D.London

I’d like to introduce myself to the forum.

I’ve joined in search of wider knowledge and experiences of the Expat Communities in the US with a view to seeking a visa and starting a new life in Los Angeles.

Firstly, I would like to commend and show my appreciation to all those that contribute and assist others in sharing knowledge – this forum is by far the most detailed and informative I’ve ever seen, irrespective of subject.

To cut the story short, I’ve met a pretty special US citizen through a close friend on a trip to Las Vegas back in the summer – we hit it off immediately and she invited me back out to her home town in LA. I’ve recently returned from a thoroughly enjoyable week with her where we got on better than I could ever have imagined. She was an excellent host in showing me all the wonderful sites of Los Angeles, both good and bad... Since returning we’ve both agreed we want to bridge the gap and move me out to California – I am very ambitious and determined to make this happen, hence joining this forum.

It’s a daunting task and the amount of information to read and digest is pretty overwhelming, but it’s certainly a challenge I am not intimidated by or afraid of the patience and hard work required to see it through, nor is she. We both have little, to no experience of the visa / immigration process, however the information I have been reading on this forum has been of great help in gaining a better understanding of the system and the avenues I need to explore.

I believe I have two options: H1-B sponsored employment or K1 fiancé / marriage.

I work as a Procurement Manager for the largest privately owned Construction & Engineering Contractor in Europe, but unfortunately they don’t have any presence in the States so I need to seek employment elsewhere. It seems pretty crazy to do that now considering how buoyant the industry is in London and the money that is now being offered for skilled staff, however I want to commit to this opportunity of a new life in Los Angeles. I have been reading http://california.construction.com/ daily, and it seems the market is back on the up, but I was seeking clarity from this forum to see how strong the Construction & Engineering industry is at the moment in Los Angeles – are there plenty of major projects under development or in the pipeline and is the economy improving like London and the UK in general?

I am in the dark about the role I work in and how that transfers over to the US Construction market. I have over 10+ years experience in the industry / role as well as having full chartered professional membership which is globally recognised (http://www.cips.org/), however I do not have a bachelors degree. I left college at 17 and went straight into employment; at the time University didn’t appeal to me. Would my role, professional membership, experience suffice as a ‘speciality occupation’ and pass the stringent processes enough for an employer to value me over and above a US citizen?

Is there any particular route which you would recommend on seeking sponsorship within said industry? I am currently building a fully comprehensive case to send to all the major Construction & Engineering Contractors in Los Angeles – this would include my resume, cover letter explaining my situation, portfolio of work / achievements and references. I would hope this would be sufficient enough for the hiring manager to take note instead of ‘filing it in the bin’ - but I have concerns that emailing al this information wouldn’t reach the correct person within the organisation and just get lost in translation somewhere...

Or would you recommend LinkedIn / Recruitment Agencies to network and source a role for me?

I have seen the Canadian CV section which has been very helpful in explaining the differences between the UK and US recruitment process, as well as highlighting how my resume would be perceived and all the ‘do’s and don’ts’.

Thank you for taking the time to read. I would appreciate any advice, comments or feedback - good or bad... I am excited about the opportunities on the horizon and am very determined to make this happen; as well as being confident that Los Angeles is a good fit for my personality and hopefully the next chapter in my life.

Bob

Company transfer is the best route, so find a company that has a presence in the US.

Getting a H1B would be expensive and company wouldn't be able to apply till next April for that following Oct start, so you'd realistically need some pretty niche skills for a real chance and then it might depend on state license type requirements. Not having a degree isn't a problem if you have 12 years of progressive career experience and can show how your career has progressed.

As for job applications, you need to use LinkedIn to your advantage and contact hiring managers directly because going through company websites will realistically mean your application going straight in the bin because you aren't in the US and don't have US experience.

Noorah101

Networking is your best way to get a foot in the door and get your resume seen by the right people.

You don't have a degree, but does the position require one? In order to be eligible for an H1B, the job needs to require a degree. You can make up for not having a degree by having enough experience. You need 3 years of experience per 1 year lacking of degree. Sounds like you might be a couple of years short on experience, unless you actually completed that first year at university.

Another option is to take a job in the UK with a company that does have presence in the USA and then ask to transfer after a year. That won't get you to the USA very fast, but then again neither would the H1B. With an H1B, if you get the visa, you would start work in the USA in October 2015.

Are you and your girlfriend ready to get engaged and married?

Rene

scrubbedexpat099

I did a spell working for a UK Construction company with a US presence. I do not remember anybody being transferred to the US.

From what I know now the procedures and practice's are very different.

ian-mstm

I once quipped, on this forum, that Brits would perish if the word "daunting" was ever removed from the dictionary! I was mocked brutally for the comment!


There are other options. Generally, there are 3 routes to the US: employment-based, family-based, and investment-based. Each has its pros/cons. Start here.


I'm not sure what that is, but you would likely need to be familiar with US practices before you'd ever be hired. There may be retraining involved.


This question is best asked in the general USA forum, since it's not actually immigration related.


That's a damn good question! Currently, there are many thousands of folks in the US who have similar qualifications, who can start work tomorrow if asked, and who don't need a US employer to spend many thousands of dollars to sponsor them for a visa. Those people are your competition. What do you bring to the table?


If you plan this as a long-term goal, it's certainly doable... but you're likely looking at 3-5 years at the earliest.


Since you ask, the easiest and surest method is to marry your girlfriend. I realize that's likely not yet feasible for you considering you've only just met - but it's pretty much a foolproof method.

Ian

Bob

Yeah, it's going to need to be niche skills - airports, dams, tunnels....that kind of thing to have a chance.

TMR

It says they've met twice...

Noorah101

I know. .. hence the question.

Rene

Sally Redux

I would urge a little caution about changing your whole life on the basis of a one-week trip.

I do vaguely remember someone with a similar type if job coming on here - will try to search.

scrubbedexpat099

I looked at CIPS, I know what he does, as I expected geographically they cover a lot of the places you would expect but not USA.

I am sure there is a US equivalent but practice's will be different.

username.exe

I'm also a Procurement Manager, I've got MCIPS and an MSc. I'm expecting to move to Southern Cal in January, so can give you some feedback when I get there, if you like.

You'll most likely want to work towards CPSM accreditation through the Institute of Supply Management (ISM) for the States. They used to offer full reciprocity for MCIPS but it was withdrawn about a year ago unfortunately. CIPS has a decent global presence, but not in the USA.

Also, you might want to consider broadening your considerations beyond the construction industry alone.

D.London

Thank you to all who have replied – I can’t say I’m surprised in the quantity and quality of the responses received having used the search function on this forum for the past few weeks.

The feedback and comments were what I expected; I am a realist and a very analytical thinker, by no means did I expect this process to be straightforward or short - but one thing I am sure of is being determined and patient to see this through until the end, irrespective of which route I decide to take.

You’ll have to forgive me with the format of my response as I’m not familiar with quoting multiple replies in one post.

In response to:

Bob – Company transfer is a viable option of course, but it would mean seeking new employers as unfortunately the business I work for have presence all over the world except the States. I feel this option isn’t right for me for a variety of reasons: time being the main factor as it’s likely to take 2-3 years for a permanent transfer, and there aren’t any guarantees this would be successful.

Noorah101 – Based on those maths I would be a couple of years short of experience versus degree as I never attended University. I went straight into full employment and decided in 2011 to educate myself at home and gain a professional qualification in my chosen career. This was difficult in its own right balancing work / life / home studies, but I completed a two year course in 8 months and achieved chartered status which I am very proud of. The issue is my qualification doesn’t seem to hold any weight in the US, so I would need to retrain.

Ian-mstm – My role as a Procurement Manager is to manage the supply chain on a construction project. Ultimately I’m responsible for spending someone else’s money and ensuring I’m purchasing materials and labour at the right price, and with the right companies who can deliver the job to client specifications. “What do I bring to the table over and above a US citizen?” This is a question I’m expecting to hear a lot of when communicating with a potential US employer. I am positive in my response and confident that my skill set, ambition and personality would be enough for the hiring manager to see I’m determined enough to be successful in my career. I’ve been very fortunate to work on some prestigious and landmark projects, it’s been an ambition of mine to work in this industry since a young age and deliver buildings that will be around for generations – I’ve been a key member of a team that has built Airport terminals, hospitals, high-end residential developments, medical research facilities, rail networks, shipping ports, tunnels, hi-rise buildings & skyscrapers and so on. My portfolio of work would be in excess of £4billion.

Sally Redux – This is something that crops up quite a lot from close friends and family. I agree, I don’t know what the future holds and whether we are compatible in the long term – but this opportunity, on the face of things, seems too good to turn down as we get on exceptionally well and when you ‘know’, you just ‘know’ if that makes any sense... I’m not naive in my thought process, I weigh up all my options and over-think everything. Realistically, what is the worst that could happen if I’m successful in my search for a life closer to her...? I’m open to hearing all sorts of stories / experiences, good and bad... I don’t want this dream to be ‘sugar coated’. I would like to be as prepared as much as I possibly can be, and this forum is great for helping me achieve that.

Boiler – That was a worry of mine when I originally started this process. My qualification is internationally recognised, expect the States. I will have to retrain, which I’m willing to do if it helps secure my status.

Username.exe – I would be very keen to discuss your move in more depth if possible? I have looked into the idea of changing industry, particularly in manufacturing as I believe my skill set could transfer quite seamlessly. Best of luck with your move!

And finally the whole idea of marriage, which has been touched on by quite a few of you as well as other people I’ve spoken to about the move. Yes we’ve discussed it at length. Are we both comfortable with it at these early stages? Yes, if it’s the only viable option to us within a reasonable timeframe, especially if it’s fairly foolproof and efficient. We are both committed to making this work and patient enough to see it through. I didn’t want to have to resort to the marriage route for obvious reasons. I’m back out there for 16 days over Christmas and New Year and I wanted to have a few things lined up with potential employers. But if this is our only real option, then I’m open to it for sure.

From the feedback I’ve received, I think its best:

• I complete my comprehensive profile to send to the hiring managers of companies that suit my experience / background.
• Continue to network, ask lots of questions and improve my knowledge of the process and country as a whole.
• Look forward to my trip at Christmas with my partner.

Thank you all again for your feedback, its appreciated.

Sally Redux

What's the worst that can happen? Finding out it's just the daily grind, probably If you can get another job without wrecking your career and you don't have kids and then change your mind about being in the US, nothing irreversible.

I am a romantic too, just take it steady. You cannot possibly have seen 'all the good and bad' in LA in a week.

D.London

Haha - I'm looking out on to a wet & windy, miserable building site in a pretty poor part of London after enduring a 2 hour journey as a sardine on a packed commuter tube train...

The prospect of living the 'daily grind' in California is slightly more appealing, even though I appreciate I've only seen little of LA.

Sally Redux

Still got to get to work mate and heat is not easy either - good luck though.