

If you are thinking of moving permanently (BTW - even if you get US citizenship you are no longer forced to give up your "other" citizenship) you might be better off going the green card route - you can try to switch from H1B to permanent once you're here, but it may be easier to do this from the start outside the US. (This is where an immigration lawyer would really help).

A note - if you are really a couple, and plan to stay together, you'd probably be better off if you marry, because the US immigration department gives no special consideration to non-married couples. There ARE "fiance' visas" for fiance's of US citizens & permanent residents, but they are reputedly hard to get. Again, see your immigration lawyer.

Don't know what the situation is in Canada, though I've heard that it's easier to get "Landed Immigrant" (I believe that's the equivalent of the US "permanent resident") status than in the US if you've a good education, money in the bank, etc.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:04 am

It's harder now than it used to be during the "Internet bubble" of the Clinton years. I think the way to go for someone like you would be to contact companies here and try to get hired. You should also contact your local US consulate or find it on the Web, and start reading about getting an immigrant visa (as opposed to an H1).

I came with a student visa, got hired, switched to an H1 and requested a green card (the green card took 6 years to get). This used to be very doable in the technology sector, but not anymore.

g

Jeferson · Post by **Jeferson** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:04 am

Marko, you may find this site helpful, as it's the Canadian government's site in London. They can best explain the hoops you face, as well as an estimate on your likelihood of successfully being accepted and the timeframe involved.

http://www.canada.org.uk/

Having said that, once you arrive in Canada, you'd find a thriving economy, particularly in Alberta, BC, and Ontario.

Jef

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:05 am

Marko,
I'm not sure I can help much but when has that stopped anyone on this board from flappin their gums.

Most of my experience with immigration to the US was during a simpler, more innocent time when all we had to fear was total annihlation by an exchange of nukes accross the arctic ocean (the 1970s). Things have tightened up considerably since then. Yearly quotas for immigration from each nation are set by the immigration services (I don't know their present name). I haven't seen the quotas list in a while but I'm going to guess that Malasia has a lower quota than Ireland. Things that make immigration easier are: relatives living in the US, the closer the better; an offer of employment from an American company. It's not impossible but it is a lot more difficult than before 9/11. Someone else on the board may have more recent experience. And I know nothing about Canadian immigration laws except for an impression that it is a bit easier, especially for people from Commonwealth countries. Good luck!
Mike

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:08 am

burnsbyrne wrote:Things have tightened up considerably since then. Yearly quotas for immigration from each nation are set by the immigration services (I don't know their present name).

The Department of Homeland Security. Brrr!

I think the slow economy is more of a problem than the politics, really. But this doesn't help.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:14 am

We don't got no stinking jobs!

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:34 am

It's getting so bad, that movie actors with bad accents are having to work in state government!

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:44 am

Here's the address for Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If you play music think about moving to semi-beautiful London, Ontario. We could use you. Sorry, but I don't know anything about how difficult it is to move to Canada.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/

Steve

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:58 am

It would be almost impossible for someone from England to get an H1B these days, I would think, unless your skills are such that a particular company desperately needs you, and you especially. Most H1Bs these days go to "trainee" employees from countries such as India and Singapore (and, not coincidentally, to people who are willing to work for next to nothing), with the goal of eventually outsourcing the work. And, frankly, there are enough highly qualified American IT employees out of work right now because of that very practice, IT jobs are few and hard to come by. Even relocating WITHIN the U.S. can be hard these days for an IT professional...a great many companies that are still hiring specify "local applicants only." They have such a huge pool to choose from, they don't have to mess with expensive issues such as relocating an employee (or paying for a green card).

I live in an area that is a bedroom community for the Silicon Valley, and I know people who have been out of work and unable to relo for three years now. Not to put a damper on your enthusiasm, but the last thing the American IT industry needs right now is more people...it isn't employing the people it has!

Redwolf

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 12:14 pm

SteveK wrote:....think about moving to semi-beautiful London, ....
Steve

He said he was fed up with LONDON!!!!

Kuranes · Post by **Kuranes** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 12:54 pm

SteveK wrote:Here's the address for Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If you play music think about moving to semi-beautiful London, Ontario. We could use you. Sorry, but I don't know anything about how difficult it is to move to Canada.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/

Steve

I second that. We even have a smelly Thames here, too.

Anyway, my wife's parents just moved here from Russia, but they were sponsored by her, which is a whole other ball of wax. I don't really know anything about the paperowork for applying from the outside.

I imagine you have a Canadian embassy or something in London, so that would probably be the best place to start.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 12:55 pm

Don't worry about moving to the US. Move to Mexico, and then just walk to the US. No Problemo.
Bush's rating's have gotten so low, he's importing voters from there. Just jump in with the crowd.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 1:18 pm

vomitbunny wrote:Don't worry about moving to the US. Move to Mexico, and then just walk to the US. No Problemo.
Bush's rating's have gotten so low, he's importing voters from there. Just jump in with the crowd.

You got it backwards, man. It is the DEMOS that are doing that!

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 1:35 pm

Commonwealth countries don't have embassies in Britain, they are called High Commissions. How about Windsor, not named after the Royal family but where they live.

MarkB