Which jobs provide an easier route to the U.S.?
Jan 15th 2018, 6:15 am
#16
Powder Maggot
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Nuevo Mexico
Posts: 4,452
Re: Which jobs provide an easier route to the U.S.?
OP should heed the advice above concerning reasons for selecting a career.
Nonetheless, there are options. I studied in the UK, but with one year on an exchange course in the USA. I then returned to the US to get a graduate degree, fully funded by the US. After that, I wormed my way through an academic H-1B to a non-academic job, then slowly built up my skills in order to switch fields. I could have got a green card through work, but it ended up being through marriage.
I’m leaving out the details because there are important differences between now and then, although the basics can still be similar. In my case, from the start of UK degree (at which point I had zero intention of moving to the US for good), it was a 13 year plan to where I could have had a green card through work. About 4 of those years were spent meandering and spinning wheels in order to maintain status in the US, because there are points at which you can easily lose your place on the visa bus.
Some additional words of caution: Immigration rules can change drastically over a few years, nothing is certain. Job markets also change. Although there is a constant push to get people through STEM degrees, it does not mean that there are great job prospects in the US at the end. The system seems to me to be more clogged today than when I went through it. And it may be unclogged in another five years, or it may be worse.
Nonetheless, there are options. I studied in the UK, but with one year on an exchange course in the USA. I then returned to the US to get a graduate degree, fully funded by the US. After that, I wormed my way through an academic H-1B to a non-academic job, then slowly built up my skills in order to switch fields. I could have got a green card through work, but it ended up being through marriage.
I’m leaving out the details because there are important differences between now and then, although the basics can still be similar. In my case, from the start of UK degree (at which point I had zero intention of moving to the US for good), it was a 13 year plan to where I could have had a green card through work. About 4 of those years were spent meandering and spinning wheels in order to maintain status in the US, because there are points at which you can easily lose your place on the visa bus.
Some additional words of caution: Immigration rules can change drastically over a few years, nothing is certain. Job markets also change. Although there is a constant push to get people through STEM degrees, it does not mean that there are great job prospects in the US at the end. The system seems to me to be more clogged today than when I went through it. And it may be unclogged in another five years, or it may be worse.
Jan 16th 2018, 1:55 am
#17
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 417
Re: Which jobs provide an easier route to the U.S.?
OP should heed the advice above concerning reasons for selecting a career.
Nonetheless, there are options. I studied in the UK, but with one year on an exchange course in the USA. I then returned to the US to get a graduate degree, fully funded by the US. After that, I wormed my way through an academic H-1B to a non-academic job, then slowly built up my skills in order to switch fields. I could have got a green card through work, but it ended up being through marriage.
I’m leaving out the details because there are important differences between now and then, although the basics can still be similar. In my case, from the start of UK degree (at which point I had zero intention of moving to the US for good), it was a 13 year plan to where I could have had a green card through work. About 4 of those years were spent meandering and spinning wheels in order to maintain status in the US, because there are points at which you can easily lose your place on the visa bus.
Some additional words of caution: Immigration rules can change drastically over a few years, nothing is certain. Job markets also change. Although there is a constant push to get people through STEM degrees, it does not mean that there are great job prospects in the US at the end. The system seems to me to be more clogged today than when I went through it. And it may be unclogged in another five years, or it may be worse.
Nonetheless, there are options. I studied in the UK, but with one year on an exchange course in the USA. I then returned to the US to get a graduate degree, fully funded by the US. After that, I wormed my way through an academic H-1B to a non-academic job, then slowly built up my skills in order to switch fields. I could have got a green card through work, but it ended up being through marriage.
I’m leaving out the details because there are important differences between now and then, although the basics can still be similar. In my case, from the start of UK degree (at which point I had zero intention of moving to the US for good), it was a 13 year plan to where I could have had a green card through work. About 4 of those years were spent meandering and spinning wheels in order to maintain status in the US, because there are points at which you can easily lose your place on the visa bus.
Some additional words of caution: Immigration rules can change drastically over a few years, nothing is certain. Job markets also change. Although there is a constant push to get people through STEM degrees, it does not mean that there are great job prospects in the US at the end. The system seems to me to be more clogged today than when I went through it. And it may be unclogged in another five years, or it may be worse.
Graduate school is a good option if you want to live in the USA. But please choose an area in which you are interested.
Also, if your dream is to do medicine then just reapply in the UK. In the USA medical school is a post-graduate degree and it is common to be forced to wait several years before being admitted to medical school in the USA. There is just too much demand to become a doctor. The average age to START medical school is 24. Warren Buffet said if you want to become rich then become a doctor. He was right.
Jan 17th 2018, 8:57 pm
#18
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Which jobs provide an easier route to the U.S.?
If you really want to do this the answer is a STEM field because they get the OPT extension if you come in as an F-1 student.
Otherwise it's a bit of an academic discussion because employment-based immigration into the US is very tricky whatever your job is.
And why do you want to move to the US anyway?
Otherwise it's a bit of an academic discussion because employment-based immigration into the US is very tricky whatever your job is.
And why do you want to move to the US anyway?
