ChrissRoss

Hi everyone,

You guys probably answer a lot of questions like this and for that I'm really sorry,

I'm going to be turning 25 on July 17th, I'm currently studying for a my master degree in computer sciences - game development & design which I will have next year. My BSc was a first class honours. I have a partner (we want to be married before we go), a child (boy) and another one due on July 19th (boy).
My life's ambition for as far as I can remember has been to move to United States. My wife is currently a stay at home mum who wishes to continue being a stay at home mum, I'm completely fine with that and have no problems with that.
My question is would I have any problems bringing my family to america with me? would my wife be alright, she has good qualifications but no degrees?

Am I dreaming the impossible? i would really just like to know, I have other family members who smile at me and tell me to keep dreaming, they keep saying that it wont happen. Would I be able to move to america under my circumstances? Savings wise I can find the money, I'm just worried that my family wouldn't be able to come over with me.
If it is possible, where do I start once I have my masters next year? obviously i'd get a job over here but what then? how do I begin to find a sponsor? what if I don't find a sponsor? How much savings would I need for this whole process?

I'm sorry if I rambled, I've just wanted this for so long and I feel as though it may never happen. If I could get some truthful replies i'd really appreciate it, just give it to me straight.

Thanks,
Chris

petitefrancaise

easier option :Look for a job in the UK with one of the big tech companies. Work for them for a year and see about an internal transfer to the USA after that. I see a lot of this with my work in Austin. Be prepared to move cities/countries at least once to get there.
less easy: look for a job in the USA with a tech company and go into the H1b lottery. .
Do you need a masters? Good to have but most people I work with have a bachelors
Your future wife ( she will need to be your wife!) will have the right to work if you get an internal transfer but not if you get the H1b. - almost every job advert states that a degree is required. However if she has a good bit of experience in a particular field then she could probably get around that.

Owen778

Actually getting a job with a visa to work in the US is the hardest part. It would likely be either an H1-B visa (working visa) or an L1-B visa (intra-company transfer). Either would allow you to bring your spouse and children, but not an unmarried partner.

Both visas require you to find an employer willing to sponsor you, and then the company has to justify why your skills cannot be found from someone who already lives in the US. H1-B is over-subscribed every year. L1-B requires you to have worked at the sponsoring company for at least a year. The second issue is that both of these are temporary visas. They can potentially lead to permanent residency (green card), but that requires the employer to be willing to sponsor you for the green card.

Finding a company willing to sponsor you for the visa is often a long-term project, and it becomes gradually more likely as you become more experienced in your work, providing you work at a company willing to transfer staff to the US. How common that is in the gaming industry, I don't know.

Pulaski

The US visa system is very family-friendly. If a person gets a work-related visa then getting visas for their spouse and dependent children is invariably quick and easy - just about the only qualifying criteria for the spouse f a holder of a work visa is literally "being the spouse of a holder of a work visa" - no level of savings, qualifications, or education is specified/ required, just a marriage certificate.

If you are offered a job that supports a visa then about the only concern is going to be your criminal record - there is no need to prove savings, or take a medical. Work-related visas for the US aren't onerous to qualify for.

As Owen said above, getting a job to support a visa is going to be the tricky bit for you, and although I don't work in the computer gaming business myself, I believe that that specialty is driven more by achievements, practical knowledge, and experience, than by academic qualifications. So if you have a documented track record of involvement in successful, high profile projects, product developments and launches, etc. and have recognition and/or awards for your achievements, then that opens up another route for a visa, as well as likely opening doors in the US for you.

petitefrancaise

they're going to need the degree for H1b.
Savings - the process of applying for the visa etc the costs are incurred by your employer. A generous package might include some money for relocation expenses but moving countries always carries costs and it would definitely be wise to have some savings available ( deposit on a car?)

civilservant

I would agree with this 100% after bachelor level.

Anecdotally, it appears that game design is becoming more like a gig economy - working on one project and then being let go at the end of it (or your contract coming to an end) That is unlikely to support the kind of visa you need.

I honestly think your best bet would be to heavily specialize, work in the UK and gain a reputation, which might lead to something in 5-10 years.

Pulaski

Or "equivalent practical experience", but as the OP has a degree that isn't relevant in this case.

ChrissRoss

Thank you guys for all the comments, I really do appreciate it, its given me a lot of hope. Hopefully I'll eventually get into company that does transfers, fingers crossed!

sid nv

I see this statement quite often, but I am fairly sure it is not the case for non-immigrant visas such as H1-B or L1-B.
To gain permanent residency via work, then yes the 'no US person available' may be necessary in some cases.

bc2015

Qualification for L1B is based on skills/knowledge about your employer that would not be easily available in the US.

TexanScot

There's no labor market test for an L-1B visa - they just need to be able to demonstrate that you have the "specialized knowledge" that they require for their markets, business processes or products.

If you subsequently want a Green Card then the employer will need to prove that there are no minimally qualified US workers in order to obtain PERM, but that's a completely separate process from obtaining an L-1B visa.

TexanScot

Very much so.

I personally know of someone who came to the US to work in video games, for a high profile studio that would likely be a household name even to those who don't play video games.

Whilst H-1B and L-1B routes are obviously available, the individual in question actually came on an O-1 and as part of the evidence of his outstanding achievement, submitted pictures holding the BAFTA that his time at the time won for one of their games...

neill

Correct. H-1B only requires LCA - prevailing wage. Permanent employment via I-140 in most cases requires a Labor Cert or PERM -- which does require that you are not displacing a qualified and willing worker.

roberth1970

My opinion (based on my limited, but relevant, experience). Get a job with a US-based big tech firm in the UK. Work for 1-2 years, chose your path carefully to include the chance to get over to HQ or other regional offices. Make contacts. Get a job offer. Move on an L1B, or if you have genuine management duties by then, an L1a. Send flowers/beer to your immigration department when the visa is approved (you might need them on-side later). These are a lot better than the H1 visas for both you and your wife. Decide within two years if you want to stay and start getting your employer to sponsor a permanent residency (many people will say that you should get that as part of the move agreement).

For the average person I think this offers the lowest risk, easiest path (substituting the company type to match your job of course)