smurtaza

Hi All,

Just recently got job offers in US and Australia. I am married and got 2 kids.Same payscale, Visa sponsorship available etc. etc.

I am not sure which one to select/choose and which one to loose??Please suggest??

Thanks

fatbrit

And the visa for your job offer in the US of A is...?

smurtaza

For Australia, I am an Australian Citizen and for US I have been granted E3 Visa.

fatbrit

E3's not to bad I believe. There seems to be conversion to green card available. Also, I believe spouse can apply to work. Had it been an H1b, for example, I'd have suggested you remain in OZ. There's a long, long E3 thread in the Visa section -- have a read. Visas are very important for anyone coming to the US where the system is the most frustrating, lengthy and costly of any of the popular destinations.

Where are you going in the US?

penguinsix

Huge question. Makes a tremendous difference.

I was once in a airport in St. Louis sitting next to three young Marines just out of boot camp. The one kid was telling me he was from Arkansas and wanted to be an auto mechanic after his stint in the Corps. I asked him where he was going to be stationed and he said 'I have a choice, Missouri or Italy, but I'm not sure which to take?' I calmly said to him 'this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone to PAY you to live in Europe for a few years. You can always move to Missouri later in life if you wanted.'

He said he hadn't thought of it that way, but it made a lot of sense.

It kind of sounds a bit familiar to your situation. You're an Aussie citizen so I'm assuming you've 'done' Australia, or will be back in Australia later in life, so why not take a chance to live in America for a few years? You can always go back to Australia later in life if you wanted.

Look at things 10 years from now. In 10 years, if you work in Australia, will you be able (if you wanted) to get a job in the US? Maybe....

In 10 years, if you work in the US, will you be able to get a job in the US or Australia? Yes.

I'd go with what gives you more options, especially if your family is younger and hasn't set down many roots yet (i.e. kids not that far along in school, etc).

As I mentioned, you can always get a job in Australia...

Bob

Aye, a lot will depend on the details, of where your living, the level of holiday time, cover of medical/dental insurance etc.

smurtaza

Plano, Texas

Poppy girl

I have lived in QLD Australia and now live in California it really depends what kind of lifestyle you are looking for and I can tell you now Plano Texas is going to be a shock to the system after the laid back Aussie lifestyle, now having said that I love Australia very much but the US kinda fits me better I don't know why but I am happier here, you are lucky to have the offer could you not take some vacation and spend time in Texas and see what you think before you make such a drastic move, especially if you bring the family out to find that a few months later you don't like it here.

Vicky88

I think a large part of your decision has to be what does your wife want. Having 2 children you may find that her preference would be to stay in Oz near friends and family. You only have to take a look at this site and I would have to say the number #1 reason most people want to return home is due to friends and family.

I'm an Australian living in California and have to say I enjoy being here immensely, however that is because after being in the US for 6 out of the last 10 years we have done the hard work, we have our social security numbers, credit cards, driver's licence etc. When you come here you are starting from scratch and it can be hard work.

If you are living a life you both enjoy I wouldn't recommend uprooting yourself for something that may or may not be better. We have gained a lot financially from our move, but I can tell you it can be a very lonely life and difficult to make friends. We've enjoyed our time but consider ourselves just about "done" here.

The other thing you have to consider is schooling for your kids. Others on this site are probably better qualified to comment than I am, but my casual observations say it doesn't look particularly hard to pass high school.

When it comes to work how important is it for you to be out the door at 5.00 p.m. every night because if it is don't come. How would you enjoy only having 2 weeks vacation every year and 7 public holidays? These are the things you have to ask yourself.

Also don't think the E3 will convert to a green card if that is what you are after. DH and I are here on E2 and I am able to work and have to say I have been offered better opportunities here in the past 18 months than ever came my way in Australia.

I think the big key is you and the missus need to be on the same page or any move to the US could be doomed to failure.

fatbrit

I believe E3 is converting but know little about it -- trawl your way through http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=328064

E2 doesn't, I'm afraid.

Englishmum

Here is info about the E-3 visa (which is only for Australian citizens):

http://www.americanaustralian.org/ca...p?storyId=2047 (note that spouses are allowed to work in the USA too)

The American Australian Association also offers a Visa card for new arrivals who have no credit record:

http://www.americanaustralian.org/

(I've been to a couple of the AAA events in New York City - they're a lot of fun. It's an organisation for Aussie professionals living in the USA...... Rupert Murdoch and Greg Norman go to their social events too).

Amandabee

I would have to agree with Vicky888, we have just moved from Brisbane to Texas. And both of us have found life here very hard. The lifestyle has been a total shock to the system, very very different from the laidback aussie lifestyle.

But I also agree with another poster who said what do you have to lose. I used that philosophy to move from the UK to Oz, and it was the best move of my life. Much easier to do that Oz to USA!

We moved here becasue of my husbands job, he started work straight away, I had to wait 3 months for all EAD to come through. That was very tough to deal with, and a huge cost financially and emotionally. We thought it would be cheaper to live here, but it isn't and although we are saving more money, that is due to a lack of social life.

I would also think about your kids. I teach over here and I am appalled at the level of education and the state the education system is in. But at the same time, if your kids arn't at a crucial stage of their education the skills they would learn adapting to a new situation and friends etc, will be very valuable.

Its not all bad here, but just very very different to life in Oz. Its a very difficult decision to make. If we had to make the same decision again, I think we would take a lot more time over it, and look at the details more closely. We probably would make the same decision (i.e. to come over) but I would not wear the rose coloured glasses!

Good luck in your decision, if you want any more info on texas, especially education etc, pm me.

Amanda