Deano73

Hello everybody,

n00b here lol. Ok here it is....after looking into moving my US girlfriend here to the UK and seeing the costs involved we are looking at me going to the US (Louisiana). We have looked into the work permit side of things and to be honest thats going to prove difficult, I'm skilled and experienced, but my chosen profession is not going to cut it...(I work on the Railway).

We are planning to get married at some point and may have to bring it forward as its getting expensive traveling backwards and forwards. I have read through whats required on that front and its actually cheaper than her moving to London.
What I need to know is after we have gone through this side of things and I eventually can reside in the USA, how hard is it to find work on the railroad in the USA.

Thanks for your help.

penguinsix

I can speak only in general terms on railroads, in the sense that traffic and revenues for many US freight railroads are at a very high level. However, there is little expansion of any railroads due to costs, and most of the effort is designed to get more usage out of the existing infrastructure.

Still, compared to the UK, the rail network is far less extensive, and much of the work will be in rather rural areas where rail shipments of raw materials (coal, grain, etc) is more common.

Here is a job site for one of the large railroads, Union Pacific
http://www.unionpacific.jobs

Santa Fe
http://www.bnsf.com/careers/

CNR (Canadian National) has a lot of lines in Lousiana. They bought the Illinois Central which ran through there.
http://www.cn.ca/en/careers.htm

Good luck

Deano73

Nice one.

Ray

You are kidding ... its not even close ...

cheaper faster and easier for her to move there

Deano73

Not really mate. Total cost for her to come to the uk is roughly $5000 (this includes costs to translate degrees and such and marriage certs) For me to go to the US is roughly $1600.

Duncan Roberts

I've done what you want to do. It costs a lot more than that. What's the breakdown of that $1600.

Ray

Absolute nonsense ...

Rete

You are not thinking of the entire picture for cost to the US.

What about the translation of your degrees? Buying another car to get around with because public transport sucks in most areas. Medical insurance if wife isn't working and can't get you on hers? What if you can't find employment right away, we are in a recession you know, and you have experience in only working for railroads which is a union job in the states. The US is not heaven on earth and Louisana is most definitely not a place that is easy to live or work in and is not tolerant of foreigners. My daugther is a transplant New Yorker in Mississippi in a large urban city there and still the prejudice abounds for northerners let alone foreigners.

Bring the bride to the UK. You'll be a lot happier and better off.

Deano73

Ray pay attention a helpful reply!

Duncan,

I-30-$355
I-485 and biometric fee-$1010
I-765-$340

These are the 3 that we have found mate.

Have we missed something? Bearing in mind that we are looking at me entering the US on a Spousal Visa.


if we go down the road of a fiancée then you can add another $455

Deano73

whoa....The Railroad is an option. As for Louisiana being non tolerant of foreigners? Not something that I have seen the several visits and long stays I have had there. Both my Girlfriend and i have looked into all possible setbacks and tbh Me going there IS the easier option considering our personal situations.

Look I posted about the possible ease of finding work in a specific field. I Fully understand that there is a recession and that it wont be easy.

why all the brow beating?
lol

Ray

And now where is the $5000 going to..

Deano73

Ray, tbh i can't see where you are going with this. We have both done our math and taking into account personal circumstances which I will not post on a forum it will take longer and cost more to bring her here.

If you cant be a tad pro active, please dont bother posting.

Bob

your missing out on a lot of incidentals, medical, time at embassy, removal of conditions on greencard etc...it's really not cheaper and it'll certainly take you a lot longer as well as all the other costs associated with living here as already mentioned.

Holidaying here is completely different to living here, big time.

Getting a rail job is tough, you really need contacts and chances are, UK experience won't mean much over here, best bet would be long haul from Canada into the Us with a logging/paper mill company, or fresh fruit/veg via the pacific cross country route rather than in the middle of no where south.

Ray

No problem ..carry on with your ignorance ...
why bother asking ..

fatbrit

If you're going to be poor, it's always far better to be poor in the UK than the US. Your claim is a selective use of data to prove to yourself the logic of your illogical reasoning.