scrubbedexpat083

I know this has most probably been asked umpteen times now.

Tomorrow i have a meeting to discuss my benefits and relocation package. I'm happy with all the benefits except my 401k. Max company contributions $900 a year! Health insurance 100% by company, dental 50/50 jnsuramc premium. 15 days holiday plus 10 (bank hols?). 2 x salary death in service.

This isn't a intercompany transfer, I will be on a H1B. And i won't be a senior staff member.

What type of relocation packages have other people managed to get? Or wish you had? Or learned about something after relocating you wish you asked for?

Is there anything to stop me just buying a cheapish run down house cash when I'm there? Saves me paying rent for the first few years.

Thanks

Glasgow Girl

If you plan on staying in the USA long term, negotiate a Green Card application. Without that you will be going home in 3 years unless it gets extended and that can only happen once.

What you can get for relocation is going to depend upon how much they want you, and how much you want to go. At a minimum negotiate your air fare out, accommodation and car hire for 6 weeks until you find your feet. Also negotiate a package to return home in the event they let you go, because you will not be able to seek employment elsewhere and you will have to leave the country very quickly. US employers for the most part can fire you for any reason other than discrimination and there is no safety net.

If they are very keen to get you on board then negotiate for a lot more but like I said it all depend upon how much they want you. If they are very keen on you asking for $10K to $20K allowance to set up a new home is not unreasonable, but if they have other options they may well balk at much of anything, You will have to judge how important you are to them and what other options they may have.

penguinsix

Green Card is a major issue. Get that in writing from the get-go if that is a concern. In fact, even if it isn't you might ask for it as you don't know how you'll feel in 3 years.

Relocation money should include 'setup' money--a bit of cash to buy this and that. Everytime I've moved I've had to spend as much as a few thousand pounds on, well, crap. New power outlets, a power drill, placemats, a new mop, a rental car until I buy my own car, a night or two in a hotel because the flat wasn't ready.

SFNative

My husband, who has 15 years of experience but isn't in a hugely senior role, was originally offered $5k relocation allowance, which is the company's standard relocation package. They then came back and said since this was an international relocation, they would offer $15k. It was a very nice gesture on their part. Note that he did not need a visa, though.

It was $15k before taxes (so would be taxed; you could ask that they cover the taxes, making it maybe 1/3 more). We submitted receipts after the move and they reimbursed him via his paycheck. It was more than enough for us moving over here as a family of four. It covered a bike he bought to get around in; it covered the first couple weeks of rent since he was here a few weeks before we all moved over. It covered flights and transport. It covered the shipping of our household goods (though note we did not ship much furniture at all).

SanDiegogirl

As presumably you applied for this job, what you can reasonably negotiate for is generally considered less than if your current company was transferring you and had asked you to move.
You asked similar questions in December and got similar answers: Flight over, transport of household goods, initial accommodation/rental car, lump sum for initial expenses, flight back is job goes belly up, maybe clause in contract saying company will support you in Green card application.

scrubbedexpat083

I hate talking money, always feel bloody cheeky. But i didnt realised i would get taxed on it, something to bear in mind when negotiating

scrubbedexpat083

I didnt even think about the power supply differences. Basically everything electrical i own is not suitable for use in the US.

Do you know what costs are invovled in a greencard? Ultimately my goal would to be get citizenship.

civilservant

Have you already applied for the H1B and been advised that you have been selected in the lottery?

Glasgow Girl

There are two parts to getting a green card through employment. Your company has to go through a process with the Department of Labor similar to what they went through to get your H-1B. That involves attorneys and application fees, and the application can be subject to audit which increases the cost and time required. The cost of that is incurred by the company (because they are legally obligated to pay for it) would be anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $10K or more, depending upon how much effort the attorneys have to put into it, whether they use in house attorneys or out of house consultants (more expensive) and whether or not the application is chosen for audit (more expense). Most use out of house specialists. Then there are costs to meet the DOL requirements to advertise the position. It is a substantial outlay and once you have your green card you are free to find employment elsewhere, that is why most companies will make you sign something that requires you to stay with them for a set period of time or pay back their costs if you leave prior to that.

If the DOL approves the application then you have to adjust your status. That does not have to be paid by the company. Costs would be in the $2,000 range for the various fees. You may want to use an attorney to help you with the application and then you have those fees as well which will depend upon the attorney you select and how much time is involved but I would budget another $2,000 +/-, a lot more if you use an expensive attorney. You can do it yourself as well which is what I did to save those fees. I did not find anything too difficult although it was time consuming chasing it through the system and the bureaucracy at least in my case was mind numbing.

jammiie

You should insist that any lump sum for relocation costs is "grossed up" to cover taxes.

scrubbedexpat083

Hopefully i will hear at some point today

civilservant

It would seem that this thread is somewhat 'putting the cart before the horse' then. You only have, at best, about a 25% chance of being selected in the lottery.

Please do come back when you have heard!

postbox134

I'm also in the H-1B lottery this year, not heard for me yet but the rumour is that the likelyhood is even lower this year. Peope online are infering from their results that there was ~350,000 applications for 85,000 spaces (<25% chance). Apparently, some people have been getting many employers to put them in seperately to increase their chances...

civilservant

That's less than a 19% chance.

scrubbedexpat083

Well just had a teams meeting to say I was successful. If the pubs were open I'd be going, going to settle for a few with the wife