Living in California...

rossk26 said:
That seems too easy, surely the company has to be turning over X amount of profit for 5 years running?
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No, but it needs to be providing gainful employment for a certain number of American citizens. You can and will be asked to leave if it goes bust before you've gained residency.

Its a real shame but unless you either marry an American or work for a firm that wants you to move over there (Or you've got hundreds of thousands of pounds to spend on an investment visa) it's almost impossible to move to the USA. This is quite a contrast to Canada or Australia, both of whom will allow you in on a skills visa without a job if you have skills they require.

If you are desperate to move to the USA why not consider Canada - if you lived somewhere like Toronto or Vancouver you could pop into the USA whenever you wanted as it is quite literally just down the road. Far easier to get there, too, if you have the qualifications and experience they want.
 
My friend did uni course there for a few years, was very expensive and a lot of work getting the visas.

From my understanding you need a very bloody good reason to get a visa for living in America. Work, education and the likes just wanting to "live there" wont be quite so easy!
 
My mate moved to San Diego on a working visa about 3 years ago. He did a PHD in microbiology so might be more saught after over there working for pharmaceutical companies though.

My wifes aunty (fake non related aunty) also moved over there years ago and bought a Denny's franchise which covered the investment side. They still struggled to get a green card though for many years even though they have millions and their 2 children were born over there.
 
1. Sign up on numerous dating sites
2. Find a horrible fat merican desperate enough to take you
3. Fly to merica and marry the fat and desperate person
4. Live the merican dream
 
Thanks man, not considered Canada. I genuinely didn't know it was that much of an arse ache getting in to the US! Wow. Really surprising. Might see which firms have amazing jobs/ will sponsor me.
 
randomshenans said:
Thanks man, not considered Canada. I genuinely didn't know it was that much of an arse ache getting in to the US! Wow. Really surprising. Might see which firms have amazing jobs/ will sponsor me.
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Unless you really are totally hot property, likely none of them will. You live thousands of miles away and the US isn't short of awesome clever people. They'd need a really, really good reason to hire you from over here and then sort all the visa paperwork out rather than just picking another candidate. There is one chap on here, DP I think it is, who did manage this and tells everyone else they can do it too like it's the easiest thing ever, but I'm convinced he's just the most modest person ever who doesn't realise quite what a unique proposition he was to his employer :p

If you already worked for a firm with offices or presence in the USA and you were very good at what you did and a need appeared to have somebody do that over there, that would be somewhat different.

If you want to just go over somewhere and then get a job, Canada is really worth a look. It's just as nice as the USA.
 
Yeah its tough (you won't have as readily available champagne either!)

I believe Canada might be tightening things up aswell.
 
randomshenans said:
Thanks man, not considered Canada. I genuinely didn't know it was that much of an arse ache getting in to the US! Wow. Really surprising. Might see which firms have amazing jobs/ will sponsor me.
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Is your family Irish? if so that will help with a 3 work permit. I suggest you go there on a fact finding trip.
 
If you do not have a degree even with company sponsorship getting in is very hard.

Income tax is 50% ish, I was offered a job in CA paying six figures but due to cost of living etc etc and my wife not legally being allowed to work i would have needed much more to maintain quality of life/disposable income etc.
 
I don't think you necessarily have to be really clever or have a very unique skillset. I used to work for a company that branched out to the US and was eventually taken over by a US company. I know of 5-6 "lower/middle managers" who have moved out there.

None necessarily exceptionally talented, they had just worked for the company for ages!

Edit:Not helpful for the OP :p
 
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NerveAgent said:
I don't think you necessarily have to be really clever or have a very unique skillset. I used to work for a company that branched out to the US and was eventually taken over by a US company. I know of 5-6 "lower/middle managers" who have moved out there.

None necessarily exceptionally talented, they had just worked for the company for ages!
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Thats the other route, the other bit relates to finding a job with a firm out there not already working for one. Already working for a company who operates in the US is probably the easiest way to get there I'd imagine.
 
Get a job with an American company and see if you can get relocated. I was asked to consider moving to Houston, but it's not on my radar at the moment.
 
[TW]Fox;25758293 said:
There is one chap on here, DP I think it is, who did manage this and tells everyone else they can do it too like it's the easiest thing ever, but I'm convinced he's just the most modest person ever who doesn't realise quite what a unique proposition he was to his employer :p
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He forgets the small detail that he has a PHD and by definition he is an expert in his field so arguing that there is no other americans who can do his job is much easier, or at least there won't be many candidates avaliable. He is also married/marrying an American too.

I know 2 other people who's living in the States from the UK. One works for a pharmachutical company, the other has a PHD in economics, applied on the off chance and now works in Chicago, University of Illinois doing research (and another PHD).

So basically what everyone else has said, you need to have a company who sponsor you or do a job no other American can do.

In short, marry a yank (but you are already married).
Get a job for a company with an American office. (you are self employed).
Get specialised in something...PHD? :p
Invest a lot of money into the country.
 
raaware California is expensive.henans said:
Anyone done it? I've visited, but never more than a holiday. Anyone lived there? Things to know?
Considerations and all that over and above:
-Visas
-Healthcare (same as here in Switzerland)

Shoot. I'm considering where to drag the family next.... or Singapore, maybe.
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Lived there for a year. Best year if my life, an amazing place. Just make sure you end up at nor cal.

Just be aware California is expensive.
 
deuse said:
Is your family Irish? if so that will help with a 3 work permit. I suggest you go there on a fact finding trip.
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how does being irish help, I live in NI, and once i finish school and uni i always wanted to move to america, but of recent i have heard Canada is just as nice and i believe they are dying for people to work in mining as they have natural resources but not the work force
 
Raymond Lin said:
He forgets the small detail that he has a PHD and by definition he is an expert in his field so arguing that there is no other americans who can do his job is much easier, or at least there won't be many candidates avaliable. He is also married/marrying an American too.

I know 2 other people who's living in the States from the UK. One works for a pharmachutical company, the other has a PHD in economics, applied on the off chance and now works in Chicago, University of Illinois doing research (and another PHD).

So basically what everyone else has said, you need to have a company who sponsor you or do a job no other American can do.

In short, marry a yank (but you are already married).
Get a job for a company with an American office. (you are self employed).
Get specialised in something...PHD? :p
Invest a lot of money into the country.
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It is a complete myth that the the employer has to prove no american can do the job.

The only requirement is that the job is advertised and accessible for Americans. They don't have to interview Americans or favor Americans or do anything special. An ad placed online is sufficient to meet requirements for accessibility for Americans.

And when it comes to being specialised and skilled, a standard bachelor's degree is sufficient or 5 years experience.
That's right, you don't even need a degree. Anyone with a BSc/Ba in anything from CS, math, finance, management, engineering, geology, biology etc is sufficient. You just need to work at a level above cleaner or burger flipper

And no, I married a German
 
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