Bob

A lot of people ask for it for emergency purposes rather than a holiday...even a reduced compassionate rate could still be thousands of dollars if you need to buy a ticket in the next couple of days during a holiday event because your mother has taken a tumble down the front steps and broken her hip or gotten involved in a car accident and likely not to make it etc.

JAJ

And some companies take things to the next step, only for it to hit problems with eligibility, delays, retrogression, etc.

daven65

I appreciate it must be tedious for old timers on these boards to see FAQs surfacing time and time again, but as with my electrical equipment post, some people seem very quick to react snippily and point newbs at the search facility. But sometimes you just can't find what you are looking for in the Wiki or old posts and need a real human to respond kindly to at least reassure you that others have gone through what you are going through. It all comes in a bit of a rush when you first hear "yes, you can go".

WRT the OP and the question of relocation packages, it might be helpful if there was a wiki post (and if there is I can't find it but accept that I may be very stupid and therefore worthy of old timer scorn) laying out the rough expenses people incur based on family situation and distance to travel etc.

For my case, I am moving from Northants to Seattle area (Redmond) in January and have a wife, two children and a dog to take with me. A rough ball-park figure of what my expenses might be and therefore what a reasonable relocation package might be would be very helpful indeed. My employer has mentioned $10K all-in (they are arranging my visa) plus my hotel fees for a couple of weeks when I first touch down, but I don't think this is going to be enough and need some good data to help with negotiations.

I know I will need:

- Visa costs for family (no idea)
- flights for family (£1500)
- moving furniture etc (£4000??)
- Cash in hand to pay first month's rent and deposit on rental house
- Cash (possibly an advance of pay or something) to buy essentials being left behind (TV, car etc)
- Everything else I don't yet know I'm going to need, but that you good people could help with (or just tell me to use the search facility, I can take it)
- Expenses at this end either selling or renting our house (hoping to sell)

Also, the mentions of my relocation package being taxable are rather worrying. Can someone confirm if this is the case? I suppose it depends at which end the costs are paid, as well.

tonrob

It's been 5 years since I moved so costs will have gone up, but your $10K looks inadequate.

My company "grossed up" my relocation expenses - in other words they picked up the tax liability that became due.

JAJ

From an Australian perspective, much will also apply to the USA.
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Corpor...tion-Australia

What's the plan to get a green card, assuming you will want to stay? Do you know that in certain categories, you could have to wait many years? In other words, are you even eligible for the more straightforward GC categories?

daven65

Thanks, JAJ, useful points to consider in that list. I'm thinking of going back and ask for a cash lump sum to cover incidentals, rent deposit etc and then ask them to pick up actuals for moving the family and contents over. A friend who relocates people to the UK reckons that 2 months salary is a very common package.

As for the green card, not thought that far ahead tbh. Just happy to go for a couple of years at the moment. Current plan is probably to come back when the kids (10, 12) get closer to important educational milestones, but might reconsider when we get out there.

Bob

Visa costs, not your issue, company has to pay for them anyway...you might want them to stump for the EAD for the other half if going L1.

Moving furniture, mostly waste of money unless it's good stuff, again that has been covered in a few threads about containers, all depends how much crap in cubic feet you'll be filling, get quotes in yourself for nothing else to get an idea how much space you'll need.

Rent, look at craigs list for a gist of pricing, where you want to stay I've no idea, that would depend on what kind of schools your after and how long of a commute you fancy. Probably looking for first/last month plus a month as deposit and probably the same again none refundable for the dog.

Whitegoods, have a look at amazon/best buy to see what you'll need, chances are fridge/cooker/washer/dryer will be included in a rental. Look at the DMV site for costs on registering/plating/inspecting a car and also cost of drivers license.

Relocation money is taxable, but there are some deductions you can make at tax time. Search past threads on the details, Ozzidoc laid out a good list a couple months ago I think it was.

$10K is pretty shit, but pretty standard, really depends on the sector your in...high tech or finance could afford to stump $20K plus costs, uni lecturer would be lucky to get a air ticket.

meauxna

The most tiresome is being told how it's our fault you didn't get the replies you want. Research is hard work. You may not get all the answers in one hit. And maybe you caught the forum on a collective bad day. The service isn't always snappy.
I appreciate that there's a lot of emotion involved in the move and making decisions quickly and it all being strange and foreign. It's just that it is a lot of work to make wiki entries and especially when things change (like the last couple of years, which have been pretty unusual) someone has to maintain it etc. That's why people do relocation services professionally.

Additionally, you've jumped on to someone else's thread. So that people can get to know you and your situation, it would probably be best to start your own thread, with Redmond/Seattle in the title, and the Washington folk will come out of the woodwork with specific examples for you. Our cost of living in the PNW is very different from back east, actually, pretty much everything is very different here vs say, New Jersey or Texas.
I've also found that people will give you more information when they are a little bit invested in you and your situation, so tell us about yourselves in your new thread.

One recent mover got a relo package of $75K, so that should give you an idea that the range can be huge.
A wiki entry sounds great.. maybe you can start one?

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=623821
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=620320
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=627210
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=627163
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=631067
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=632517
Search: Key Word(s): relocation ; Forum: USA

Anyway, here's some more that include Seattle-specific. We could copy this over to your new thread when you make it, so it will be more helpful to future relocators.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=618341
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=591791
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=573869
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=549886
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546945
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=499996
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=445188
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=417309
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=405544

(yes, I'm just a good searcher )

stevie123

My wife, daughter and I relocated here 3 years ago through a great company. I got L1-A, wifey got L2. 6 months rent, all removal fees, legal fees incurred if we bought a place in the first 12 months, they bought my UK house for FMV, and gave us 20% of my salary as an "inconvenience" bonus. We had a great relocation firm take care of us and help sort all the minor things out like gas, electricity, SSN etc. As I was running one of their businesses here, I know it was in excess of $100k. All companies are different, but ours is an example of what a real good and professional one does.

dunroving

Yes, academia can be a crap sector to work in as far as immigration is concerned - in fact, visa costs are an issue in academia in the sense that, although they are responsible for the visa processing costs, they are not responsible for associated attorney costs (and they often don't have a specialist on site to walk you through the paperwork). Place I was at in the mid-90's didn't pay a penny (other than the fees), and I ended up $3k out of pocket paying an attorney to make sure it got done right. Luckily my last place had an on-site visa expert who dealt with all the exchange visas, H-1B's, etc., even GC's.

They'll usually pay your flight and some moving expenses, but none of the "3 months in a hotel, paid annual return flights, car allowance, realtor fees", etc. that you get in the private sector.

One positive with academia is the lack of a cap on H-1B visas, though.

dunroving

Yes, it is tedious, and the quick "snippy" reaction is probably quite understandable. Most people who whine about not being able to find what they are looking for via the Search facility are simply being lazy, TBH. Note Meauxna's search - search term "relocation", site "USA". Duh, how much easier could it be?

What is additionally tedious is newbies who criticise before they have even got to their 3rd post. BE is full of very helpful folks who will go out of their way to give advice to newbies who show a little gumption in terms of helping themselves. Pointing out the Search facility is being helpful, as it saves you waiting for replies, and usually there's a wealth of information already available.

By comparison to US immigration, dealing with people on BE is a walk in the park.

JAJ

You may want to investigate now if it will even be possible to stay longer. In some categories, the wait for a green card is many years and it's not unknown for older children to "age out" of eligibility.

Ginblossom

Heheh, yeh.

meauxna

Please add to that: people who didn't even come back to see the information that was dug out for them anyway.

Lazzza

You know I have not been around here long but neither am I new and I have to agree with this guy. Some responses here are snippy. Would an adult really respond to another adult's perfectly legitimate question (if face to face)by saying "duh"? I hope not.

People who have just been told they are being moved across the world are often in a state of shock and anxiety. So maybe they could be cut a bit of slack?

And to answer the OP's question, from my family's perspective we are getting: all L1 & L2 visa costs - fast tracked, green card application costs, all estate agency and legal fees for UK sale, closing costs for US purchase, 40' container for removals, air freight in addition, storage costs, 4 months temp accommodation until house built, a company pool car for 4 months, 6 flights, a cash lump sum. Hope this helps!