stevejnr292

Hi all, I've just registered but have been on the forum as a guest for a little while. I'm 28, single (sort of!) and a fully qualified Senior Anatomical Pathology Technologist, doesnt that sound posh!! Basically in the US my job title is a Forensic Technician and my line of work is with the Medical Examiner/County Coroner. I have travelled to both coasts in the US and have decided that it is time for me to seriously look at somehow trying to get to working and living in the US. After spending endless hours on the Net reading about it, it really looks like a tough task. I'm also in a new relationship with an American girl so the marriage option is not an option at the moment!! I'm going to be on here quite a while as I understand its a long process and I have a lot to learn plus I want to be in a good fiancial situation personally before anything else. Now I understand that you have to have a job offer before you apply for the working visa. After reading quite a lot of info I think the visa for my line of work is the H1-B, can anybody confirm this for me please? If it isnt, which one should I be looking at? Thanks for your help.

Duncan Roberts

You should be looking at the marriage option. At least you have a profession other than plumber, electrician or shop assistant so you may actually be eligible for a work related visa, emphasis on the maybe.

penguinsix

Marriage would be easier.

One of the problems with your line of work is that, by and large, the employers for those positions are state or local governments. They're not about to hire foreigners to do a government job--full stop. Even in cases where they made consider it, it would be a green card situation, not sponsoring an H1-B visa (which can cost the employer a few thousand dollars). Imagine if the UK was paying £5,000 a head to bring in policemen from the US to perform police work? Same sort of outcry.

If you can find some private sector employers who are hiring in that field, you might be able to try and persuade them that you would be right for this. I have no idea if the Immigration Service feels we have a 'need' for more forensic technicians. In a general sense people brought in on H1B are supposed to be helping US businesses be more competitive, etc (or course there are 1000s of exceptions, but generally speaking that's what it is for).

Have you consider some academic work over here? Perhaps studying for an advanced degree in a tangential field? Might also be an option to entry (though staying would be another battle).

It's going to be tough. Good luck.

slidingbyee

I think Penguin6 has hit the nail on the head. Your biggest issue is going to be the hiring for State and County positions. Look at the application forms online for the positions I have checked quickly right now the first portion of the appl requires some sort of 'hoop jumping.' Fyi the most common 'hoop' you are likely to encounter in this arena is the amusing and circular argument that you need to have a USA high school diploma or GED certificate in order to apply for the State and County jobs. I know, I know you are probably thinking but I have qualifications far inexcess of that. Like I said it is a 'hoop' you have to jump through, I suspect for the reasons Penguin6 outlined. If you do decide this the is route you which to take for a job, just suck it up and take the GED in the State whereever you intend to settle. Essentially the GED is a high school diploma substitute that anyone can take after high school. It should be easy for you to do, and don't be fooled into taking a course paying $$ to do so. Find your local adult education centre and challenge the test - be diplomatic about it and you should do fine.

You will need this qual to access all State, County jobs in any State.

Tableland

There are a million immigrants into the US every year (whether change of status or fresh off the boat) considering the trouble the various educated and skilled on these forums have in getting in one canonly wonder where on earth all these people come from.

Tracym

Family members, frequently.

Tableland

That's what I'm thinking as well. Can't be the best way to guarantee people with the highest skills and experience though, can it? I think the US immigration system is rather, ahem, antiquated and needs reform.

Tracym

It has been suggested to move away from family-based immigration, to a more skills-based system.

Arguments can be made on either side I suppose - skills based is conceivably better for the country - but would be harder on families who might remain separated.

Of course, that raises the whole argument of - are highly skilled people *better* than others? Doesn't the nation need all types?

notacrime

Marriage to your USC girlfriend would make this all a lot easier. But that is understandably a big step from where you are now. I have seen several relationships come under the strain of being forced in to marriage before the couples felt they were ready, just so that the 'alien' partner could remain in the US.

The suggestion of finding some academic route is a good one. It would allow you to experience living in the US with your american girlfriend, and give the relationship time to develop to where you are comfortable popping the question.

Bob

Yup, as mentioned, academic route in would be your best bet, if you could teach the subject at a uni you wouldn't have the cap to worry about, still the cost, but anyway...

Another consideration, would you even be qualified to do that kind of work over here? I'd imagine that it would be state specific, so you'd want to see what you'd need to do to be certified to do the work in the area your looking to move to.

If your a crime scene tech, there's also good money and jobs going on clean up work, they being private companies might be more inclined to sponsor someone, though maybe not, but it's an avenue to explore.

welcome to BE anyway

stevejnr292

Evening, and thankyou for your responses and welcomes. I must admit I have thought about the education route but do not know hardly anything about it and what the requirements are of the visa eg ability to work whilst studying etc. Can anybody point me in the direction of some info, I have had a look on the London US Embassy site but couldn't find anything on education visa's. Any help would be great.
Thanks Bob, I didnt give the clean up teams a thought, maybe that could be worth looking into. BTW, I spent some time with the Los Angeles County Coroner a few months ago and the qualifications I hold makes me more qualified than the techs already there, mainly because they do not have any education program in place to carry out this kind of work.

Bob

to be a student, F1...to teach, H1 again, but there wouldn't be the quota cap getting in the way....have a read of the wiki up top as it has a fair bit of info to get you started.

stevejnr292

Hi Bob, thanks for the reply. I had a quick look in the Wiki bit but I cant seem to find anything on the education visa. But more than likely I'm looking at the wrong part!

meauxna

It's not called an 'education' visa. A Student Visa (F-1) is for education. I know, it's confusing.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new.../students.html

(also you have to look under NONimmigrants. That means it's a temporary visa, not for living here permanently)

stevejnr292

Thankyou for the link, I now have an idea of what it is!