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Visa to work in Houston

Visa to work in Houston

Old May 16th 2012, 9:33 am
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Hi there, again thanks for the answers/welcome/tips.

Package i have been offered is 55k, full medical- dental, eyesight etc, agreement to apply for green card after 6 months, mobile phone, visas, flights, and help with car rental/lease- but iam not sure what this means.

They have said that they do not offer a car as part of the package, but perhaps they can co-sign a lease with me or use some sort of leverage to get a better deal?

My job is all about commission and I should double what I earn on a basic salary in a year.

I am also being offered a perdiem, which I understand is 180 dollars a day in texas, tax exempt, as part of the salary package.

My understanding of how this works is 180x number of days I work in a year, and minus this amount from my basic salary. The number left over is what I pay federal tax on, the rest is tax free.

They have quoted me a price of 2-400 for car rental, maybe this is because they have some sort of deal but they have not explicity said this- i am yet to see the written contract. Obviously understand I will have zero credit so need to speak to them again to see what they propose here.

Interested to know what people think about this, they are offering to pay for my first two weeks of hotel/car to get me settled also, which i think is a nice gesture, but as I have never been to Houston I want to see how far this basic salary will go?

(i.e can it fund a good flat (pool and gym, nothing outrageous but good kitchen etc), decent car (golf/polo equivalent), a few drinks and a meal on a fri/sat night and a trip to the beach/lakes/baseball every now and then.

Im young, and this is my first time doing something like this so Im just trying to make sure I dont get off the plane, look down, and realise ive got a gunshot wound in my left foot...
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Old May 16th 2012, 11:28 am
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by DoubleDD
I am also being offered a perdiem, which I understand is 180 dollars a day in texas, tax exempt, as part of the salary package.

My understanding of how this works is 180x number of days I work in a year, and minus this amount from my basic salary. The number left over is what I pay federal tax on, the rest is tax free.
In your relocation package, make sure to include the services of a tax expert to prepare your taxes the first year you're in the US. From what you've written, you're going to need one!

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Old May 16th 2012, 12:11 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

55k isn't a lot to be able to live on in Houston, no. Have you looked at HAR.com yet as rent is going to be your biggest outgoing?
We were given what we thought was a massive housing allowance and it turned out to not be enough to rent a house with in Houston.
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Old May 16th 2012, 1:56 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by DoubleDD
agreement to apply for green card after 6 months,

My job is all about commission and I should double what I earn on a basic salary in a year.
Re: the first bit - on an E2? This is total horse shit. Either they are lying to you, or you have totally misunderstood this concept.

Re: the second bit - that sounds like a very shaky proposition to base a move like this on. What happens to you if you don't double your basic in year 1? (apart from them potentially firing you).
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Old May 16th 2012, 2:03 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

They can go down the EB3 route for the E2.
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Old May 16th 2012, 2:07 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

hey. I work for a relocation company and I myself am moving from London to Houston next month. Now I am going on an L1 visa due to my current employment with the same company.

An E2 visa would be a strange one as this is an investor visa...and requires you to make a substantial investment that you will be controlling whilst in the US. I would verify this if I were you?

Definitely request tax support as it's complicated enough doing your tax returns out there, but with your package, it seems even more so.

Cost of living in Houston is fairly cheap compared to London (I wasn't sure where you were relocating from so presumed London). However, for a salary of 55k, you'd be limited on properties and you may end up having to live in one of the more unsavoury areas...the galleria area would cost you roughly $1000-$1200 per month for something decent...but if you think you can rely on your commission, this should be ok.

I think the most important thing for you now is to clarify the visa situation and see more in writing, because without the right visa, it's going to be impossible and trust me, I speak from experience, even in straight forward immigration cases, the USCIS can make it difficult to make sure they're letting the right people in. Also, remember that the company will have to show that they cannot find such a skilled person in the US....
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Old May 16th 2012, 2:28 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by newtohouston

An E2 visa would be a strange one as this is an investor visa...and requires you to make a substantial investment that you will be controlling whilst in the US. I would verify this if I were you?

An E2 can also be used by multi-national companies to transfer staff into the US, similar to the L visa.
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Old May 16th 2012, 2:34 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

true...but he's not transferring, he's being newly hired...
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Old May 16th 2012, 2:38 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by Noorah101
I do not believe the E-2 visa leads to a green card, no.

Rene
E2 employee to green card is not uncommon.

E2 trader treaty investor to green card is.
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Old May 16th 2012, 2:39 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by newtohouston
true...but he's not transferring, he's being newly hired...
Yeah, that does sound a bid dodgy in his particular case. You are right, he should seek clarification on that.
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Old May 16th 2012, 3:38 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Also consider whether your salary will meet the DOL LCA requirement for prevailing wage in your fielddepending on which visa you get. 55k sounds pretty low for any transfer/relocation type job. Bonuses arent taken into account with the LCA unless they are guaranteed income. Speak to the attorney they will appoint for you.
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Old May 16th 2012, 3:46 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by Boiler
They can go down the EB3 route for the E2.
In 6 months - on a commission based job?
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Old May 16th 2012, 5:08 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

One query that keeps coming to mind as I read this thread -- OP, are you in direct contact with the company that will employ you? You aren't dealing with any kind of agency or middleman?
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Old May 16th 2012, 5:20 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by DoubleDD

Package i have been offered is 55k, full medical- dental, eyesight etc
That's great. But are they paying it and the deductibles etc 100% or are you?

Makes a difference from $0-1K a month in cost...though likely to be in the $100-200 range at a guess.
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Old May 16th 2012, 5:42 pm
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Default Re: Visa to work in Houston

Originally Posted by DoubleDD

.

I am also being offered a perdiem, which I understand is 180 dollars a day in texas, tax exempt, as part of the salary package.

My understanding of how this works is 180x number of days I work in a year, and minus this amount from my basic salary. The number left over is what I pay federal tax on, the rest is tax free.
If I'm reading that right, assuming you worked 5 days/52 weeks, that means you'd deduct 46800 from your salary as tax free income, and only pay taxes on the remaining 8200? Is that your understanding? I'm not a tax person by any means, but that sounds a bit too good to be true....?
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