Can a brit work/contract short term in the US?
 

Hi,

I am a specialist IT Consultant who is having to consider looking for work in the US because of the lack of work in the UK. (I am based in Manchester UK and have no intention of leaving it or my boyfriend :-)

I have been trying to find out what visa i would require (if so) to do short term work in the US (under 3 months say).

Does it require sponsorship/fees/lengthy process?

Thanks,
ravi

I would say it would depend on whether you intend to be paid in dollars or pounds, if you are talking that short term.

I guess it is easy enough to be paid in either currency.
So what would be the simplest? And what would be the situation then?

Thanks,
ravi

Are you asking how you can secure employment in the US?, do you have an US job offer?

Or are you asking how you could move here temporarily and look for job, I dont know whether I'm misunderstanding you.

No not move over to the US then look for work.

I mean if i were to get short-term contract work in the US or even a short project <90 days, could i simply work under the visa-waiver program thing? Or must i obtain a B1 visa or some such? (I've been reading up on it since posting :-)

Thanks,
ravi

If you'd be coming into the US, then you'd need a visa that grants you the right to work. Work is not permitted on Travel or visa waivers at all, and if you came into the US on one, with the intention of looking for work or working, you'd be spun round and pushed back to the planes before you knew it :)

If your doing the work via the net and staying in Manchester, then there probably wouldnt be no problem.

I doubt a company would give you a short contract such as you seek, as the cost and amount of paperwork involved to sponsor you would make it pointless to them. I think if you're looking for short work contracts and freedom with visas, look within the EU.

Well, if you must know, i am the author of "WebObjects Developer's Guide" (SAMS, 2002) and as a result I do get approached for work and of short term nature (i.e anywhere between a few weeks to 2 months) in the US.
In addition i do look for work via the Web.

So i would only go to the US *after* obtaining some work.
But in order to do so i would like to know if i am eligible as a brit that's all?

To be honest i have no intention of leaving Manchester (or my boyfriend :-) for the world!

Thanks,
ravi

If it is a customer for your UK company (you mention you are an author of a Development guide) and you earn a salary from this, you can work in the US for this customer as long as you are being paid to your UK company as your salary. You can use the visa waiver for short term business as long as you are being paid via your UK company in UK pounds.

In other words, if you intend to do short term contracts as a permenant thing, why can't you set up a company(to do with your book) to this effect in the UK, put yourself on the payroll, then contract yourself out for short term projects. then you can do short term projects for bothe UK and the US via your own company.

Fine. If i were to do this, then what would be the situation with visas?

Could i work my first contract on the VWP? Then if i did get some more work in the US at a later date, could i then apply for B1?

As far as I understand it you would be able to come across on the visa waiver. The same one you use when you come on holiday.

This is something business men/women use all the time to do business in the US for their british firms. My husband did it for years. His company would sell their product (software) to a US company and then the employees would come across when needed. Sometimes just for 2 or 3 weeks. Sometimes for 7 or 8 weeks. If it was the longer time, they generally didn't come out again for a couple of months.

After my husband did this for 4 years he applied for an H1 and then a year later applied for an L1A and got both. All were above board and legally done.

Hope this helps.:)