BritishGuy36

The company thing will take years, if it even works.

If you are seious about the USA and this girl, well - you've already been told the only realistic answer.

christmasoompa

No necessarily, if he gets a job in a multinational company next week then he could be there in 14 months so not that long at all!

Although the OP should remember that he wouldn't get transferred as a tea boy (I know you were joking about that but do remember they would need a valid reason for transferring you instead of hiring a US citizen i.e. specialist skills or knowledge).

Best of luck.

BritishGuy36

And the chances of that happening are.....?

Yeah thought so!

christmasoompa

I would have said he's got a reasonable chance actually, if he sticks to being a finance clerk or re-trains as something like a legal PA (I'm guessing he wouldn't mind that if he's already done receptionist work). His best bet is to try and get a job in a law firm as they often have lots of offices in the US as well as the UK. When I worked in a law firm, a couple of the PA's transferred over to a US office.

If he's determined to do it then why not? He's got a lot more chance than most that come on here. Don't be so negative!

newby

Have your reviewed the E2 visa option?

NC Penguin

You mention Northern Ireland. Were you *born* in N.I.? If so, that makes you eligible to apply for the US Diversity Visa lottery. Of course, there's no guarantee you'll get a visa, but mainland Brits are ineligible so it's probably worth a shot, even though it'll take time.

richardosborne

I think we've all forgotten a very convenient loop hole.

This completely slipped my mind, but I do qualify for H1B cap exempt jobs!

I did apply to several different Boston colleges, but none took the bait.

The other options are non profit/government research organisations... does anyone have any idea what a government research organisation is?

By the way, she says she's not ready for marriage, so if I can't get in with an H1B cap exempt job I'm shafted, my future rests with you ladies and gentlemen! No pressure... just kidding lol.

Bill_S

National Institutes of Health (NIH) for one.

richardosborne

Cool, thanks. Looked them up but unfortunately no jobs going in MA, but at least now I have a good idea of what kind of companies I'm looking for!

I reckon I'm looking for entry level positions in kind of lab research work, that would justify an H1B exemption, so I'm going to be.... a rat technician! Dream job...

I think so far it's been the most hard getting people to be interested just because of the sheer cost of sponsoring for H1B even if cap exempt, anyone have any tips in getting employers to think it's worth it? Can I offer to work for low pay or something similar?

I never knew N.I. was eligable for that, awesome... but this year's one for 2009 has already closed unfortunately Thanks though.

That I was thinking would be plan C, if I can't find anything just keep working for another year and then come back either being transferred by the company I'm in or getting a J1 visa, but a year is a long time, the idea is heart breaking

dbj1000

A year is nothing in immigration terms. You sound like a nice guy, so don't get all petulant about timescales. If you really want to emigrate, you'll accept that the process isn't easy, and can take a very, very long time.

To answer one specific question of yours; no, you cannot offer to work for low pay. An employer of an H1-B must pay at least the national prevailing wage, as calculated by the Department of Labor, for that role.

Remember, H1-B visa holders are pretty unwelcome in this country. Many blame them for taking skilled jobs from American workers, and suppressing wages by undercutting US workers. That's exactly why you can't offer to work for less than an American employee in the same role.

tonrob

You're only 22??? In that case you've got a LOT more real ale to drink and curry to consume before you're ready to move overseas, young man.

The whole point of moving abroad is so that you can moan about all the wonderful things you miss from back home - everyone knows that!

richardosborne

Well nothing beats a good ale with a Guinness head (I'm from Northern IRELAND remember ) and I had enough curry as a student to last me a lifetime lol.

I'm just one of those people that doesn't like settling into one thing, I want to go and experience other cultures and have those fun conversations where you compare how we do things. Of course this one is made more urgent and serious by the whole girlfriend thing, but it'll still be interesting absorbing things from the American lifestyle.

I understand that it can be a long process, but I'm not trying to take on a skilled job, at best I'll get some entry level admin assistant kind of role, or rat technician, and at least I'll be reinvesting the money I make back into the American economy, but that's a whole other debate lol.

I reckon the H1B will be too expensive to justify for an entry level job though, which is why I'm willing to focus more on the H3 visa, it seems cheaper and easier to obtain for companies. Any thoughts on the H3 visa?

ian-mstm

Hmm... sounds like you're thinking with your hormones!


You need to understand, "skilled jobs" are the only type that will qualify you for a visa.

Ian

richardosborne

I'm thinking with my heart And yeah I suppose even being a financial admin assistant is still classed as a skilled job, so I guess I would be taking a skilled job away from potential American people. But I guess if you think about it they actually have more chance of getting that job than I do since it doesn't cost a $450 filing fee to get them a visa to do the job.

dbj1000

You're missing Ian's point, and you really need to understand it.

H1 and L1 visas are only for skilled jobs. There is no "lab technician" visa for an "entry level" job. You typically need a degree and a few years experience in a skilled role. If you don't have a degree, 10+ years of experience are required.

...and no, I don't believe that Financial Admin Assistant is a "skilled job" when it comes to a US visa.

So you can try and find someone who will pay to train you on an H3 and who offers trainging not available in Britain (good luck with that!), or you can come and study on a J1, but you will not be able to simply sweet-talk a company into sponsoring you for an H1-B if you don't have a degree and 3+ years experience in a relevant field.

As for an L1 visa, you need to be employed by a US/Multinational company for at least 12 months, in a role which they think is worth transferring you to their US offices. That's not exactly easy. Even then, there's a major difference between an L1-A and an L1-B visa when it comes to timelines for adjusting to Permanent Residency... but that's a problem far off in your future, and not worth worrying about now.