cy1982

Does anyone know if, as a US Permanent Resident, it is possible to work on Capitol Hill? Seems that this is something (a) offices there haven't dealt with regularly, if at all and (b) they just don't know what the criteria is.

I was interviewed for a Senate job and couldn't progress because they thought only US Citizens could work there, however, they also said this might not apply for the US House of Representatives.

Any insight would be most welcome!

sir_eccles

Generalizing slightly but most government/federal/state paid jobs are Citizen only.

Exception, working for a sub-contractor to the government. Needless to say, DC is a hotbed of sub-contractors bidding for work for the government.

markwm

I'm pretty sure a friend of my son was working as an intern (straight from uni and is British) in Washington for some politician - I'll see if he can get the details.

Also, didn't Tony Blair's son work in Washington as an intern? Maybe slightly different given Blair's position but the son (Euan?) is not a resident or citizen afaik.

md95065

Was he actually being paid anything?

markwm

I really have no ideA; I thought that interns worked for free.

penguinsix

The US Congress is exempt from most of the hiring rules that apply to other federal agencies (it's a complicated constitutional reason). When I was there we actually had a UK citizen as an intern with our committee (no green card, just a student visiting for a semester).

Each office can set its own rules on hiring, though if you are in a sensitive position requiring security clearance you may even encounter difficulty if you are a dual US-UK citizen, let alone just a Green Card.

cy1982

This sounds like it might still be possible, perhaps on an individual office by office basis.

I will keep digging around for confirmation.

SATX John

So long as there is no security clearance requirement, it should be possible. Only US Citz can get those.

http://www.opajobs.com/capitol-hill-jobs.html

One area to look at. You can always email the POC's to confirm or deny.

Bob

Not quite true. Greencard holders can also get clearance, just won't be particularly at a high level though.

SATX John

Bob, not by the current laws and rules. GC members must become citis by 8 years of service in the military, normally due the requirement to have a Secret Clearance.

Also You must be a cit to get a Secret. Non Cits = no clearance. A problem since all our radios use crypto, which you need a clearance for. Same for internet, secured system requires it, even if a contractor.

http://www.clearancejobs.com/security_clearance_faq.pdf

Bob

How accurate is a temp agency on the rules and regulations though?

That doc also says they can get equivalent to "secret" level, so either they can or they can't.

Anyway, things might have change when particular example I was thinking of happened, I don't know the details, but chap I know did design work for RAF bunker and communications. USAF got him a greencard specifically so he could get security clearance to do the same for them, which he did. He left after the work, but he still has the greencard, though I'm sure the status is long lost now.

SATX John

I did not post the dod link. Your friend sounds a special case probably on a Joint design project, who probably had a UK clearance. If you have that then exceptions can be made, like when we are deployed together. This has matured significantly since 2002. My boss then was LTG Nick Carter (then a COL). He could only look over my shoulder as we checked his email. Could not get on the system.

BLUF there are many jobs that do not require that access on Capitol Hill.

Just trying to help.

cy1982

Heard from a friend on the Hill that permanent residents can work for the House. The Senate however, requires you to be a US Citizen or at the very least, a Permanent Resident going through the citizenship process.

Therefore, any Hill work would need to focus on the House side.