Roxy1987

Hiii

I just really need a lot of advice with regards to moving to the US. My partner and I have always talked about leaving the UK but we have now decided that we really want to start making plans to actually do it.

We both hold university degrees. I have a BA in Information Technology and I am currently studying for my PGCE to be a secondary school teacher (ICT). My partner has an MSc in Chemistry and Pharmacology but is currently working as an ICT support analyst.

We are currently making plans to get married and we have a 1 year old son also. We know that we wont start the process until we are married and we have both got a couple of more years experience in our careers.

Basically what I want to know several things

What would be the best route with regards to immigration?
Is there anything we should do or avoid doing to help our cause?

We have decided on a state on the East coast. Possible NJ because we have family friends there and also I would be allowed to drive using a bioptic lense (I am partially sighted). Really just need to gather as much information as possible.

Thanks
Rox x

Duncan Roberts

Did you miss this?

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=585898

Roxy1987

Yes I have read that but I still dont really understand what would be the best route.

Also it doesnt answer my second question about any do's and and donts before we start the whole process.

Duncan Roberts

If you read both articles and you don't see something that would apply to you then you probably don't have a route into the US.

Don't pay money to an agency who say they can get you a visa or list of companies who sponsor visas.

Bill_S

Don't get your hopes too high. Many expats without family connections wind up in the US via job tranfers or are headhunted. A couple of possibilities: 1 - both of you get jobs at multinational companies with an eye toward being offered a transfer to the US operation; 2 - become top performers at your present jobs (so top that you are attractive to an overseas recruiter).

At the moment there are tens of thousands of unemployed tech people in the US. That's who you are competing against. You and your OH require visas, relocation allowances, etc. The pool of unemployed competitors doesn't, and they can start work tomorrow.

BTW, secondary school teachers are not in short supply in the US. Teaching is very difficult for foreigners to break into.

Jerseygirl

Teachers are actually being laid off in the New York Metro area.

meauxna

The 'best' route is the one that fits you; there is no one 'best'.

My suggestion, based on my own experience, is to hang around this forum for a while, reading about others' experiences and watching how the questions are answered. You'll pick up a lot of info!

For the rest, browse the USA forum for practical advice about moving.

Roxy1987

Thansk a lot for all of the advice. I didnt realise it would be so tricky. People seem to be flooding in to the UK left, right and centre. We are a few years off from even being able to apply for any visas so in the mean time we will just have to keep gettin work experience and qualifications. I would like to have my masters soon and I can also teach the visually impared. I have taken everything on board

x

hobbes79

And is your partner of the opposite sex? If not, one other obstacle.

GeoffM

Stay out of trouble, don't overstay on visits to the US, don't spend too much time in the US on VWP to risk being turned away at immigration.

Do keep track of documentation, any national or international awards you might receive, and perhaps think about something you can specialise in to the extent that you'd be well known. A bit of a stretch perhaps for people in your position by the sound of it but then I probably thought the same 12 years ago - incidentally, not at that time interested in the US.

And read. Lots. There is so much on this forum.

The partially sighted aspect might be useful as it's a speciality, you never know.

Noorah101

Yes, but you want to get into the USA, which is a totally different ball game.

Rene

E3only

It's funny how many I have heard this from Poms. They assume the EU situation making UK more accessible to other countries automatically SHOULD qualify the Poms to more anywhere in the world (US in this case).

Whilst I have sympathy, UK government is to blame (that is if I believe the influx of other nationalities is easy) making it so easy. Fact is though, US is a hard market to crack….and in a way it’s 10 years (lets say) head in immigration policies. US was facing this very influx few years ago. Add abusers of the system, US now is very difficult to get in. Not impossible, just difficult market to crack.

ian-mstm

The irony behind your comment is not lost. In an effort to avoid the increase in UK immigration, you want to become an immigrant!

Ian

Sally Redux

How easy is it for a US trainee teacher to emigrate to the UK anyway?

dbj1000

Yeah! Bloody immigrants should all bugger off back to where they belong!