ste1070

Hi,

Quite simply, how difficult/easy is it to get into the states with my trade. I am a time-served electrician City & Guilds etc with 20 years experience (am 38 in couple of weeks). Would I get a sponsor?? Any help appreciated. Cheers Steve

dbj1000

Practically impossible unless you marry an American.

Sorry. I'm sure others will give more details, but in the end you really don't stand any chance.

Read the Wiki for details of the visas that are available.

scrubbedexpat099

I would second the Marriage route.

I know a City and Guilds Plumber who did this route.

Dan725

Yep, I agree with djb. No doubt you've got tons of experience and the certification to prove it; however, the fact is that with it being a UK cert it is practically worthless here; and as its not an "in demand" trade in the same way that nursing is (for example), even if it were possible to get here with it (its not), you'd struggle to compete against locally certified folks and probably have to time consumingly relearn everything over again to satisfy paper requirements.

Maybe the commonwealth countries would be worth a thought? I don't know much about how they operate, but from reading a bit here and there on these boards, certainly seems to be the case that there is more compatibility with UK quals.

Ray

Its a licenced job here ...and getting a licence can be difficult ...and time consuming ..you have to work for a qualifed company for so longand take exams

fatbrit

And rightly so. It's very different here -- your average British sparky will have a fit when he sees how they do stuff here.

ste1070

I fear it is a myth that British Tradesmen are in demand. Thought it may have been a possibility with a big company that they may sponsor. Is it the sytem and not the companies that is the problem then? Steve

lisa67

Unfortunately a big company is unlikely to spend the thousands of dollars it costs to sponsor you and get you a visa when they can employ a USC.

ste1070

See your point. Very frustrating.

franc111s

And who would sponsor a sparky? They are 2 a penny here I'm afraid.

And as already pointed out, 110v (Except mostly Air Con/Oven with is using another connected phase for 220v. Here also, it's all plastic screw caps to join 2 ways and they don't need to be nested in sealed boxes. It's pretty funny to look behind a wall/socket. Take a look at some of the DIY examples on some of the buidling / tv store web sites for fun !!

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Actually, it is not a myth. However, that does not help with the immigration end of things. The big obstacle in the construction trades is a thingie called "Davis-Bacon." In order to immigrate, one must get a "labor certificate" in which the Department of Labor, in part finds that the job offered will pay at least "prevailing wage" for the occupation. However, the Davis-Bacon Act requires that employers with Federal construction contracts must pay at least "prevailing wage." The labor certificate rules require that construction trades must be paid Davis-Bacon ages. However, different "prevailing wage" determination methods are used in determining "Davis-Bacon" wages than is used for anything else. Davis-Bacon wages tend to be quite a bit higher than what the trades usually earn [lets put it this way, although Union Scale is one of the finest ways to determine "prevailing wage", they don't apply with Davis-Bacon]. Many construction compies will often have separate commercial and government divisions. The commerical will pay Union Scale and the government contracts division will pay the higher Davis-Bacon.

Bottom -- there will never be a shortage of construction workers more than happy to work at Davis-Bacon scale. The can still be in their Union AND get more than Union Scale.

I know this makes no sense -- but then I didn't write the rules.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Good electricians are in demand and hard to find. The British ones who immigrate here by other means will find steady work. They found it easy to adapt to 110/220 circuits in the US.

The DIY stuff is of no relationship to the issue -- it is crap.

It is true that the connections are done with plastic screw caps -- but the connections still have to be done right.

I don't know where you got the idea that j-boxes are not required for the connections. A wall socket will be in a j-box. Commercial installations require conduit with wire pulled through. Residential wiring has been pretty much replaced by Romex. But it still has to be done right.

I've had extensive work done to my house since 1995 and I've watched the electricians in what they do -- and it is a skilled trade.

ste1070

Think I understand, but am not sure. Will have to look elsewhere I think. Pity UK wasn't more strict on immigration. Just find it frustrating when I consider that I have a lot to offer by way of skills and approach to my job and that this can't be utilised. Thanks for help anyway. Cheers

ste1070

Nice to see you defending a skilled trade. There are lots of nehind the scenes stuff that people don't realise and could potentially kill. Here in UK I have tested many installations on a routine basis and found potentially deadly faults. I find it rewarding to come away leaving an installation safe and possibly saving someones life. May sound an exageration, but it is true.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

We are in total agreement.