# has anyone just upped sticks and took a chance



## Jennieelou (Jun 7, 2015)

Hi all, myself, partner and children are currently residing in Australia, we are originally from the UK and came here for my partners job. While its a beautiful place to live its not where we want to be forever and would love to live in North Carolina, USA
Were so confused by all the visas over there and have read its hard to get a job unless your already in the country. My partner is a highly skilled Carpenter and plasterer and im a Bookkeeper with banking experience also.
So my question... has anyone just upped sticks and left for the US and just took a chance?? 
Id ideally like at least one of us to have a job there beforehand so the children can go to school etc..
Any info greatly appreciated! 
Thanks


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

The biggest "challenge" you're up against is that, for most sorts of visas with working privileges, it's the employer who has to get the work authorization and process the initial visa request. So, basically, you need to find a job with an employer who is willing and able to sponsor the visa application - and that ain't easy.
Cheers,
Bev


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

They can refuse you entry to the country is they suspect that you want to look for a job and move to the US.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Neither of these jobs would qualify for a work visa.

Plus the visa must be applied for while the applicant is NOT in the US - so upping sticks and 'just moving' is not an option.


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## Jennieelou (Jun 7, 2015)

Thanks for the replys.


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## Jennieelou (Jun 7, 2015)

Just wondering where you got the information that neither of our jobs can be offered a visa??? Very different from what we have read and been told already :-/


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Bookkeeping (unless very highly specialized), carpentry, and plastering are not job tasks normally associated with U.S. visa categories. Crawford has a reasonable point of view here. A prospective employer has to make a reasonable argument why the particular services you or your spouse -- unmarried partners are at least more difficult -- provide cannot be obtained in the United States from authorized workers. That's a tall order.

However, I can think of one potentially viable avenue to explore. If you can obtain Australian citizenship then there's a U.S. E-3 visa potentially available. However, you and your prospective employer would still need to demonstrate that your particular bookkeeping is a "specialty occupation." That would be aided if, for example, you could demonstrate that you understand and practice both Australian and U.S. bookkeeping, and that you have a special ability to assist your prospective (Australia headquartered) employer in the U.S. with their complexities involving the intersection between U.S. and Australian tax and financial accounting. That sort of argument might work. Your spouse -- you have to be legally married -- could then follow you to the U.S. in trail.

It's still quite difficult, but conceivably something like that could work. The U.S. is chock full of bookkeepers, though (many unemployed), so general bookkeeping isn't going to get you into the U.S.


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## belgarath (Jul 15, 2011)

I hope you have not paid for this information.

Basically a job visa requires a BSC degree or higher in a qualified area (it, telecom, management). Read uscis.gov.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Jennieelou said:


> Just wondering where you got the information that neither of our jobs can be offered a visa??? Very different from what we have read and been told already :-/


Pick one where you or your husband (and the employer) would qualify for:
U.S. Visa


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## Jennieelou (Jun 7, 2015)

Thanks for all the info! Im a qualified accountant however never chose to do australian equivalancy tests as bookkeeping keeps me going over here as we also have a highly successful manufacturing business.
Yes the e-3 is something weve looked into also, were in no rush to travel to the usa so there are various pathways for us to look into, its more of a long term goal.
We were more curious as to what peoples opinions were as read a lot of conflicting info and quite a lot of articles saying to just go, take a chance and its easier to find a job once your already there. Cheers guys!


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

The regulations define a "specialty occupation" as requiring theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in a field of human endeavor including but not limited to biotechnology, chemistry, architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, law, accounting, business specialties, theology, and the arts, and requiring the attainment of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent as a minimum


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

Jennieelou said:


> quite a lot of articles saying to just go, take a chance and its easier to find a job once your already there.


Can you point us to any such articles? I've never read such a thing.


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## Jennieelou (Jun 7, 2015)

Sure i could go over my partners history and find them.. 
I was only asking if anyone had done anything like that, not wanting to spark a debate! 
But really thanks guys for all of your help, advice and friendliness!


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

There's also a 12 month Student Work and Travel Pilot Program available to qualified Australian citizens. Like the E-3, it too is a non-immigrant visa. It might work if you obtain Australian citizenship within the age limit, though again it's only a 12 month stint in the U.S. and nonrenewable. It doesn't have a specialty occupation requirement, though the list of sponsoring organizations is very short. (Walt Disney World is one of them, would you believe.)

If Gallup polling is accurate there are approximately 150 million people outside the United States that want to move to the United States. That should give you some idea of why the U.S. can be very, very selective about who it admits.

By the way, I'm assuming both you and your partner (current or future spouse) do not qualify for the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery Program because you're U.K. persons (according to that program's definition). That wouldn't change if either/both of you were to acquire Australian citizenship. However, if I'm wrong in that assumption, then the Diversity Visa Program is another possible avenue. If either/both of you qualify, it certainly doesn't hurt to toss your name(s) into that lottery the next time(s) it opens.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

You can go on a vacation for a couple weeks and try to talk to interested employers. But before you do that, you first need to have your contacts and appointments lined up. But that's not "pick up your things and give it a try". Don't know who's saying things like that... (unless you're ok with living as an illegal).

(and don't say that you are going to apply for jobs at the border, as Immigrations can refuse you)


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Jennieelou said:


> Thanks for all the info! Im a qualified accountant however never chose to do australian equivalancy tests as bookkeeping keeps me going over here as we also have a highly successful manufacturing business.
> Yes the e-3 is something weve looked into also, were in no rush to travel to the usa so there are various pathways for us to look into, its more of a long term goal.
> We were more curious as to what peoples opinions were as read a lot of conflicting info and quite a lot of articles saying to just go, take a chance and its easier to find a job once your already there. Cheers guys!


Finding a job is not the issue. Finding a job and an employer willing to sponsor for a visa is the issue. This official site is easy to read travel.state.gov

I do not know what a qualified accountant is but unless it is the equivLent to a 4 year Bachelor it has little bearing.
Investment does not lead to Green Card/Naturalization unless you invest 500k plus 20-25% in fees at risk. There is no partner visa but occasionally B2 which means SAM.


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