ian-mstm

The next H-1B season opens on April 1, 2009 for work starting October 2009. Good luck... it is heavily oversubscribed and really is a lottery these days.

Ian

meauxna

Have the L visas been discussed on this thread? Who do you work for now? Any US offices that you can xfer to?

neilk

Hi Guys,

I have raised this on another thread no one seems to be able to tell me. Or may be my understanding is incorrect.

Ok, for E3 visa - I need an offer and other documents like the LCA from employer and my citizenship proof, degree etc etc.

I am getting through the first step of job offer. After that other steps.

However, My question is this. I just need some experience around tax. I heard on this thread (upto page 70 odd) so if anyone has been mentioned after that I am sorry. I did read someone say that there was to be tax thread.

Anyway, the situation is this. I have a home,car,furniture etc. .. .. The issue is I will have to rent my place and the negative return on the property (as this is a recent bought home and i have mortgage on it) could be deducted from my salary had I been working in AU.

Now, after moving to US, how will that work ? I have been exploring some tax treaty webpages. But its too legal and not in layman's language. If I were to move to US and have to keep paying the mortgage here, that pretty much just kills all the financial benefits from working in the US. Assume that I earn more than AU. Of course not moving to US only for money, but work experience. I am in Accounting and Finance with 5+years experience. SO I want to enhance my skills and gain US experience.

I would appreciate if anyone could guide me in terms of :
1. If anyone in Bankking or finance has moved to US and what was their experience.
2. About the tax benefits.
3. Generally the current market in US warrants being careful moving to US.

THanks heaps in advance.

Neil

meauxna

There's an Aussie/US forum called Mates Up Over or similar..for these questions I think you need to find a group of Aussies who've moved. For ex, I don't understand about the negative money being deducted from your pay.
Surely if you are keeping the house, and make your payments on time, it doesn't matter where in the world you are??

When I move abroad the last time, I had renters in my house, and I ended up a little bit upside down (but had the best ever renters) but that was the cost of living abroad and keeping my US house. So, I think I've missed the point of the Q?

Ozzidoc

There is a strong culture in Oz of buying an investment property and making a yearly loss, whereby the income (rent received) does not cover the costs of holding that property (mortgage interest, other allowed expenses).

This is called "negatively gearing". The annual loss is included in the owner's tax return, and can be offset against their salary.

The poster is asking if he can write off this Australian-based loss from his US salary. I dont know the answer - sorry!

Two asides:
1. I prefer positive gearing, where one makes money.
2...not really relevant, but many countries dont let you offset your earned income against such losses eg the UK. )

neilk

Hi Meauxna and Augigi,

Thanks for your responses. Yes thats right Augigi, thats what I was referrin two. Of course I would love to have a positive gearining that negative. But the point is this is a recent mortgage. I obviously would like to hold on to it and convert that into investment property so i can set it off against the salary in come from AU.

But if I move to US, I may lose the benefit or shall I say this is what I am going to find out.

For both of you, will try to summarise. The property costs me around $2600pm. Other taxes and outlays around $400pm so total $3000. Now the rent potential (as a guess) around $380pw=$1600. So thats a loss of $1400.

Now, If I move to US, then I will have to pay Rent there from my salary. If there is financial benefit for me moving up there (also my spouse wont work for I dont kno 1-3 months till she gets her work permit) and I have to keep paying that $1400 AUD, then that will just erode everything.

I am from SYdney. I know for example if I were to move to Melbourne (Australia) then I can get the negative gearing set off against my salary (of course thats no brainer as I will relocate same country) BUT I can also set off any rent I pay in Melbourne as a living away from home allowance. However this will be allowed only if the move is temporary (on the basis that I will be returning to my original place of residence - sydney)..

Hope its not getting too long. What I wanted to know was is being in USA I will get taxed on a worldwide income (?), then will the negative gearing be considered negative income OR do I get living away from home allowance ?

THanks again. Meauxna - will try and google and see if there is that forum you mention.

Any thoughts will be appreciated from all.

Neil

bjih

Gday again.

So I managed to grab a spot at Calgary for next Thursday. I just have to sit down with the employer early next week and finalise the LCA.

Could someone please confirm that all the employer will need to refer to is the ONET wage library for a prevailing wage determination and we don't have to apply to the local State Wage Authority.

I am finding the categories on ONET are very broad and my offered position is a graduate position with 1 yr experience that crosses over a couple of these job headings.

Could someone please reassure me that the LCA is no big deal...


Cheers,\

brueyh1976

Thank you Ian, that was something I didn't know and will bear it in mind. Does the H1-B season run like that every year?

I haven't seen anything any related to the L visa categories on here yet, mind you I really haven't been here that long. I'm currently working for an agency at the moment, just so that I can have a break and enjoy the summer. The agency I work for doesn't operate in the US.

ian-mstm

Yes... unless you manage to get a job offer from a cap-exempt company such as a university or not-for-profit business - but that's pretty rare.

Ian

brueyh1976

Thank you so much for the info, really appreciate it :-)

wallworker

bjih--

I think you are right and the employer only has to look up the wage on the online ONET directory. My employer was nervous about everything for my initial E3 app and my current renewal process--but the LCA has been the EASIEST part. So I think you'll be just fine.

Can you please let me know how you got the appointment at Calgary for next week? I too need to get a visa appt soon and was planning to call the Nassau consulate on Monday. (I saw that all the Canadian consulates had no appointments available through the online appt service.) But reading your comments about Nassau makes me think that's not going to work. I need to renew before Sept 1st.

Any advice you can offer on getting an appt in Calgary would be greatly appreciated.

augigi

Neil, I think you meant Ozzidoc - I did not respond to your post. You need to ask these questions of a tax accountant familiar with international returns, not us

The person who asked about consulate wait times, there's a US website that lists wait times at worldwide consulates - google it.

neilk

Augigi,



Thanks ...

bjih

I lucked out on the Calgary appointment this past Thursday. I was sitting on the website for about 4 hours a day for about two days. I had to get an appointment within the next two weeks but there were appointments for mid to late august at Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and Halifax being released into the system at odd times during the day.

If you give it a bit of time, you will get an appointment.

Bahamas is a pain in the ***. Canada is an easy, cost-effective process.

bjih

If I have an offer letter that has a clause stating that the offer is contingent upon a background check will the affect the application? The results of the background check won't be back until after I go to the visa interview in Calgary.