amelieuk

Jerseygirl -

I understand nowhere is perfect, but you are based in Jersey at the moment, so I suppose you understand where I'm coming from. Please don't forget that whilst I've studied in the UK and am married to a Northern-Irish/British citizen...I am still very much Irish and this is not my homeland.

JAJ

You can only use cross-chargeability if you are not eligible in your own right, I thought ... that means each spouse can still only make one application, 2 in total. Never 4.

lifehouse51

I believe that's correct, each person can only submit one application, but can include spouse, so that's 2 applications total (One for the OP and one for the husband). If you're eligible to enter under 2 different countries, I think people usually choose the one with the higher odds of winning.

lifehouse51

I believe that you're referring to the J-1 Intern Program for Irish: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/ty...es_1267.html#1
It sounds like it's only for University Students or recent graduates.

penguinsix

You could come over as students. Get an advanced degree in something and from there, take practical work training for a year to find someone willing to sponsor you for an H1 (though both of your careers are not really what most H1s goto).

Other option is to change jobs, find someplace that might post him to a US office. Move into government relations with a large multinational, or into public affairs/press relations for a large company.

As a journo, you have very very little chance right now given the massive layoffs that have happened in the US media industry and the number of applicants who will a) work for peanuts and b) not require sponsorship. Lobbyist is only slightly better off (but not by much). If was to get a law degree he might have a marginally easier time (but again, not by much).

Ash UK/US

I think you will find England & Ireland have a lot more in common with each other than Ireland/England and the US.

Also it is a lot easier to go back to Ireland (from England) when your home sick... even if it is only a long weekend. There are many expats here that go years between trips back because they have no choice (money/work).

HumphreyC

Yep. For a start Ireland/England are both pretty much bankrupt and have very poor growth prospects for the next five years.

Maybe the OP should consider Australia or Canada. Lots of very helpful resources here for those two.

amelieuk

Hi there

Thanks a lot for all the messages posted here, I'll take the suggestions on board. I suppose I will need to look into the whole studying thing. If I can take on courses rather than Masters, that should be fine and not too expensive. I could try for a J-1 and I'll definitely look into it, thanks.

As for staying in England/Ireland...I don't think it's really an option anyway. I'm really keen on the U.S but should it not work, we're still going to move to Canada. We're just not particularly interested in staying in Ireland/England in general.

Thanks

Bob

Look to a move within the EU where you dont' have to worry about a visa, get more experience, find a company that could lead to a transfer...

Also have the option of workers holiday visa if you went to Canada/Aus etc for a couple of years.

As far as sticking to your careers and hoping for a H1, chances are slim to none, certainly for the next few years, it's hard enough when there's a demand and the job is a shoe in for the visa, when the work isn't a shoe in, makes it much harder.

meauxna

Good luck with your move! Please post your future immigration questions in the immigration forum.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Jscl

Apart from the lottery, I would focus on getting an H1 visa for your husband. I'm not really sure what a lobbyist is, but the key to getting the H1 visa is to get a job here. Your husband's potential employer has to prove there aren't any US people who can do the job instead of you, and then they have to get you the visa. With a Masters your husband should qualify for the visa IF the employer makes a good case for him, and the job market has enough openings.

I would really try and network. Often you need that little bit extra to get something like this moving... talk to people (in the US) your husband has met in his work, at conferences, people he knows who have moved to the US and are in similar fields... A potential employer is going to have to really want you/your husband and having someone they know putting in a good word for you really helps. It's almost vital. If you're thinking of moving to the NE maybe even networking through the Irish connection might be possible... there are plenty of Irish communities who might be open to being kind of penpals, and then you never know what connection you might make.

IF your husband can get in on his Masters you would be able to accompany him to the US but you would not be able to work here unless you then went through the process of obtaining your own H1 visa (or until the day you were granted a green card). I think getting your own H1 would be tricky, not because you're not skilled, as you clearly are, but because the job market for journalism is too packed. You'd probably have a 3+ years' wait before you could get a greencard and work, and you'd need to be prepared, emotionally and financially, for that.

Good luck!

anuny

Lobbists, mostly spin and influence local,state or Federal legislators. you have to be in insider. Or an insiders-insider. Most lobbists have been, or are, connected to local,state or federal government in more ways than one can imagine

Bookem

If you have any close relatives living and working in USA even if they are only green card holders they may well be able to sponsor you.
I would also suggest before emigrating to USA you at least vacation here are a couple of weeks.
In recent years it seems to me that immigration from Europe has slowed to a trickle and even reversed to a certain extent with many Europeans moving back home. Immigration from Mexico/South America, India and China really seems to have increased. Living in the Chicago area I hear as much Spanish being spoken as I do English.

aviva

The lottery system is not random, not picking paper out of a hat. I'd suggest making inquiries of good immigration attorneys who know how it works and where to intervene to get you through. I did, it worked for me. Absolutely worth it.

Seneca21

Have you seen the US debt and deficit?

You might be able to get into Australia or Canada (they don't have the structural economic problems of the US, for a start), but don't count on it. They both have pretty rigorous points systems and Australia at least has drastically cut back on the jobs in demand list. I don't think lobbyist or journalist are on it, so you probably stand a greater chance of getting into the US, frankly.

Which is just as well because that's where you want to go!

Good luck.