AndyEODV8

Not sure if anyone can help?
i am going threw the process in moving to the states and i am curious if their is away to change my British qualifications to American Qualifications at all?
Most of my qualifications as well are from the British Military.

Any help would be great thanks.

Owen778

You might need to be a little more specific, and actually tell us what your qualifications are.

Are you a childminder? Professor? Plumber? International Man of Mystery?

You probably also need to tell us which state in the US you will be moving to. Most certifications in the US are done by a state agency, not federal.

Guindalf

...and also what "threw (through!) the process" means. What visa? Do you have the right to move, etc.

NatashaB

You can have them assessed by an agency such as ECE. They will review your transcripts and produce a report explaining what each of your qualifications is equivalent to. It depends on what the qualifications are and what jobs you plan to apply for as to whether that would be worth doing.

Owen778

True for academic qualifications. But it's not at all clear what kind of qualifications he's asking about.

Bob

And there's no point in doing it unless you've been asked for a particular reason as each agency/school/job might have their own company in mind to do the processing, which is pretty meaningless on it's own.

Pulaski

Engaged to USC, starting the K-1 process.

Unfortunately your qualifications are likely close to worthless and you will have to decide whether to recertify under local US qualifications (as pointed out, many professions and trades are licensed at the state level), or to do without the comparable US qualification. For example there are several options for a British licenced electrician, who in the US could work unlicensed under the supervision of a master electrician, or obtain an apprenticeship with a view to gaining sufficient experience and exam credits to qualify as an electician in the US.

excpomea

I can actually answer this as I went over the whole process 15 years ago
I served my time in the Royal Navy, retired as a Chief petty officer with a HND in marine Engineering. Obtained whilst in the Navy. (Important)

Upon arriving in the States I started work at a local University, thought I might go back to school and obtain a US degree.

Submitted my paperwork to a company in Miami who supposedly transferred my UK qualifications into a US equivalent amount of credit hrs ect.

Cost a couple of hundred $$

Applied to my local university and was turned down flat as my qualification had been obtained via the military.

Basically I had to go back to a high school level and start all over again.
I decided they were idiots and chose to concentrate on my technical skills.

Now I'm doing pretty well, highly regarded engineer in a very high tech company.
Make a good salary, good benefits but don't even have a HS diploma..

So, depending on your UK qualifications it may be worth something if you have a degree BS at least from a UK university. Anything else I figure your on your own at the bottom of the ladder.

AndyEODV8

Thanks for the info guys. My qualifications and job title is I'm in the British Army and I work in EOD Bomb Disposal. So my qualifications are NVQ Level 2 in search and disposal function in munitions also have BTEC Level 3 in driving HGV vehicles.
Military qualification is Explosive Handeling, Defence IEDD No2 operators qualification and High Threat Advance No2 operators qualification.

Jobs I'm interested in is Law Enforcement ideal carrying on EOD.

The state I'm moving to if everything is approved with my visas is California Fresno.

Unfortunately I do not have any degrees as I have been in the military since I was 18 and it is all I have ever done and I'm coming out as an nco

Guindalf

OK, the qualifications ARE basically useless. Not too much call for bomb disposal in the public sector and, depending where you are, most police/sheriff's offices require you to be a citizen and have minimum (US) qualifications.

I don't know what the TSA requirements are, but I understand it's not very well paid and, of course, depends on your location, but a large percentage of the population are within reach of an airport!

scrubbedexpat099

Thank you for your service .

NatashaB

Ditto what Boiler said. And whilst I don't know what those qualifications will do for you in terms of getting a job, I'm sure they can be exchanged for college credits.

kimilseung

You have been here way too long Boiler.

nun

On what basis do you think you can get a US visa; marriage, H-1 sponsored by a company, investor?

Pulaski

See #7, above. He has a thread re a K-1 in the Marriage and fiancé visas subforum.