Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

Hi all.

I'm going to commit the cardinal sin and ask a question I'm sure will have been asked on here a thousand times before - however I can't be arsed searching for it.

My wife and I moved to Australia just over four years ago from the UK. We're getting our citizenship in a couple of months time and then have a faint ambition to travel to the States and give it a bit of a crack there.

We've booked two holidays for later in the year (San Fran and New York in Sept followed by Park City, Salt Lake City for Christmas).

Irrespective of where we eventually may live, has anyone got any insight on how easy it is to pick up a green card for two poms (both 30, one a primary teacher the other a PR/Marketing Guru of the highest calibre!). Would love to hear some stories / recent examples of what others have come across.

At this stage, I think I'd probably consider a short-term working visa - are these hard to get hold of, is it a necessity to be sponsored, etc? We don't have kids (not of the human variety anyway...just two dogs which I'd like to bring with us), and have a sunny disposition and sense of adventure.

Just read another poster's thread (stephenry) and wanted to clarify the above. I came to Australia without a job to go to and then just convinced the first guys I saw to give me a job...four years later still here and doing well. That said, I was a permanent resident. I guess my main question is...do the US give out working visas to people who don't have a job already on the cards? I have no problem just moving over and letting karma do its thing.

Major concern is heading over to the States and being surrounded by morons. Australia's pretty insular but the weather makes up for the chav factor.

Ta
Rob

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

It's too early here for popcorn but I'm making some anyway............

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

Yes, it's been asked a thousand times. Don't be a lazy bastard.

No, the US does not give out working visas to people without jobs. Read the Wiki.

...and don't be a lazy bastard.

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

I don't think you have anything to worry about.
:)

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

Just in case you didn't get that:

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

ha ha :D

fair enough...if I must...I'll do the leg work...jeez

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

:blink::ohmy::blink:

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

<kicks back in chair throwing popcorn kernels in the air and catching them in her mouth>

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

I've got the drinks here - let's share :)

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

You'll need an appropriate visa to move to the USA. Read the following link for a summary of the possibilities:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulask...ork_in_the_USA

Finding a way to the USA is very hard without an "immidiate relative" US citizen, or an employer willing to go to the time and expense to sponsor a foreign national. Given that hundreds of thousands of Americans have been laid off in the past 6 months, the chances of the latter happening are slim.

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

they dont have working visas in the US like the ones in Oz. You either need a family connection or be sponsored by employer. see the link in my sig for more details.

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

Go to the wiki link someone gave you. If you don't fit one of thsoe categories, you won't be moving to the US. The only visa I can see that you might fit is the H1-B. However, its tough to get, you'll have to have specialist skills and you'll have to find an employer prepared to demonstrate that there is no American to do the job for a permanent visa, and who is prepared to shell out a couple of thousand dollars for the visa sponsor process.

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

Dammit, up to late in the day again!

You stole my bolding.


Dude, might want to work on the PR part of that. The Marketing part too, for that matter! :lol:

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

I knew you'd immediately warm to him :lol:

Re: Dumb question from Pom living in Australia
 

As an Aussie citizen (not a PR) you might be eligible for the E3 visa, I don't know if your type of work meets the criteria for the E3, you'll need to do your own research on that one. You also need a job offer to get the E3.