session924

Hi there, I'm just new to the site and am seeking any and all help that anyone can provide

I am looking to make a permanent move to the US next year and am still in the early stages of planning. I'm a secondary school teacher and am looking into having my qualifications converted to the US equivalent. I've looked at a few websites but keep meeting dead ends and I'm so worried that I'll apply to something and make a complete mess of it. If anyone could recommend a good legit site it would be greatly appreciated, thank you

Lauren

penguinsix

What visa are you looking to get?

session924

I was advised to go for the H1B Visa but like everything else I'm so overwhelmed by how much there is to do...lthough I'll manage all of it to make the move happen! (fingers crossed!)

Noorah101

With an H1B, there isn't much you actually do except apply for the job and get the employer to begin your visa application. After that, it's just a matter of hoping your application makes it through, showing up at the embassy interview, and getting the visa (if you get approved).

Have you got some schools interested in you yet?

Rene

scrubbedexpat099

You do not get it, your Employer does.

So first you need a job.

I have seen a few teachers go this route, be wary that usually it is because the areas of work are interesting/challenging whatever.

franc111s

Your a teacher. Welcome to the real-world - yes, there's a lot to do Nothing is easy and believe me, if you think "applying" for H1-B is hard, wait till you get over here

Hope you feel sympathy to your students and how much homework you give them to do

good luck with the visa's.

E3only

This year (2008) number of Indian students to US = 95k, China = 80k and that’s just the top two. (Sourced from a news paper so may not be as accurate but feel free to research).

Number of H1B’s - 65,000 a year. That’s right. Obviously you would be competing against students who went to US some 2 years or so ago (will be graduates now or in OPT). Not all of them will be good enough for H1B’s.

Point is – it’s a lottery these days as I hear it!

Unless of course you have a cap exempt employer. Or being in teaching profession 'may' help.

All the best.

coopa_troopa

Look up megasue, she's a teacher and been down the road of H1B (and back again)

If you do a search on the Members List you should be able to find her posts.

Bob

welcome to BE

Have a search plenty of threads on teachers...though realistically, unless it's teaching at uni, there's a slim to no chance of getting a visa, it's the cost of getting one that's the issue, and then the time frames, uni's don't have the quota cap so it isn't an issue for them, but a local school would have that issue.

Also what's need to be certified depends on the state, each state would be different...no point in getting your qualifications translated until you find an employer willing to sponsor you as they'll probably have a place they would want you to use, so would be a waste of money doing it before hand.

Best bet would be looking at private schools.