Moving to the US

[hattra]

OK, MF - I did work in the States - went out originally on contract to Apple in Cupertino, on a B1 visa (6 months, supposedly for "advisory" type roles). Most peoiple would then go down to Mexico "on holiday" and renew as they came back over the border. Usually you could get 18 months before thay started getting bolshy - some of my fellow Brits had been out there 3 years. I believe that's not so easy these days.

I then went permie and moved to an H1 visa, which comes attached to a job. It's for three years, and renewable twice. You have to prove educational and work experience equivalent (3 years doing it is equivalent to 1 year studying it, apparently) to at least a Batchelor's degree, which is not too difficult with UK qualifications, as they are well thought of in the States. The intention is to give you time to qualify for, & apply for, residency, then citizenship (which can take 5 years from application to be approved). IIRC L1-type visas are for intercompany transfers to allow US companies to bring in skilled staff. There are various others if you have reasonably high net worth & want to run your own business - look for comapnies in Florida selling ready-made pool cleaning businesses.

Either that or apply for the green card lottery! (tough if you were born in the UK - you're not wanted, but apparently there aren't enough Irish in the States, yet). Fortunately, I was born in Ceylon

[theemeestroo]

I am sure the exchange rate helps but for me it is a number of things

Better weather (either proper seasons or hot if you go south)
Higher Standard of Living
Cheaper Houses
No Chavs!!
Won't have to pay(as much) for flights every year for snowboarding holiday and summer holiday

[DimPrawn]

No New Labour, but you have Bush instead. Hmmmmm.

[milanbenes]

'No Chavs!!'

are you sure ?

Milan.

[MarillionFan]

"MF, what did you decide to do about taking the post over there?
I lived there from 2000-2002 and loved it."

To be confirmed on Monday but it looks like six month contract extension with trips to the US no more than 2 weeks in any one go, full expenses + travelling time at daily rate with a review in six months.

Happy with that.

[theemeestroo]

In Atlanta there were definate no-go areas. So no chavs playing wanabe gangsters, just real gangsters!! But apart from these areas, most of it was pretty calm (well calm in a redneck kind of way )

[Not So Wise]

Did just under two years there under L1 in the 90's, these days most seem to go under the H1B which from what I can tell is very "contractor unfriendly" and also the company who sponsors you has you by the balls

If you have some ready cash (min £20k recommended £50k) to invest in a business there you could try for an E2 Treaty Investor visa. Once you have that you can get a general work permit

Highly doubt the Canadian option will work as even Canadian natives require visa's and permits afaik

[rootsnall]

Unusual breed? Last time I looked, the DV was available to those born in every country in Europe, except the UK. Special relationship? Bend over....

When I looked into it the only 2 nationalities who could not enter the green card lottery ( not a lottery if you had the right skill set at the time ) were British and one of the Central American countries. Anybody else in IT got in quite easily ! I couldn't get to the bottom of why we were discriminated against, some old Irish lobby thing was all I could think of. More recently I was advised I would have problems getting in at all as my passport was Issued in Riyadh after I had put it in the washing machine while working over there. Decided I'd boycott the place the instead !

[Paddy]

All you need to do is to go on holiday to Miami, find a lorry tyre inner tube and float around the bay. Why you are picked up say that you are from Cuba. You will get housing and $25,000

[hattra]

As many guns in as many calibres as you like.

I'll have a Desert Eagle in 50AE please.

No...

On 2nd thoughts, make that two.

But you can only have 7-round magazines

Better make it 3