Floridablues

15 years ago there seemed to be quite a few Brits purchasing vacation home property management franchieses and moving here. Doesn't appear to be many nowadays though!

Nutmegger

They could have moved here on the "fiance visa" to get married. Even being eligible to work doesn't mean that it is easy to find a job. Also, note that you and your girlfriend will have to be married for her to accompany you, if -- big if -- you find a visa that you qualify for. Grand Rapids is a bit of an unusual choice -- have you ever been there, or anywhere else in the US?

robtuck

Depending on finance - you could go down the degree route and get acceptance or a transfer to a USA College on an F1 Visa - there are some that are very keen to increase their International student numbers - BUT....it will cost you. You will need to fund your tuition (likely at Out of State levels), accommodation and food, not sure how the family gets incorporated into that Visa though.

Longer term UK approach - extend your education to degree level - maybe Open Uni, or do something like a HNC/D if they still do those. Get into a company with a big USA presence, work your way up the ladder (be prepared to do what it takes) and get an intra company transfer. Given the broad nature of your experience today, probably best to target L1A, but if you have the will to get a more specific education, then L1B is also possible, which is specialist skills based. L1A is Exec Manager.

I managed the L1A route. It was not always intentional but since about 2009 was in the back of my mind. At this point I was Lower Management. I then worked my way up, took an opportunity in 2012 to move to a USA owned company, and in 2015 had reached a point where I was deemed sufficiently valuable to offer the opportunity to move when I suggested looking for alternative employment! That is clearly a risk!! It worked, and in 2016 they funded the L1A Visa and are now funding a Green Card application.

Certainly not a quick one though.

rpjs

Have you visited the US much? Which parts and for how long? On balance I do like living here but in some ways the culture shock is masked by the superficial similarities such as the language and can creep up on you when you least expect it.

The weather in the US is not usually “dreadful” but it’s often hostile in a way British weather isn’t. In Grand Rapids you’ll be sure to have long, hard winters the like of which the UK just never sees these days. Here in NYC the spring and autumn are usually glorious but the winters are harsh and the summers can be brutal.

Malta has nice weather and whilst English isn’t the first language I understand everybody speaks it and it’s the de facto language of business.

Nutmegger

Yes, it's usually a really beautiful two weeks!

excpomea

Everyone has a has a right to be offended.
No need to take it personaly.

tom169

Good luck. USA is a great place to live.

sherbert

Although let's face it, it's not really that great for a 22 year old with two young kids and no college degree...or old people...or sick people...or ....

Twinkle0927

But the weather! It's miserable in England! With good weather everything is possible!

tom169

People make it work every single day.

Weather does suck in the UK. He is right about that.

Twinkle0927

That's subjective... I don't think many people in the U.K. are quite prepared for the extremes of weather that we have here. True there are no hot summers in the U.K. but I prefer a milder climate anyway. Not everyone is a sun-worshipper. And many parts of the country are not too dissimilar from the U.K. in terms of weather. The PNW is one example (and one if the reasons I like living here and not the South, for example). But of course for most Brits USA = Orlando.

civilservant

I couldn't agree with that more down here in GA.

Monday was 80, yesterday was 51, today will be back up to 75!

tom169

Up and down like a yo-yo here in NC, but still prefer our seasons to Yorkshire's.

NYer

Well, I'm old (63) and have one particular illness that requires treatment and I'm doing ok. There is a safety net here by the way, although it seems to be ignored by people who should know better.

I do find weather in the US to be extremely...dramatic. We just did a road trip from Alabama to NYC (where we live) and were pursued by tornadoes the entire way. Oh, but the beauty of the mountains and the farms we passed! Almost made up for those threatening wind funnels. Weather here is much more crazy than the UK.

mikelincs

HE would have to marry her though if he did want her to go to the US with him, and, hopefully, the kids are all his, otherwise another layer of problems to surmount.