Am i Too Old To Re-Train
#61
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 48
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
E2 visa is a non immigrant investor visa, so it is the visa you would apply for if buying a business or doing a start up business.
Our E2 visa is 100% in my name with my spouse as a dependent.
This does mean he has been able to apply for an employment authorization document (EAD) which enables him to work outside of my business. If he wanted to he could find a job and it could ultimately lead to a company sponsoring him and therefore could lead to a green card. We have not chosen that route and we work together in the business.
The issue of children aging out has happened to us as our daughter was 11 when we first arrived in the USA. At 21 when she was no longer eligible to be on the E2 visa we applied and was successful in getting her a F1 student visa so there are ways around aging out.
I just wanted to say it is not all negative and if you really want to make the move there are options out there.
Our E2 visa is 100% in my name with my spouse as a dependent.
This does mean he has been able to apply for an employment authorization document (EAD) which enables him to work outside of my business. If he wanted to he could find a job and it could ultimately lead to a company sponsoring him and therefore could lead to a green card. We have not chosen that route and we work together in the business.
The issue of children aging out has happened to us as our daughter was 11 when we first arrived in the USA. At 21 when she was no longer eligible to be on the E2 visa we applied and was successful in getting her a F1 student visa so there are ways around aging out.
I just wanted to say it is not all negative and if you really want to make the move there are options out there.
#62
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 48
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
OK one will be employed by an American organization so no worry there the other would need to find or do something.
#65
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
On what visa would that child be employed? He can't work without a visa, and it is often a problem with E2 kids that all their friends start weekend jobs at age 16 and they are prohibited from doing so.
#66
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
F1, student visa is a option, but would mean pretty much paying international rates. It does depend on the institution, but you'd also not be eligible for most forms of financial aid and will have to pay up front.
Also, students on F1 are limited to 20 hours work, on campus, after the first semester of study. Not a problem for everyone, but it can be for some when it comes to independence and settling in.
#67
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
But they would still need visas to be employed, so would still need the employing company to jump through hoops to hire them - which no company is likely to be willing do unless there is something special about them.
#68
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 130
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
Am i Too Old To Re-Train
At 44 and after a 20 year career in healthcare I wanted to change careers.
Using my experience in healthcare and learning some programming skills I got a job in software development at a small company that ended becoming part of one of the largest companies in the world. I am now a manager of software development all because of a desire to change careers.
Of course I am already here in the US but as an answer to if you are too old to re-train you are not.
#69
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
Somebody ban me.
#70
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
No you are not too old to re-train.
At 44 and after a 20 year career in healthcare I wanted to change careers.
Using my experience in healthcare and learning some programming skills I got a job in software development at a small company that ended becoming part of one of the largest companies in the world. I am now a manager of software development all because of a desire to change careers.
Of course I am already here in the US but as an answer to if you are too old to re-train you are not.
At 44 and after a 20 year career in healthcare I wanted to change careers.
Using my experience in healthcare and learning some programming skills I got a job in software development at a small company that ended becoming part of one of the largest companies in the world. I am now a manager of software development all because of a desire to change careers.
Of course I am already here in the US but as an answer to if you are too old to re-train you are not.
#72
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
One other point to stress, living somewhere on any "temporary" visa (H1B,L1,E2 etc)is no good way to lead a normal family life. It comes as a real kick in the teeth, to say the least, when your visa unexpectedly does not get renewed for whatever reason and you have to abandon your life over there and return to the UK at pretty short notice.
I would be extremely wary of any visa route which does not lead to a greencard, if you plan to actually make your lives there, rather than just stay for a few years.
I would be extremely wary of any visa route which does not lead to a greencard, if you plan to actually make your lives there, rather than just stay for a few years.
Last edited by fozzyb; Oct 22nd 2014 at 10:59 pm. Reason: Added some punctuation
#73
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 130
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
Well done but atypical example.
#74
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
One other point to stress, living somewhere on any "temporary" visa (H1B,L1,E2 etc)is no good way to lead a normal family life. It comes as a real kick in the teeth to say the least when your visa unexpectedly does not get renewed for whatever reason and you have to abandon your life over there and return to the UK at pretty short notice.
I would be extremely wary of any visa route which does not lead to a greencard, if you plan to actually make your lives there, rather than just stay for a few years.
I would be extremely wary of any visa route which does not lead to a greencard, if you plan to actually make your lives there, rather than just stay for a few years.
And until you've lived under these circumstances, you can't imagine how stressful, and all consuming this is.
#75
Re: Am i Too Old To Re-Train
Yes I'm right but not for the reason you say.
I made a similar change, from High Energy physicist working at CERN to Adobe Systems.
That sort of career change especially in your 40's is atypical. ie. not very common or routine.
And to re-train enough, when approaching 50, to be attractive enough to an employer while living outside the US, is tall order.