Pistol

Howdy...


This is my first post and first day on this site, i require some information if possible...

Basically, i`m 26 years old living in London UK Born and Bred, i have a BA degree and 5 years working in 3 international companies in the IT field.

At this moment of time i`m sick of working and living in the UK.

I would like to move to LA and look for work there in a IT role, what would be the best way to do this? email companies with my CV or go to LA and see companies face to face and beg them to sponsor me?

Any information would be much appreicated.

Regards
P

tonrob

Have you asked yourself why an American company would want to employ you (and all of the visa hassle and expense that would go with it) instead of any of the countless experienced IT people that are unemployed in the area right now? And, if so, what was your answer? (As this is the key to you achieving your goal).

srefre

Do you still work for an international IT company?

Assuming you have no direct family connections to the US, I would think transferring within a company you work for would be the easiest way to get there.

Once this is done, you could then work on networking and making contacts if you were looking for a change. In my opinion it's far easy to get sponsored this way, than from being outside and unknown, unless you are a specialist in a relevant field.

Out of interest, what exactly do you do?

My disclaimer is that I am no expert, but just going through a company transfer myself, albeit with a USC wife too!

Pistol

Hi

Its true i have thought that question, why would they want to pay for my sponsorship etc, the answer was difficult to digest.
They could in fact employ somebody from america, but the companies i have worked for the experience i bring should be very competitive.

Hi yes i do still work for the International company, i work as an Network engineer, i have looked into moving via this company but there IT team have now moved to singapore.

Although i`ve seen the glitz and glamour of america on TV and i know going on holiday to america is totally different from working and living there, i really would like to make this move now, make my mistakes and if it dosen`t work come back to sunny old london....

Apart from working, would going out there and studying for my CCNA be a easier route in moving out there. even if its for 1 or 2 years?

rculater

If you got a bit of money behind you and no ties in UK, go out for 3 months on VWP and see what happens....emailing companies your CV is pointless TBH. The first question you will get asked is if you are authorized to live and work in US which you are not. No, no ones going to go through the grief and expense of sponsoring you unless your a god in your profession. I'm not sure about doing your CCNA out there. If you got enough money to get through the time while studying then enquire however im not sure what visa is available (if any) to study in US. If there is a "student" visa you wont be able to work officially.

You say your sick of living and working in UK ? You will probably be even sicker when you learn you get 1 week vacation a year, get treated like a slave and its 100 degrees in the shade most summer.

Good luck

cu

dbj1000

All Brits smell of black pudding and Marmite, and they all make sweeping generalizations.

Pistol

LOL to the last post...
i think i may have to go for 3months and see what happens...
From what america seems like and from the amount of times i been there, it looks like a better way of life out there...

In the UK we got rubbish weather, sky high prices on everything, and tax set to rise in the next few years due to a rubbish government. PLUS there is no way in HELL i could afford to buy a house in London without cutting my limbs off for money...

I can afford to quit my job and see what happens for about 1 year but anything ater that i`ll defo need a job. But hopefully 3months out there should open my eyes if the place turns out to be rubbish....

chrisfromusa

Pistol the easiest way I think for you to get here, would be to either marry a USC (without the intention of marrying just to get a visa of course!) and an L1 visa which is intracompany transfer and these 2 methods seem to be be far, what most Brits emigrate to here on. As for the vacation time, the one week is a lie, most companies offer 2-3 weeks which is pretty fine, and I can't speak for L.A. weather but just remember, it's pretty far south so don't expect it to be like Spain By the way, have you factored in cost of living? L.A. is expensive as hell if you don't want illegal Mexicans for neighbors

dbj1000

Given the information you've provided so far, you're better off making a go of it in the UK or choosing a country with less prohibitive immigration laws than the US. You have read the Wiki and you do understand your options with regards to visas, right?

rculater

yeah, Marmite gives us bad teeth

chrisfromusa

I'm gonna agree with you too, you pretty much have to be God to get here without a K or L1 visa. I would say check Australia out, they have relaxed immigration laws

Pistol you DO realize that houses in L.A. probably cost about as much as London right? A decent house that's not crackerbox size in a safe neighborhood in L.A. is like 200k-300k median price. Check city-data.com and have a look.

Pistol, PLEASE do not move here solely or mostly because of the weather, better weather does not mean things will be better.

Pistol

I`m very grateful for all the information you guys have provided me...

I guess i`ll have to continue holidaying in america... the american dream is So close yet so far...

off to cry

rculater

Move up north, save up and learn French then, when the UK population reaches 70million in 10 years time and no one can move, bugger off to a retreat in the South of France.

srefre

Why?

Noone said you can't do it, just that it is not easy and might take longer than you first thought.

Why not stick it in the UK, and start working for another multinational IT firm that might want to send you to the US? Why not start building up some niche experience that will be highly desireable in the US?

bowenaj37

Masters Degree perhaps?