kazed

Hello All

New to this so please be patient with me. Our family moved from Northern Ireland Feb 2007 to New Zealand. So been here 4 years nearly. We would like to give Idaho a go but need to know the possibilities for work in the civils sector. Appreciate any thoughts eg weather, people, lifestyle, schools, banking, cars, housing. Thanks

nettlebed

Read this:

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

Unless you qualify for any of these, you're not going to Idaho anytime soon.

Here is a simplified version: http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulaski_Simplified

If you were born in NI, you have a chance of the DV lottery.

Bob

civil sector, be a bit more specific?

But yeah, visa is key...most government jobs require citizenship too.

kazed

Civil Sector = Husband been a supervisor in a construction company in Northern Ireland. Wide variety of work from sewer and storm water installations, all types of housing and commercial ground works and earthworks (roads, footpaths, retaining walls, playgrounds) for both government bodies and private. In the later 10 years the company specialised in sheet piling, coffer dams, dredging, x-blocks and rock armouring for coastal defence sea erosion, harbour entrances and new marinas. Extremely good operator on plant ranging from 1.5 tn to 100 tn (incl long reach excavators) and a large no of other types of plant. Not only an operator but very experienced supervisor. Since living in NZ has been involved in sub divisions (AKA new housing developments civils), pressure sewer main, electric fusion welding and water reticulation. Currently self employed having completed a major 230 birth marina in Whangmata, NZ. Sorry went on a bit but he's really good - good reputation in a very short time. (I use to live in NY, NY and had a green card but lost it when I went back home in 1996).

Bob

Doesn't sound like the sort of work that'll get a visa tbh. How did you get yours in the first place?

kazed

Thanks for your help anyway.

Vimto

If you are both from Northern Ireland have you looked at the diversity visa option, not open to the rest of UK but still an option for you.

kazed

Yes we both from NI but I have already had a lottery visa back in 1994. Don't think it would be offered to me again.

ian-mstm

You're eligible to enter each year, regardless.

Ian

kazed

Thanks Ian

UKzeus

Don't bother coming here soon as the construction trades are dead in the water, if you are looking for a State or Federal job you'll need to be a US citizen. I don't see an improvement yet here either there are over 75000 of us are unemployed here at the moment and a large portion of that is from construction. So my advice is to sit tight in New Zealand for awhile.

P.S Everything here is awesome if you are outdoor people, Has 4 Seasons, cold winters and hot summers

kazed

Thanks - sitting tight

scrubbedexpat099

The Lottery sounds like the only way.

I have a guy I will be taking on, a GC but no work so earning $8.50 working shifts at the local Supermarket.

I will pay him $15 but he brings his own tools.

Steve_

You appear to be talking about jobs in civil engineering. The Govt. was throwing large amounts of money into infrastructure projects but that is largely done now, certainly if it were a complex project I could see that you could get H-1B if you can find an employer willing to sponsor you. Have "could" and "will get" are not the same thing, if only because of the quota.

However Idaho only has a population of 1.5 million, there just isn't that much going on, especially with the recession.

There's loads of civil projects here in Alberta around the oilsands and elsewhere, e.g. in the pipeline construction if Congress ever finally approves it, we're already desperate for engineers and if the XL pipeline gets approved there will be even more demand.

Forget the pipeline, roads and tunnels being built all over the place. Already loads of Brits in the construction business here. I'm sure you could find someone to sponsor you for a TWP - there are even still lots of construction trades on the skilled worker list: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...structions.asp