Clannad

Hi, first post, so please be kind

I have an inter-company job opportunity for transferring to one of our offices in the US, I have over 20 years professional experience in my specialism and myself, wife and 2 children (11 and 13) have been considering a move to the US for some time now - with the outlook that any such move would ideally be permanent. My question is three fold:

1. The office on offer is not in a location we would ideally like to be (Atlanta), my company does not have an office nearer to our preferred location (Tampa/Sarasota area) so I am hesitant to commit to a 3 year with option to renew/leave. How feasible is it to relocate to Florida after the 3 years (assuming jobs etc are found) but also bearing in mind the unsettling and resettling of my kids at what would likely be key stages in their education/socialisation?

2. Is the opportunity to move internally (visas sorted, relocation support etc etc) too good to dismiss - it gets us into the US right? or would waiting for an opportunity to come up in the Florida region be a better bet? Assuming I'd have to sort all the arrangements out myself with a new employer/sponsor or spec opportunity.

3. My wife is a qualified and experienced dental nurse with a UK qualification (she is registered with the UK Dental Council). If after a period of time she wanted to do this in the US (aware she'd need an EAD....and a job offer!) does the UK qualification carry in the US? Its not a degree level, its a diploma and I would guess it sits somewhere between a high school diploma and a technical cert, but she has bags of experience.

We are in a bit of a quandary, so any advice is welcome.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

Firstly, what visa will you be on? I assume a L1, but any chance of the company sponsoring you for a green card? It's not just 'assuming jobs are found etc' if you are on a L1 and wanted to move on, you'd also need an employer to sponsor you, whereas if you have a green card you can work for anybody without the visa hassle. Plus if you want the move to be permanent, a green card is what you'll need.

If you want to move to the US, personally I'd go for it. The chances of finding an employer prepared to sponsor you for a job in Florida is pretty small tbh, the usual recommended route on the forum is to try and get a job with an international company then look to transfer, which is exactly what you've got. Maybe you'll love Atlanta, maybe the schools will be better than in Florida, so it could work out for the best?

I do understand why you're hesitant, my husband has been approached many times about jobs in the US but they've always been in areas that don't appeal to us (Texas mainly - he's in energy) so we've not entertained it. But we don't particularly want to live in the US, so it would have to be an exceptional offer and in an area we'd consider (for us, only New England really) for it to appeal. Whereas if you've always wanted to live in the US, then you'll know how tough it can be to get a visa, so personally if I were you I'd jump at this opportunity.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

carcajou

I spent a majority of my growing-up years in Florida.

If you want to go to the US and have a chance for Atlanta, go for it. Atlanta has a high quality of life, and many Floridians are leaving and relocating there. That trend has actually been ongoing for a while, 10-15 years. I personally know several Floridians who have made that leap and none have regretted it.

Frankly, I would also rather live in Atlanta, than Tampa.

Business links between Atlanta and Florida are enormous and yes plenty of opportunities to move to Florida from Atlanta, if you have a stable visa situation. Keep in mind, that though Florida is much bigger than Georgia, and Florida just passed New York as the third most populous state in the US - the Atlanta market is bigger than any single market in Florida other than the combined South Florida metropolitan area.

If you have a chance take it - I would not wait for a Florida offer to materialise first.

civilservant

1. Atlanta is a good place to live if you pick the right spot, as with any major US city, crime is rampant in the wrong areas. This is also true of Tampa. What is the draw to FL? It should be noted that FL is far more frequently a target for hurricanes than North GA. We get the odd tornado here, but mostly it's just severe thunderstorms.

2. If your only option for a visa is tied to a job, then you go where they tell you to go if you want to move to the US. Passing this up for a potential move on a H1B (which is, at best, a 25% shot year to year even with a job offer) seems a little shortsighted. Make sure they agree to sponsor you for a Green Card, and that you negotiate your salary upon moving while retaining annual leave allowances.

3. There is zero chance that she will be able to practice without re-training and/or re-certifying. Certifications do not carry over from State to State in the US generally, let alone country to country.

A quick google found some information on the topic specific to GA, it will be different if you waited to move to FL:

https://www.dalefoundation.org/resou...ements/Georgia

steph0scope

I would take the opportunity to get your 'foot in the door' and then you have a couple of options - the company may sponsor you for a green card, in which case you would free to go and work wherever for whomever you want. Obviously the company then loses an employee they spent several thousands on relocating to the US, so don't expect it to happen over night. They will want their money's worth from you before they give you the golden ticket to leave and do what you want.
Would there be an option of remote working in Florida for the job in Atlanta? Maybe not immediately but it's definitely becoming more and more popular for people to work from home, Coronavirus has shown many employers how many people can actually do their jobs from home and there are incentives for companies in some areas for this also to help cut pollution, congestion and improve road safety.

On the other hand, you may get here and find the Florida of your dream holidays is the last place you'd actually want to live. Holidaying somewhere and living somewhere are two different things. Check into comparisons for schools, etc between the two areas.

Pulaski

All good advice above, and I'd definitely take Atlanta if that was what's on offer. Most people who want to relocate to the US will never get the opportunity, so you should consider youself extraordinarily lucky that you have a job offer within driving distance of Florida, and not complain that Atlanta isn't your "preferred" location.

Maybe one of our members who was a dental nurse will be along to comment, but AFAI understand the role, there is no direct US equivalent to a UK "dental nurse" and that the closest match would be a dental hygienist. As CS said already, she would have to recertify in the US, as all medical professionals, as well as non-medical professionals and trades have to if they want to practice in the US; at very least she would have to take the US (set by the state she is living in at the time) exams, but most likely have to take some courses and undertake a period of supervised practical training. A family friend was a fully qualified and experienced anesthetist who came to the US and had to spend four years requalifying as if she was a fresh graduate from medical school!

penguinsix

It might still be a bit early, but what are your intentions about university for your kids? Do you want them to return to the UK or do you see them attending school in the USA once they are done with high school? There are some rather major financial implications behind either of these options, and possibly some visa issues as well depending on everyone's status in a few years.

Clannad

Hello peeps, sorry for the delayed response, some really good feedback here and much appreciated. A lot to take in and a few Q's to address.

1. Current employer has shipped people to the US before and many have been there for a very long while, so I'd assume a green card could be pursued - appreciate comments on that as I may have not considered it as a relocation request initially. I also understand this is the better 'way in' but we do need to convince ourselves that Atlanta could be...bearable! A satellite office exists in Charlotte NC and being based there could be an option although I haven't asked that yet. In terms of a long commute, I would prefer to be near(ish) to the office as I would want to build a local social network of colleagues and friends, initially at least. Maybe in time I could head up our new Florida office!

2. Atlanta/Florida - Its not a complaint! We just don't want massive city living I suppose (I was born in rural Ireland but raised from a baby in the city of London), and we want decent all year round weather, along with all the trappings of a decent living area (schools, sports facilities, shops, bars, restaurants etc). Atlanta just seems too ...big! I know Florida is not all sunshine and roses but we have been there a lot and have British/American friends that live in Sarasota, Bradenton and the Tampa Bay area. Its a decent laid back life outside of work stress. Atlanta looks stressful!

3. My wife trained for a number of years with assessment over 18 months to become qualified. It appears she may need to do some chairside on the job assessment/training to get registered - the link above suggests 6 hours! So I'm sure she'd be fine with that.

4. My girls, all-English gymnasts and cheerleaders outside of school! Did I mention I am also a qualified gymnastics coach?! Anyhow, they are 11 and 13 and beyond high school I have no specific aspirations for them. If they want Uni, so be it, if not then another path they shall find. I would expect they will remain in the US although its a long way off. Currently one wants to be a paediatric nurse, the other believes hair, makeup and beauty are her forte! I would say they are quiet and will find fitting in a little tough at first.

Thank you for all your feedback. I probably need to convince myself and the family that Atlanta ain't all that bad and could work for us....

tom169

Florida is still driveable from Charlotte. Obviously not as close as Atlanta, but definitely doable. FWIW I think all of what you said about location makes sense.

civilservant

How does a city 'look' stressful? Anyway, the reason that so many companies are being based there are that it continues to grow and is becoming the business capital of the SE. It is well located, not to mention that fact that it has a major airline hub and is the busiest airport in the world by aircraft movement.

As always with anywhere, you make of it what you will. Depending on where you work in ATL, an hours drive could mean you living nearly as far up I-85 (perhaps as far as Barrow County) as I am, and I assure you we are about as rural as it is possible to get. I have to avoid deer daily on my drive to work.

Is ATL busy with traffic? Yes. And I hate driving in that traffic, but once you get out of the commute it's like pretty much any other city in the US.

Pulaski will now no doubt give you a soliloquy on how awesome Charlotte is

Pulaski

Not really, it's a mini-Atlanta wannabe, .... and like you I live a good way away, with deer, raccons, turtles, and many other animals in my back yard. That said, it might be a better option than Atlanta if you want to live "nearish t​o the office."

Clannad

The office is located towards the Dunwoody area so not......city centre? We currently live in a small typically English market town, about 30 minutes from a small city. Its not especially rural, we have good schools, shops .bars and restaurants a few minutes walk away, and it is well connected to many other cities. We like being self sufficient near to but not 'in' the city and having the city available for bigger nights out and the standard cultural stuff (museums, galleries, stadia etc) is ideal.

civilservant

Dunwoody is North Dekalb county, it's pretty much at the Northern end of the Atlanta Metro area just off I-285 and not far from I-85.

You could easily live in the more rural counties in the NE or N of Georgia, you'll get more bang for your buck the further out you live. As an example, I bought a new construction house in December for $205k. 3,600 sq ft on just over an acre of land.

I would recommend that you look at Hall, Barrow, Gwinnett, Bartow and Cherokee counties.

carcajou

In my view Atlanta > Charlotte (sorry Pulaski).

Atlanta is not seen by Americans as a stressful place to live. It's a place people move to, to get away from places that are more stressful like New York, Boston, or Miami. I do understand what you are saying regarding small towns etc but keep in mind, Charlotte is not a small town - it's about twice as big as Dublin.

Civilservant makes some good points; if the office is north of Atlanta, you can commute in from the more rural areas and miss the worst of the traffic. North Georgia is beautiful - lots of hills and mountains.

American high schools typically offer cheerleading as an extra-curricular activity, often competitive and comprehensive, with travel to state contests etc. Your daughters will fit right in.

Pulaski

Choice of schools/ school districts should be high up the list of factors when choosing a home, and some of the rural schools may not be well funded and quite frankly not be "up to snuff" compared to suburban schools. So at least until his daughters leave school the possibiliy of living out in the sticks may be somewhat limited.