postbox134

Surely if you're eligible for O1, you're worth far more than $90k...

trentschris

I'd be interested to know what line of work you are in... a 90k relocation just seems way too low. I agree with other comments, I think you are going to really struggle on that salary...that's struggling to live as a couple...forget all the fun and adventures you want to have.

I have associates who have moved to the LA and Silicon Valley areas on relo packages and the lowest offering was 250k plus expenses.

I don't want to come across as being flippant, but should your dream job get you to a salary much higher than 90 usd? And as someone else commented, if you do qualify under an O1, you are seriously under valuing your talents.

Pulaski

Yeah, that was my thought, after fermenting on this thread since my post, #2 above earlier today.

If I were the OP, I'd play hardball, and tell them it's a great opportunity, which I'd really like, but they need to come up with a lot more money. .... The OP should also look into what market pay is for the job he'll be doing?

Flaxe

That information is really useful, thanks S Folinksy and everyone else!.

I've checked my salary against averages on Glassdoor and other resources for comparing salariesm and dare I say it looks like it is potentially even a smidgen above the average rate. The downside of working in a creative industry, I suppose. I'm not an engineer, scientist or business expert by any means, so can't pull in those big salaries. In fact, who knows if I could even secure the O1 visa - that's just what they'd want to try and bring me in on.

I could try and go back asking for more money - but I can see already that people with more senior titles don't get much more than what they've offered me, ouch!

The only possibility it seems to get more cash is overtime and bonuses - overtime offering time and a half, and bonuses look like they could be around $20~25k ish a year, so maybe that could help. But when I see people saying I'd need roughly $150k to maintain the standard of living, I don't think there's any way of that happening - regardless of how much bonus and overtime I put in.

It's a tough one to decide on. And is compounded more and more on - do I want to pull my girlfriend out of her career, out of our comfort, and then bloody marry her! For her to sit at home waiting for me all day. It's not a fair deal on her - and from the sounds of it, I couldn't afford to improve her quality of life much with the money I'd be earning

SanDiegogirl

Nothing to stop your wife looking for her own job once in the US and then getting her own work visa.

trentschris

If you're already thinking about having to put in a load of extra overtime just to get by, taking more time away from your partner on evenings and weekends for instance, that could be a big red flag for her

Flaxe

We've actually discussed this together - but we can't be sure it's guaranteed. She's got a business degree and 4 years under her belt in a good position at a UK branch of a US based company, and they straight up said no to giving her an L1 visa when she announced I'd been offered this role. Absolutely gutted. If she was living out with me in LA whilst jobless, I feel she'd have a hard time getting anything considering the company she'd be applying to would need to then apply for her for a h1 visa which is expensive, a lottery, and takes a long time, right? All for the potential she doesn't even get the visa.

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And regarding me working overtime just to try and keep the income up, yeah it's not ideal as I want to spend a much time with her as possible. Makes it feel like the only sensible option is to stay in the UK, keep our careers and earnings ongoing, and then just enjoy nice holidays together as we already do

civilservant

If it were here in Georgia, living in a rural county commuting into Atlanta, I would say go for it. You might not be rich, but $90k is very acceptable. This just sounds like volunteering for the poverty line though.

Pulaski

If this is a good career development opportunity, there is one other unattractive option among the other, also unattractive options (living in poverty, turning down the opportunity), and that is accepting a period of long distance relationship. A number of us here have gone through that, for one reason or another, and it certainly isn't fun, but for a couple of years it can be the best, or was for some of us, the only option.

In your particular case it would allow your partner to retain her job, and her income, and she would be able to come and visit you any time her job allowed, and it would allow you to make your budget go further. You might also be a bit more flexible on the quality or type of living accommodation you are willing to accept, for example not having to worry about your partner at home while you are working. Perhaps even one of your colleagues has a room they are willing to rent, or sublet in an apartment?

And to make this plan palatable to your partner, I suspect that you will still need to get married.

Jack_Russells4ever

From someone that has relatives that recently escaped from California due to outrageous rents, taxes, straffic tress and crime I have to ask why anyone in their right mind would move to the absolute worst state in the USA? If you want to move to the USA look at Tennessee or Texas. Just because a job offers a higher pay that is located in California does not make taking a job there a good choice. Ask yourself this Why are twice as many native born Californians fleeing the place as incoming replacement population? When my cousin moved from California to Florida last year, She had to fly to Dallas Texas to rent a moving truck and drive it to Southern California. There are almost none available to rent.

postbox134

If one is moving for work, they have very little say in where they go typically. However, OP should probably look to at least visit before they move (get it paid for by the employer too if you can).

Pulaski

Given that the OP is apparently in the creative/ theater arts business, a job offer in LA would be like someone in horse racing moving to Kentucky or New Market, someone in oil and gas moving to Texas or the Middle East, someone in the restaurant business moving to Paris, someone in banking moving to New York or London, or someone in the computing/ internet sector moving to Silicon Valley. They aren't necessarily the most attractive places to live, and the cost of living may be very high, without commensurate pay levels, but taking such a job may be "logical" for career advancement reasons, at least for a few years, even if the quality of life isn't going to be attractive.

Jack_Russells4ever

Now that is GOOD ADVICE! Let me add to this if you go there for a look drive around the entire LA metro area by yourself. Get off the freeways and drive through neighbourhoods.. You will be shocked and save yourself a lot of grief if your going there and listening to only one side of the available information about the place. A prospective employer almost never mentions the downside of an area they are trying to bring in an outsider too.

Jack_Russells4ever

What you are stating does make sense but their are other metro areas that also have the same types of employment such as the Nashville Tennessee area, Austin Texas comes to mind, Wimington North Carolina has some employment with TV production if it has not closed down recently.Plus likely a few others I have forgot.. The cost of living are considerably lower outside the Southern California area and New York City Metro areas. Just throwing it out for consideration.

S Folinsky

From my eyes as a retired immigration practitioner, my reaction is one should not limit inquiry to the obvious. Although a non-immigrant dependent may not be able to engage in traditional employment, the scope of permissible activities can be a tad fuzzy to say the least. And some of those activities may be remunerative.

I’ve seen some vehement debates on the immigration lawyer forums I still participate in. (I provide historical memory). This true especially in these days of WFH work and whether or not Matter of Hira applies.

Legal consultation may very well be in order.