A Fresh Start?
 

Hi all,

My name is Adam. I'm 25 years old and currently live in London, England. I have considered moving abroad for a long time. Naturally, it is difficult to know where to begin when it comes to moving abroad. I have always had a soft spot for the USA. It's my dream to spend some time in Florida. I have been working in various roles in the insurance industry. Is getting a similar job realistic? Do I need a lot of money to move to the USA? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Start by reading this https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulas...ork_in_the_USA and see if you fit one of the ways.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Thank you lansbury. Are you currently in the US?

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Hi, welcome to BE.

Can you be a bit more specific about your job, when you say ‘various roles in the insurance industry’, what kind of roles do you mean? As you can see from the link given above your chances will depend on your job and education level.

Do you by any chance work for a company with offices in the US?

Yes, you’ll need quite a lot of money for a move to the US, or to most other countries - emigration certainly isn’t cheap!

Good luck to you.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

I am yes, been here since 2006.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Hi Christmasoompa, sorry being a new member I can't quote your message, so I have to respond that way. Yes, looking at the link I can see it is not easy to move to the US. My roles insurance have varied from working on Life Insurance to Property Insurance. My role involves working on niche databases, Microsoft Execel and understanding the Law, with regards to Legal Requirements for Insurance policies. I have currently £15,000 in savings, I have been saving for the last 2 years. If I was to attempt the big move, I would try to secure a job before then. Unfortunately, my company doesn't have US offices.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

I have no idea about insurance jobs unfortunately, hopefully those in the industry will know if there’s any chance. Do you have a degree?

If you read the link you’ll see that you’ll need a job offer from a sponsoring employer, you can’t get an employment based visa without one, so yes, you’ll need the job first.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Yes that would be ideal, to find a job from a sponsoring employer. I'm planning on searching thoroughly for my industry. Hopefully, I will get a better idea if working over in the US is possible or not.

I don't have a degree, I have 3 A Levels. After I left college, I went straight into work. I'm not sure how A Levels would be viewed in the US, especially as the UK college system is of course different to over in the US

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Unfortunately A levels don't directly correlate. Unless you are looking to attend a US university.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

I'm afraid A levels are not understood or valued at all. They would be viewed as being at the same level as a US High School graduate. Unless you have some highly technical and specialist skills, and employment experience in those areas, or a very strong track record in your area of work that truly makes you stand out (eg as a salesman who regularly smashes his/her sales goals) imo you would absolutely need a degree for any professional level job. The US is very degree-dependent, to an annoying extent.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Thank you for your replies. Seems like my best bet is to work for a company that has offices in the US :(

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

You should consider getting on a path to getting a degree too. Employment in many sectors in the US, especially in corporate businesses and offices, is heavily skewed towards favouring someone with a degree, both at the hiring stage and for promotions. If you find yourself in the US without a degree, you may find that opportunities open to you are limited in both numbers and seniority.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

That is a better option route, but even this will require good skills and experience which is valuable to US employers. Management and executive roles usually fit this visa's requirements.

Even a transfer to the US costs employers time and money....... The L-1A/B (which is the usual transfer visa) requires a minimum of working for the UK employer for a year. The lack of a degree can be overcome by 10 to 12 years of experience.

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

Thank you both for your responses. I have 7 years experience in the corporate industry, so maybe if I can get to management level in my field that could help my career going forward.

My area of work is Lloyd's Insurance in the City of London, not sure if that will stand out.

Is each state different with regards to what they are looking for in an employee?
Also, how did you all manage to move over to the US. Do you all have degrees or does it vary?

Re: A Fresh Start?
 

A good percentage of us are married to US Citizens, which provides a pathway to permanent residence and citizenship.

it sounds like a work pathway would be difficult, impossible, or take 5-10 years to achieve at a minimum in your case.