kancell

Hi Guys,

We almost moved to Ottawa about a year ago after securing a few job offers on a recreational trip, but due to family illness we couldn't realistically go through with the move. However, recently I've seen an engineering job within the wind industry, based in Portland, that I quite fancy. I just wondered if someone could please give me a fairly high level lowdown on Portland. i.e. houses, living costs, taxes, lifestyle, weather, just the usual kind of things. Also, are there many primary teaching jobs there for my wife?

I got my head around the Canadian visa system but have never looked at the US system, so better get studying!

Many thanks,

Kevin

Poppy girl

Be Careful there are some weird folks living in them there parts!!

kancell

woah, after an initial glance the US visa system looks a lot more convaluted than Canadian system. Reading between the lines, would working for a multinational company with offices in US, UK etc make things a little less painful and a lot quicker???

meauxna

Just ignore the crazy lady who posted above.

I live in Portland and think it's great. My UKC spouse loves it here.
US visas are complicated, but you have may have options. Please go over to the US Immigration forum and read the pinned post about living and working in the US for a shortcut version of the ways in.
If you can transfer with a company you have been with for 1+ year, that's the best (L visa). If you would be a new hire here, the visa option may not include work permission for your spouse (H visa).

With US visas, you need the job offer before you apply for the visa; the employer initiates the application.

meauxna

PS: as a heads up, the wind thing is going to be a big employment sector here for the next few, and Intel has just made an announcement about building a new fab here that will be employing engineers within a year or so.

Burn1911

Craazy Craazy hippies!!!

lansbury

The Portland Metro area is a great place to live, with choices of housing at all price levels. As PG says there are some seriously weird people living in the City of Portland, especially the Mayor, but in the other cities in the Metro area things are more normal, especially in Milwaukie.

Teaching jobs in Oregon are like gold dust as many teachers have been laid off because of budget cuts and schools are working restricted days this year. Our school district has reduced the staff working days by 15 and laid off about 60 teachers.

Green energy is a big thing in Oregon and wind and solar companies are here and expanding. But with 10.6% unemployment in the State I think unless you have very exceptional experience you will find it hard to get one to sponsor you over employing a local.

kancell

Cheers for the info guys. I've worked in the wind industry for a year at a reasonably high level on some big windfarm developments for one of the big 6 UK utility companies, in addition to my BEng Hons and 10 years work experience as a consultant engineer. I'm hoping that kind of experience would be highly valued in the US also. I think i might just stick my CV in and just see what happens, nothing ventured nothing gained!

What sort of price are you talking for 4-5 bed house, 1500sq ft with a nice big lot in the suburbs?

candy wy.

I thought It was just one weird person living their...............
thought you said the husband was normal

Octang Frye

Sounds like you might have a shot at a visa.
Most people call it "Oregon", though, not that I want to make it convoluted. Good luck.

meauxna

Sounds like you are uniquiely qualified!

Why the suburbs? Portland's inner city is not like the rest of the US.
How would you cram 5 bedrooms into 1500SF? I think the median house price for the metro area was just recalculated at $240K.
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/i...ices_sale.html

But if you want a McMansion in a suburban development, prices are probably quite competative right now. Location is everything though; I don't know which HQ you are aiming toward.

meauxna

I thought maybe he had a New Jersey accent. Or Boston.

kancell

i never said spelling was my forte........

Octang Frye

No, wind is. You'll find a lot of hot air on these forums, here's-looking-at-you-fatrbrit...

Portland rocks. I've been there twice and it's pretty cool.

lansbury

Well worth a punt with the CV

For properties as well as what Mo posted try http://www.rmls.com/RC2/UI/search_residential.asp put in Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas Counties it will show what is on the market now.