Umgak

Relevant info: 22 male UK citizen born and raised, no degree, wants to live and work permanently in the USA

After reading over 'Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA' I just wondered if there are any other options for someone like myself to obtain a green card to live & work in the USA.

I see on the USCIS website they have a 'third preference immigrant worker' category that is pretty much the only thing that applies to me right now, is this a realistic approach, to try and find un-skilled labour when visiting the USA?

I assume this is a bad plan.. and I am beginning my studies in Computer Science later this year which will take me 4 years to complete (5 if I study a year abroad in the US which I can try to apply for later on) because this seems like the sensible option albeit not definite but I have wanted to live in the USA so badly all my life and I wanted to check if there are any other possible avenues for me I guess.

Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

robtuck

Have you considered applying to move over as an International Student? or apply in the UK for a University with a programme encouraging USA transfers? As a minimum it gives you a few years while you are studying to research further options. The biggest issue with this will be ensuring you have sufficient funds upfront to foot the costs of tuition.

Given your degree subject, the next best option is probably looking for employment in companies looking for your skills that have a USA base, like a Cisco. That will open up inter company transfer options either via skills or Management. Neither will be quick based on where are you are today. You can of course go down the H1B Visa route once you have the degree, but it's more of a lottery, literally.

Oh, and my own personal journey included working through various promotions before 5 years ago moving to a company with a USA HQ. Three years later I positioned myself where a Transfer was possible and the company wished to retain my services, so while not always deliberate, it was a good 10 years in the making!

Noorah101

Hi and Welcome to BE.

You already read the relevant link. If there were other options, they would bee listed there. So no, that is a comprehensive list.

IMO, you have 2 options (each one at least a 5- year plan):

1. F-1 visa to study in the USA. At the end, hoping to find a US employer or meeting a USC who becomes the love of your life.

2. Study in the UK, then get a job in the UK that has offices in the USA and after 1 year of employment, ask for a transfer.

Rene

robtuck

If you are pretty good at certain sports you can also wrangle scholarships - bumped into someone recently who has a full scholarship for football (the Association type)

BenK91

Sounds to me like the F-1 Noorah101 suggested would be your best bet.

Umgak

Hi guys thanks for the replies. Regarding the F-1 visa route, would I have to front the entire cost of studying myself? Obviously studying in the UK I get a student loan, is this a possibility if I applied to study in the US?

My plan was to apply for studying a year abroad in the US via my UK uni but obviously that's not definite I would be accepted and I'd rather study in the US the whole time if it's a possibility. Where would I start to try and make this happen?

Rete

Off topic but curious why the strong overwhelming desire/need to live and work in the US for the rest of your life? Have you visited the US previously? Perhaps on vacation with the family? Or have your dreams been fueled by television and movies?

Being an unskilled worker in the US will lead you nowhere. It will not give you a path of permanent residency. It will not give you enough in a salary to live decently. More likely than not, it will not come with healthcare insurance paid for by the employer.

You are 22. Not a child any longer and appear to have a head on your shoulders. Bear with it and get your degree and finish your schooling in the US where you might qualify to work for one year on OPT and perhaps you will be noticed for your skill by a company willing to hire you and sponsor you for a green card.

Umgak

I have visited 3 times previously, loved it every time but what can I say the desire has always just been there from a very young age it's hard to pin-point exactly why. I don't really feel like I belong in England.

Is it really that easy to begin my schooling in the US? I thought it was practically a no-go unless I can front all the tuition myself. What are my options in regards to funding it?

Noorah101

Whether it's easy to study in the USA or not depends on your circumstances. You need to get accepted at a school, get the I-20 from them, prove you can fund at least the first year of tuition and living expenses, and apply for an F-1 visa.

Options for funding, I have no idea other than showing enough in your savings account. Maybe look into scholarships?

Rene

tom169

Comp Sci is a solid degree as a basis for a 10 year plan.

Twinkle0927

The thing is, the America of your holidays is not the America you would be living in, unless you're retired and very wealthy. And as an unskilled worker...well, that wouldn't be worth leaving the security of the U.K. for. My husband is an unskilled worker on minimum wage. He gets no paid time off. He fortunately gets medical insurance due to the size of the company. Most states have the "at will" clause in employment law which means you can be let go for no reason whatsoever. The U.K. has a lot to thank the EU for when it comes to workers' rights. I get paid time off - 17 days a year. That's for sickness and holidays combined. Ironically people living in Europe, with their generous holiday allowance, often see more of the USA than people who live here.

We see posts like yours on a regular basis here and all have one thing in common - feel that England isn't interesting/exciting/sunny enough and have been here on holiday recently and think that's how we live all the time. I'm not saying it's a terrible place to live. It's actually a great place if you have the right opportunities and resources. It's just not what you think it is. And it is a dreadful place to be poor.

neill

I'll presume you still have the option to change courses in writing this. Look into J-1 ... any USA exchange programmes that you could apply to?

The J-1 visa often also means you're paying UK student fees instead of US (as a part of the exchange package).

Also, consider Canada. Canada is easier to emigrate to and has many "American" lifestyle benefits to offer.

Umgak

It wasn't my holidays that sparked the desire it's something i've thought long and hard about especially in the last few years the realities of living there etc of-course I could get there and hate it after a time but one thing's for sure I'm not happy in England and USA is where I've had my sights on for a long time so why not make it a goal, it's the only thing I see sticking out in my life right now that I feel a massive desire for , that's how I see it anyway.

Well when I was looking through universities they all offered the chance to apply for 'study abroad' which is spending (usually) your 2nd year in one of many partner universities (I would apply for ones in the USA obviously) and I'll be honest my college grades were not the best due to me not realising how important it was at the time to put it shortly so I don't really have the pick of the bunch so to speak with unis and have managed to be accepted on a foundation year entry at a decent uni near me, which offer a year abroad that I can apply for during my first actual year of the degree.

I will have to look into it further maybe there are exchanges for the whole time I am studying offered by other universities but I don't know how realistic this is for me seeing as it's very late in the year for sorting out something like this + the likelihood of me being accepted. Already have my university dates and student loan etc sorted for this year. Perhaps applying for the year abroad in US like I planned would be sensible and try my best to build a portfolio while I study so I can apply for jobs in the US or transfer from a UK company like people have suggested. I'm doing camp america this year before uni starts so at least that's a thing lol.

Umgak

That's why I decided upon comp sci, at least if everything else goes tits-up I have a solid degree to fall back on with lots of options and a good shot at getting over to the US.

robtuck

It is possible to obtain a transfer at the end of year one, the credits based system from UK to USA at Uni/College level is much easier to navigate than lower levels of education.

Depending on your abilities and what the Collge is looking for you might be able to haggle with them and get In State Tuition fees - you were correct that you need to fund your studies and living expenses. They will require that you show proof of funds in advance - I am just doing this for my daughter who will be moving onto the F1 Visa. We've been in Georgia for 18 months, which helped her get credits and a GPA so they've agreed for In State tuition (half out of state) but we can;t get the Scholarship until we get a Green Card. It may be worth scouting around for financial aid information as well, each State is very different and then each College within. As an example, a small College near me seems to be giving away Soccer scholarships as they are looking to grow and gain a reputation.