# want to get to US is it easy



## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Hi can you tell me is it easy to get to the USA .?

Getting a green card and staying is it easy


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Hi can you tell me is it easy to get to the USA .?
> 
> Getting a green card and staying is it easy


Pretty easy to get to the US -- many airlines have regular flights. If you live in Mexico or Canada, there are road crossings.

Getting a green card is easy if you qualify but impossible if you don't.

Staying is easy if you get a green card or become a citizen.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Impossible ? how u mean impossible loads emigrate evry day .


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Impossible ? how u mean impossible loads emigrate evry day .


I have no idea whether it's impossible for you as you've told us absolutely nothing. How do you think you might qualify for a suitable visa?


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Wife is qualified Nurse works with handicapped children, and i a qualified mechanic specialist Porsche qualified, is that enough ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Wife is qualified Nurse works with handicapped children, and i a qualified mechanic specialist Porsche qualified, is that enough ?


Nurse maybe a possibility if they open up the category again -- it's stuck in terminal retrogression at the moment. She'd have to take the NCLEX and become registered before she were even in with a chance if/when it reopens. Allnurses.com has an area for immigrant nurses where you'll find further information -- it's not easy and a few I talk to on other forums have given up waiting and moved elsewhere.

Don't see much hope of sponsorship for your mechanical skills.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

What a Porsche top enginear . it took 5 years to get to my grade do they not have Porsche cars in Florida ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> What a Porsche top enginear . it took 5 years to get to my grade do they not have Porsche cars in Florida ?


They have Porches everywhere. And were you allowed to live and work here, I'm sure you'd have no problem finding work. However, it's the allowed bit that's your problem.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Well my mate said that when he was over there he saw a few jobs for mechanics . if i got a job there first could the firm get me in dont they do sponssoring or something like that ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Well my mate said that when he was over there he saw a few jobs for mechanics . if i got a job there first could the firm get me in dont they do sponssoring or something like that ?


If possible, it would cost the firm thousands and be half-a-dozen years or so before you could actually come out and work. You've got a mate who runs a Porsche dealership and is prepared for the cost and wait -- it may be worth pursuing. Otherwise, forget it!


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Forget it ? and be stuck in England when its crumbling big time ,i demand a second opinion as your saying nobody can go to the states no more ?
Put someone else on


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Forget it ? and be stuck in England when its crumbling big time ,i demand a second opinion as your saying nobody can go to the states no more ?
> Put someone else on


Try OZ/NZ or Canada -- much easier. The US is having a bit of a crumble at the moment, too, if you didn't know.

And BTW, I'm not saying nobody can go to the US but I am saying that I can't see a suitable route for you from what you've told me.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Well i have money and we both work so we should be able to go anywhere. want to go to the states near Florida property i have seen is so cheap and its hot Canada is cold and snowy


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Well i have money and we both work so we should be able to go anywhere. want to go to the states near Florida property i have seen is so cheap and its hot Canada is cold and snowy


You're ripe for the taking then! A meeting with one of those Florida "visa consultants" and you'll make his or her day. Don't say you weren't warned beforehand.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

So you arent joking then , you realy dont think i will get there ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> So you arent joking then , you realy dont think i will get there ?


Not directly through your mechanical skills, no!


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

you saying a Porsche mechanic isnt any good ? i earn 40k a year took 5 years yo get to the Porsche star 8 level .i can rebuild a 911 engine in my sleep and you say i wont get in ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> you saying a Porsche mechanic isnt any good ? i earn 40k a year took 5 years yo get to the Porsche star 8 level .i can rebuild a 911 engine in my sleep and you say i wont get in ?


The only classification you *may* come under is an EB3 immigrant visa.

The employer has to show that there is nobody already here who can do the job. This is an expensive, difficult and lengthy process. Assuming you get through this, there is then a lengthy wait for the visa. At a guess this will take around 5 years. Assuming no skeletons in your closet, you could then process the visa and start working here.

Could it happen? Possibly! 
Is it likely? No!


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

5 years ................. in 5 years there will be fighting on the streets in England needs to be quicker than that ,you any ideas how bad this country is going ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> 5 years ................. in 5 years there will be fighting on the streets in England needs to be quicker than that ,you any ideas how bad this country is going ?


Don't open the Wail would be my advice.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

anyone else got any advise on getting to US ?


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

Plenty....but you don't give us much to work with!

*Here's one: become an established and published researcher in the field of nanotechnology *and file for an EB with an NIW. You'll have a green card on arrival.


whats that and is it easy to learn ?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> Plenty....but you don't give us much to work with!
> 
> *Here's one: become an established and published researcher in the field of nanotechnology *and file for an EB with an NIW. You'll have a green card on arrival.
> 
> ...


Nanotechnology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

Unfortunately FatBrit is right.

Most people who come to the US on working type visas are either working for transnational companies and do an intra-company transfer, or they are academics (who study for 8 or more years post high school and almost always have a PhD plus publications, competitive grant money, and teaching experience at the university level).

Unfortunately, unless there's someone absolutely desperate to find a Porsche mechanic and there's nobody in the US who can do the job, it's unlikely that you'll be able to get a visa based on your own qualifications. For what it's worth, there are courses in the US that focus specifically on high-end, foreign car mechanics. With the economy in the US doing so poorly, if a need is noticed for this skill, you can bet a lot of Americans will be signing up for it. 

The easiest way to get into the US is quite simply to be born there, but that doesn't really help your predicament. If you're desperate to leave the UK, why not consider Australia? Good weather (except Melbourne where I'm living now -- still better than the UK, but not as good as North Carolina where I'm from), great lifestyle, and you can sometimes get in on your own skills. it's far away but it's a better option than the US which sounds like a non-starter, unfortunately.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

twintubber said:


> Impossible ? how u mean impossible loads emigrate evry day .


There are a limited number of routes to a green card. Basically, you either have close family to sponsor you (parents, children or siblings) or you have an employer to sponsor you. The employment route normally takes having a significant job, better if you have a university degree or two.

There is a third route, which is the diversity lottery. There, you need luck - both to be eligible for the lottery (natives of certain countries cannot apply) and to get drawn in the lottery. 

Depending on where you are from, even the family or job routes can involve spending lots of time on the waiting list - as much as 10 or 12 years. Not exactly "easy."
Cheers,
Bev


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Impossible means impossible. You have given no indication that you have anything special in the way of education, skills, or experience to offer, or that you have close relatives in the US who could sponsor you for a work visa. Other routes might be to get a university degree in the US, then possibly find work, stay for a year or more, then apply for a green card. If you have more than a million to invest in a business that will employ Americans, you might be able to get a visa. If you are from a country that is eligible for the green card lottery, that's a possiblity.

But it doesn't seem you have any of these going for you, so it will be, essentiallly, impossible.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Your wife will have to jump through the hoops of being qualified in her field in the US. This entails amoungst others thing class room training, State and Federal exams. Then she will probably find an employer in an area with nursing shortage. Have you ever been to Wyoming?
Your only chance to come to the US as mechanic is through Porsche. You are trained. That is great! But you are not licensed in the US for starters. Porsche certifications are icing on the cake.
I am not trying to insult you - with 40k you cannot survive in FL.
Do your research, jump through the hoops, have the necessary financial padding to get you through the start.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

twostep said:


> Your wife will have to jump through the hoops of being qualified in her field in the US. This entails amoungst others thing class room training, State and Federal exams. Then she will probably find an employer in an area with nursing shortage. Have you ever been to Wyoming?
> Your only chance to come to the US as mechanic is through Porsche. You are trained. That is great! But you are not licensed in the US for starters. Porsche certifications are icing on the cake.
> I am not trying to insult you - with 40k you cannot survive in FL.
> Do your research, jump through the hoops, have the necessary financial padding to get you through the start.


40k english money is 80k in dollars and you cant live in the US with that , someones telling fibs i feel 

So its official then nobody but millionairs or rocket scientists can go to America ?

disgusting response


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

We're being very honest with you, really. It's just really really hard to move to the States if you aren't related (very closely) to an American, a world-renowned expert in your field, or eligible for the diversity visa lottery. 

80K would be fine in Florida, but you'll be making USD once you get here and start working so the exchange rate won't make the slightest difference, except on holidays abroad.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> 40k english money is 80k in dollars and you cant live in the US with that , someones telling fibs i feel
> 
> So its official then nobody but millionairs or rocket scientists can go to America ?
> 
> disgusting response


You can live in Florida on $80k. Not the posh parts of Palm Beach, mind you, but you can have a reasonable standard of living. Not sure what a Porsche specialist would be paid, but my guess is less than this.

Plenty of people come to the US who are neither rocket scientists nor millionaires. For the latter, it's a bit crap because the government will want most of it....and the myth of low American taxes is just that.

But it's all moot anyway unless you come up with a better plan.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Miami is the third most expensive city in the US, according to a report I saw earlier last week, so Florida is not universally less expensive.

Why don't you contact some Porsche dealers and repair shops that specialize in European cars in urban areas with a lot of wealthy people? In Florida, try Naples, Miami, Palm Beach, Boca Raton...

One of the problems will be that, unlike large international companies, these operations will be small and probably won't have ever sponsored anyone before. That might make them wary, even if they are desperate to have you.

Personally, I think you should look into Australia. If you qualify on points (see the stickies in the Australia forum), then you can actually emigrate and look for work once you are there. If you want out of the UK, that might be a good bet. Also, check Canada.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

With the current economic situation even big importers such as Sonic are cutting cost and sitting on inventory and laying off across the board.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

True, but maybe it will help the OP to find out how hard it is first hand.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

synthia said:


> Miami is the third most expensive city in the US, according to a report I saw earlier last week, so Florida is not universally less expensive.
> 
> Why don't you contact some Porsche dealers and repair shops that specialize in European cars in urban areas with a lot of wealthy people? In Florida, try Naples, Miami, Palm Beach, Boca Raton...
> 
> ...


I dont want to go to Austrlia i want to go to USA , if i dont go there nextt stage is a bar in Spain but thats last resort , as i am told you get sunburnt a lot and the wife hates the sun


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

It does not matter where you want to go. What matters is - can you go there, work and stay. 
Do you have a chance to get transferred with your current job, do you have a US employer willing to sponsor a visa, do you have the finances necessary to start a successful business within given perimeters, do you have first degree relatives? Does your wife fit into any of these rather simplified catagories?

When was the last time you talked to expats in Spain?


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

twostep said:


> It does not matter where you want to go. What matters is - can you go there, work and stay.
> Do you have a chance to get transferred with your current job, do you have a US employer willing to sponsor a visa, do you have the finances necessary to start a successful business within given perimeters, do you have first degree relatives? Does your wife fit into any of these rather simplified catagories?
> 
> When was the last time you talked to expats in Spain?


havent spoke to them but i bet they arent as negative as what you have been on here 
if i wanted spanish i would be on the spanish questions and answers wouldnt i
usa is what i was after nut now the dreams are all sqashed thanks


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> havent spoke to them but i bet they arent as negative as what you have been on here


Giving you reality is not negative.

If you're going to open a bar in Spain, how much capital have you got? May open other routes.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

twintubber said:


> havent spoke to them but i bet they arent as negative as what you have been on here
> if i wanted spanish i would be on the spanish questions and answers wouldnt i
> usa is what i was after nut now the dreams are all sqashed thanks


??? Noone is negative here. All you have to do is read up on US immigration law. The homepage of USCIS gives very detailed information about immigration visas.

I thought so - you have not been to Spain in a while.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

The problem is that the employer has to provide evidence that there are no qualified Porsche mechanics to hire, then spend money, then wait.

The process apparently has gotten so slow that only the most dedicated employers would go throug it anyway. While many other countries can process applications in as little as three weeks, the US apparently takes forever. Immigration seems to favor systems that set a couple of specific dates for handling applications, rather than handling them as they come in. That's the way it works for the working holiday arrangements with Australia and New Zealand.


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## EURODOG (Jul 31, 2008)

twintubber said:


> havent spoke to them but i bet they arent as negative as what you have been on here
> if i wanted spanish i would be on the spanish questions and answers wouldnt i
> usa is what i was after nut now the dreams are all sqashed thanks



I had tried for years to move my small business to the States, I am a retired UK police officer with a pension and qualify for a National Exemption Certificate that states that my occupanion is in short supply in the US. I train and provide law enforcement dogs and regulary place dogs and train handlers for agencies in the States. The dogs we source and train include explosive detection dogs. I have references out the yeng yang and still can't get it done.......


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

EURODOG said:


> I had tried for years to move my small business to the States, I am a retired UK police officer with a pension and qualify for a National Exemption Certificate that states that my occupanion is in short supply in the US. I train and provide law enforcement dogs and regulary place dogs and train handlers for agencies in the States. The dogs we source and train include explosive detection dogs. I have references out the yeng yang and still can't get it done.......


Never heard of a National Exemption Certificate relating to US immigration matters.

Opening a business here is not that problematic provided you have the capital..


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## EURODOG (Jul 31, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> Never heard of a National Exemption Certificate relating to US immigration matters.
> 
> Opening a business here is not that problematic provided you have the capital..


Well you learn something every day they say. It depends of course how much money you have to invest, not everyone is a millionaire, but the $12,000 I spent on immigration lawyers in Dallas didn't do me too much good......


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

EURODOG said:


> Well you learn something every day they say.


Well Google produces seven hits with the phrase -- all from a .uk domain rather than a US .gov one. So it's obviously top secret, as well.



EURODOG said:


> It depends of course how much money you have to invest, not everyone is a millionaire, but the $12,000 I spent on immigration lawyers in Dallas didn't do me too much good......


L1a and keep your UK business running, or the dreaded E2 if you don't. It's not that impossible.


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## EURODOG (Jul 31, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> Well Google produces seven hits with the phrase -- all from a .uk domain rather than a US .gov one. So it's obviously top secret, as well.
> 
> 
> L1a and keep your UK business running, or the dreaded E2 if you don't. It's not that impossible.


Try 'national interest wavier' I have the details somewhere here, and if I could be arsed I might stand a chance of digging the details out, but it's much of a secret and it didn't do me any good so I am not going to get worried about you not being able to Google it........

I lived and operated the UK based business from a small office and training centre in Texas off and on for a while using a B1/B2 but frankly I got a little soured with the lawyers.......but the point of the thread was is a Porche machanic, not withstanding how qualified going to get a work visa going to get a shot at moving to the US to work?.........my 02 not a chance..........


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

EURODOG said:


> Try 'national interest wavier' I have the details somewhere here, and if I could be arsed I might stand a chance of digging the details out, but it's much of a secret and it didn't do me any good so I am not going to get worried about you not being able to Google it........
> 
> I lived and operated the UK based business from a small office and training centre in Texas off and on for a while using a B1/B2 but frankly I got a little soured with the lawyers.......but the point of the thread was is a Porche machanic, not withstanding how qualified going to get a work visa going to get a shot at moving to the US to work?.........my 02 not a chance..........


National interest waiver makes much more sense -- but that's a tough nut to crack, especially outside academia.

I agree our Porsche mechanic has no hope of making it to the US using his skills directly.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

EURODOG said:


> I had tried for years to move my small business to the States, I am a retired UK police officer with a pension and qualify for a National Exemption Certificate that states that my occupanion is in short supply in the US. I train and provide law enforcement dogs and regulary place dogs and train handlers for agencies in the States. The dogs we source and train include explosive detection dogs. I have references out the yeng yang and still can't get it done.......


Do not feel alone. A friend of mine is a very senior K9 trainer and cannot leave the US Army because his MOS is mission necessary and badly understaffed.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Oh, I missed the 'wife hates the sun' part. What do you know about Florida? It is much further south than Spain, and where I live we only have four or five overcast days a year, and for six months we get a half hour or so of scattered and sever thundershowers every afternoon. This summer has been really unusually mild, but most years we have three to five months of really hot weather, with highs of 91-94 F (about 32-34 C) and *lows* around 81-83 F (27-29 C). The low usually occurs about 3 am.

And it's a bit cooler where I live, because it is on a peninsula.


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## EURODOG (Jul 31, 2008)

synthia said:


> Oh, I missed the 'wife hates the sun' part. What do you know about Florida? It is much further south than Spain, and where I live we only have four or five overcast days a year, and for six months we get a half hour or so of scattered and sever thundershowers every afternoon. This summer has been really unusually mild, but most years we have three to five months of really hot weather, with highs of 91-94 F (about 32-34 C) and *lows* around 81-83 F (27-29 C). The low usually occurs about 3 am.
> 
> And it's a bit cooler where I live, because it is on a peninsula.



Not much really, went to Disney World once, lots of swamp and tourists.......other than that I passed through going to Texas or Nashville......please that you like it though......


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Have you checked out all the loops of investor visas?


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## EURODOG (Jul 31, 2008)

twostep said:


> Have you checked out all the loops of investor visas?


Not lately did try a couple of times to set something up over the years with American partners....well you can imagine how well that went, they are dog richer and I am still in France.........Oh well...


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## lynne2john (Mar 7, 2008)

twintubber said:


> havent spoke to them but i bet they arent as negative as what you have been on here
> if i wanted spanish i would be on the spanish questions and answers wouldnt i
> usa is what i was after nut now the dreams are all sqashed thanks


I also tried getting advice off here for moving to the US and i also got negative responses although i have a diploma in social policy and criminology and currently studying a Hons degree in criminology, not being funny but it seems if you want to move to the US this forum isn't exactly helpful as negativity is all you get with all the gangs and trouble in america i would of thought my qualifications were ideal but according to the forum obviously not! But i refuse to give up and will poddle along and hopefully fufill my dream move with my family.

Do not give up on your dream twintubber and research as much as you can and you never know it could well happen Good Luck


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

lynne2john said:


> I also tried getting advice off here for moving to the US and i also got negative responses although i have a diploma in social policy and criminology and currently studying a Hons degree in criminology, not being funny but it seems if you want to move to the US this forum isn't exactly helpful as negativity is all you get with all the gangs and trouble in america i would of thought my qualifications were ideal but according to the forum obviously not! But i refuse to give up and will poddle along and hopefully fufill my dream move with my family.
> 
> Do not give up on your dream twintubber and research as much as you can and you never know it could well happen Good Luck


Your chances of moving permanently to the US on the strength of your diploma in social policy and criminology: *NONE*.

Your chances of moving permanently to the US on the strength of your Hons degree in criminology: *VIRTUALLY NONE*.

Personally, I find that factual rather than being negative. 

Try a J1 program if you qualify -- it will give you an internship here.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

lynne2john said:


> I also tried getting advice off here for moving to the US and i also got negative responses although i have a diploma in social policy and criminology and currently studying a Hons degree in criminology, not being funny but it seems if you want to move to the US this forum isn't exactly helpful as negativity is all you get with all the gangs and trouble in america i would of thought my qualifications were ideal but according to the forum obviously not! But i refuse to give up and will poddle along and hopefully fufill my dream move with my family.
> 
> Do not give up on your dream twintubber and research as much as you can and you never know it could well happen Good Luck


Sorry for the negativity you've run into here. At the moment, it's a really tough time to be trying to land a job in the US as a foreigner. 

A couple of points I would make with regard to your situation:

One issue you'll run into is the fact that most public agencies (law enforcement or social welfare) don't have the resources to sponsor a foreign candidate for jobs other than perhaps at the highest levels. There is also the civil service aspect of many public sector jobs to consider. That leaves the private sector as your best bet when it comes to qualifying for a visa.

Getting into the private sector with what are normally public sector skills and qualifications takes a bit of creativity, but as they say, where there's a will there's a way.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Bev - public agencies cannot sponsor a visa. Without going into details - you work for the US Government one of the requirements is citizenship.

It is not a tough time to get into the USA. You have to meet the qualifications. The are a given and enough foreigners manage to immigrate every year. 

Social policy and criminology and not even a BA - what do you see there? Here - community college, evening/on-line classes - dispatcher, police officer, social services. These public jobs have to go through public bid. AL actually published wages for public servants annually by name, title and amount. You should read the paper. Scary!

What happened to our mechanic? I chatted with our fairly large Porsche/BMW dealer in town. They have 2007 inventory still sitting on the lot. Yes, they have been letting go in the service department even some of the uniformed cuties are gone.


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## lynne2john (Mar 7, 2008)

twostep said:


> Bev - public agencies cannot sponsor a visa. Without going into details - you work for the US Government one of the requirements is citizenship.
> 
> It is not a tough time to get into the USA. You have to meet the qualifications. The are a given and enough foreigners manage to immigrate every year.
> 
> ...



i have studied hard to get my qualifications and not at evening school but university and you wonder why people think it is a negative site especially when you criticize a persons qualifications which is low i'm not surprised the porsche man hasn't been back on with the rubbish comments he received, if people were a bit more friendly in their responses instead of sarcasm and criticism a lot more would be achieved it doesn't help anyone being nasty and it is totally uncalled for.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

lynne2john said:


> i have studied hard to get my qualifications and not at evening school but university and you wonder why people think it is a negative site especially when you criticize a persons qualifications which is low i'm not surprised the porsche man hasn't been back on with the rubbish comments he received, if people were a bit more friendly in their responses instead of sarcasm and criticism a lot more would be achieved it doesn't help anyone being nasty and it is totally uncalled for.


I think carping about the style of posters who give their advice freely is bitter and totally uncalled for. No more bitter wannabes, please!


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## EURODOG (Jul 31, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> I think carping about the style of posters who give their advice freely is bitter and totally uncalled for. No more bitter wannabes, please!


Fatbrit is just telling you like it is, he is absolutely right, personally I would rather know where I stood from the start. I spent plenty of time and money listening to people who told me what they thought I wanted to hear......


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## RICHNTRISH (Jun 4, 2008)

lynne2john said:


> i have studied hard to get my qualifications and not at evening school but university and you wonder why people think it is a negative site especially when you criticize a persons qualifications which is low i'm not surprised the porsche man hasn't been back on with the rubbish comments he received, if people were a bit more friendly in their responses instead of sarcasm and criticism a lot more would be achieved it doesn't help anyone being nasty and it is totally uncalled for.


To be fair they are only telling it like it is , i guess the truth hurts .Perhaps if you paid a so called consultant for help they would tell you the truth in a much gentler way but it would still be the same ending and you would be $$$$$ lighter , i know which i prefer .
There does seem to be a very high repetition of "i wanna move to the States now even though i dont qualify but why shouldn't i do it " posts on all these sites by alot of people whom half the time aren't even literate enough to string a post together properly let alone get a degree . So i guess abrupt answers become the norm . 
Richard.


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## rjnpenang (Feb 20, 2008)

I agree, Have a look at the Spanish site, the number of people who want to come to Spain seems to be rising but with Spanish unemployment now over 10% there is no work!!!, but still they come however much you tell them. Regards Rob


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

twostep said:


> It is not a tough time to get into the USA. You have to meet the qualifications. The are a given and enough foreigners manage to immigrate every year.


Excuse me, but I said it's a tough time to land a job in the US especially for a foreigner. It seems the point you're making is precisely that - it's a tough time to be looking for work in the US. The economy is tanking and jobs are being lost. For someone without the right to work in the US already in hand, it's even tougher. (And the H1B lottery makes it even worse.)

I'm all for being realistic with folks here. But saying simply "no way, José - fadgedaboutit" isn't helpful. I suppose my attitude has something to do with the fact that I came over to Europe looking for work right in the middle of a downturn. But it worked out for me because I did things one step at a time and I adjusted my process as I found out what worked and what didn't. 

Sometimes people have to try for themselves before they realize what they need in order to make the Big Move. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Bevdeforges said:


> I'm all for being realistic with folks here. But saying simply "no way, José - fadgedaboutit" isn't helpful.


Nobody has told our Porsche mechanic he can't come -- just that he won't be coming on the strength of his Porsche skills alone. This appeared to be a big surprise to him. There's his wife (some sort of nurse he said) to develop and also other possibilities to develop if he cares to get back.



Bevdeforges said:


> I suppose my attitude has something to do with the fact that I came over to Europe looking for work right in the middle of a downturn. But it worked out for me because I did things one step at a time and I adjusted my process as I found out what worked and what didn't.


The days when you could just wander into the US and work the black economy but eventually get sorted are long since past. In fact, the only hope is if you're single and end up marrying a USC.
I, too, have played this game successfully and won in other countries -- i.e. moved in and sorted the paperwork out as I went along. But I know it simply will not work in the US. Brits are fed a constant diet of ill-researched media claptrap on emigrating. While many will make it to other countries, few will manage the US.

Our bitter friend has given little but her qualifications do not fit in any conventional niche. She has not given any more information since she still has to come to terms with this fact. I also note from her bio that she has three children to support, one of whom is disabled. So a big red flag for the US there. No mention, however, of a partner -- which is, I'm afraid, perhaps her greatest hope.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Fatbrit said:


> Brits are fed a constant diet of ill-researched media claptrap on emigrating. While many will make it to other countries, few will manage the US.


That certainly seems to be the case. During the brief period that we had BBC Prime on satellite over here, their stock in trade seemed to be programmes following ill-prepared Brits moving to France and being amazed that there was a language problem to overcome. 

The point I think needs to be made regarding immigration to the US is that there is no visa that allows you to move over there first and then look for work if you have no other ties with the country (i.e. family to sponsor your application). There is no point system and no list of "desired skills" as there are (apparently) for Australia and Canada. And at the moment, the US doesn't particularly want new immigrants of any nationality. If you want to move there, the onus is on you to convince someone to hire you and to go through the expense and hassle of sponsoring you for a visa. And even that isn't a guarantee you'll ultimately get a visa.

On the flip side, I find that Americans who decide that they want to pack up and move elsewhere often have no idea what a visa is, or any inkling that they might actually need one. Or that US qualifications may not be recognized in other countries.

Yet every year there are those who do manage to immigrate to the US and elsewhere. I figure we're here to share our experience and to suggestion what works and what doesn't, but ultimately it's the Immigration service that grants the visa or doesn't.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Bevdeforges said:


> That certainly seems to be the case. During the brief period that we had BBC Prime on satellite over here, their stock in trade seemed to be programmes following ill-prepared Brits moving to France and being amazed that there was a language problem to overcome.


I've seen some of the ones where Brits go to live in Florida. The house, neighborhood and schools all seem to be very important. We're sitting there pondering whether they're going for the condo on the beach, the all-new McMansion in the subdivision with the stainless steel appliances, or the older property with charm. The fact that most Brits won't be able to actual live here is sort of glossed over although we occasionally get to have a collective groan as the poor participants waste a half-day "sorting out the paperwork at the immigration office" when they could have been enjoying their new pool instead. It all beggars belief!


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## lynne2john (Mar 7, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> Nobody has told our Porsche mechanic he can't come -- just that he won't be coming on the strength of his Porsche skills alone. This appeared to be a big surprise to him. There's his wife (some sort of nurse he said) to develop and also other possibilities to develop if he cares to get back.
> 
> 
> The days when you could just wander into the US and work the black economy but eventually get sorted are long since past. In fact, the only hope is if you're single and end up marrying a USC.
> ...



i am not bitter in the slightest i just don't find sarcasm and criticism constructive and i am happily married and do not need to look for a partner to gain access to another country, i don't see the point of adding anymore information as i am now looking to relocate to australia which does not discriminate against disabled people


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## RICHNTRISH (Jun 4, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> I've seen some of the ones where Brits go to live in Florida. The house, neighborhood and schools all seem to be very important. We're sitting there pondering whether they're going for the condo on the beach, the all-new McMansion in the subdivision with the stainless steel appliances, or the older property with charm. The fact that most Brits won't be able to actual live here is sort of glossed over although we occasionally get to have a collective groan as the poor participants waste a half-day "sorting out the paperwork at the immigration office" when they could have been enjoying their new pool instead. It all beggars belief!


When we first started to look into living abroad , we contacted the makers of these programs online simply because they made it look so easy ,yet we had done our research into the visa's and knew it was near impossible , we thought they must know something we dont . Funnily enough they never replied to our emails ?
Im sure they whole program was simply made with actors and totally fictious story lines .


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

lynne2john said:


> i am not bitter in the slightest i just don't find sarcasm and criticism constructive and i am happily married and do not need to look for a partner to gain access to another country, i don't see the point of adding anymore information as i am now looking to relocate to australia which does not discriminate against disabled people


Glad you finally realized you were not cut out immigration-wise for the US. Australia is a lot more straightforward for most people. Perhaps you could stick around and find what you consider to be a nice way of saying to relevant posters that they haven't got a hope in hell and should try OZ instead. We'll just say, "This one's for Lynne" and you can pop in and break the bad news in a non-sarcastic, non-critical way.

Discrimination against disabled people is also illegal in the US. The point about bringing a disabled person here has to do with the lack of any form of universal health care, social service provisions such as those available in the UK or government-provided safety nets. But you seemed to grab the wrong end of the stick as usual.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

RICHNTRISH said:


> we thought they must know something we dont.


Yep, it's quite common for folks to believe there's some great secret that they aren't being told when it comes to US immigration.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> Yep, it's quite common for folks to believe there's some great secret that they aren't being told when it comes to US immigration.



It is fairly black and white; to the point. 

I have recently seen people come over and have a GC on the cut off date for their status. Education, a tight professional field and financial padding did not hurt. They had their ducks in a row. 

A degree is not a degree. First you have to translate the skill set to US requirements. Second you are lacking all connections be it family of professional. Third UK has exported the idea of snobbery especially when it comes to the correct school. Yes - go ahead an holler unfair. 

I see it everyday when US or Expat hopefulls tell me the story of their life, their great education/experience - their hopes. Unless you bring something very special to the table - someone here can start immediately.


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## twintubber (Jul 25, 2008)

lynne2john said:


> I also tried getting advice off here for moving to the US and i also got negative responses although i have a diploma in social policy and criminology and currently studying a Hons degree in criminology, not being funny but it seems if you want to move to the US this forum isn't exactly helpful as negativity is all you get with all the gangs and trouble in america i would of thought my qualifications were ideal but according to the forum obviously not! But i refuse to give up and will poddle along and hopefully fufill my dream move with my family.
> 
> Do not give up on your dream twintubber and research as much as you can and you never know it could well happen Good Luck


thanks for that and same to you 

also thanks for agreeing with me . in short if you want to go to America you must be a millionair as the experts tell us on here 

been quicker if they just posted p*** off ! amounts to the same thing .

i looked on the spain section and all they told someone was you wont survive perhaps should rename this the neggative help site , how to have your dreams shatered in 5 minutes,

thing is they dont live in England they think its this fairy story land where we all have big houses 4 cars 3 holidays a year , been away to long if you ask me


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twintubber said:


> thanks for that and same to you
> 
> also thanks for agreeing with me . in short if you want to go to America you must be a millionair as the experts tell us on here
> 
> ...


It's bloody awful. I've just written my congressmen (McSame and scumbag, slimy Kyle in case you ask) to suggest they both need to sponsor a bill to remedy the dire shortage of Porsche mechanics. As I drive a Subaru, I'm not sure how much weight my demands will hold. But you can't say I've not done my best for ya.

You don't need a million bucks to buy your way in here. 

Coming up two decades since I lived in Blighty. Has it changed much?


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

I think there are a number of issues that are on-going here:

1. people assume that because they have a qualification in their home country that will make them desirable in the US. Regardless of how hard you've worked, or how long you've worked, for your particular skill set, that doesn't mean that the US is going to want you. The US has a very specific set of criteria that make someone eligible for a visa based solely on their skills, and in many cases you're talking about the best of the best in a field that could have military or scientific benefits to the US (which is why FatBrit alludes to nanotechnology -- that's not the only one but it does give you an idea of what you're up against). Sorry if this offends anyone's sensibilities, but auto mechanics and criminologists are common throughout the US. Even if an employer is dying to have you, the government doesn't think it needs you. That's the sad truth.

2. Americans have this feeling that people watch American TV shows and think "wow, America sounds cool, I think I'll give it a try" and just decide willy-nilly to come over without considering the HUGE potential barriers. It stems from the "give it to me now" society we live in. You want to move to the US; good for you. You now know that it's REALLY HARD. So the question is are you going to complain about it or are you going to do what it takes to get over here? Yes, when there's a will there's a way, but you have to be willing to put in possibly years of work or study to make yourself attractive to the Immigration officials here. If your goal in life is to live in the US, yes, it can be done. If you want to do it but don't want to work for it, sorry, it's a non-starter.

3. The number of people who want to move to America is STAGGERING. In spite of the economic downturn and all the negative stuff happening, people continue to want to move to the US. That's great, but the US economy could simply not support everyone who wanted to move here. It would collapse under the weight of the millions and maybe even billions of people streaming in. So it has to be very calculated in who it "invites" to come live and work there. I don't think this is very different to any other country who will invite people it needs. Australia has a skilled worker program because there aren't enough living here. Once there are more carpenters than there are homes to be built, they'll stop encouraging carpenters to immigrate. The US is in the fortunate (for them, unfortunate for everyone else) situation of being able to be very choosy about who they bring over because they have just about enough of everyone except for the top specialists in certain biomedical and engineering fields. 

Nobody is trying to be sarcastic or rude. Unfortunately, in most cases, "computer says no". And unless you're willing to do whatever it takes to move here (be it getting a high degree -- not just a BA hons, more like a PhD), or strategically place yourself in an MNC that will potentially move you on an intra-company transfer visa, no, it's not easy to move to the US. 

Hope that helps.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Tiffani said:


> 1. people assume that because they have a qualification in their home country that will make them desirable in the US. Regardless of how hard you've worked, or how long you've worked, for your particular skill set, that doesn't mean that the US is going to want you. The US has a very specific set of criteria that make someone eligible for a visa based solely on their skills, and in many cases you're talking about the best of the best in a field that could have military or scientific benefits to the US (which is why FatBrit alludes to nanotechnology -- that's not the only one but it does give you an idea of what you're up against). Sorry if this offends anyone's sensibilities, but auto mechanics and criminologists are common throughout the US. Even if an employer is dying to have you, the government doesn't think it needs you. That's the sad truth.
> .


Tiffani, that's a very good list of factors to consider when thinking about moving to the US. One little caveat I'd like to add - and that's that in the US as in most countries, the immigration laws tend to be written in the negative rather than in the positive.

There isn't a list anywhere of factors - a, b, c, and d - check them all off and you can have a visa. The way the laws are usually written, there are general qualifications (college degree, job offer, etc.) and then a whole list of criteria for which you can be refused a visa (but again, you won't necessarily be turned down) - chronic or serious illness, a police record, or just an immigration officer's hunch that something "isn't right" about your application. It's simply not a cut and dried process.
Cheers,
Bev


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

twintubber said:


> thanks for that and same to you
> 
> i looked on the spain section and all they told someone was you wont survive perhaps should rename this the neggative help site , how to have your dreams shatered in 5 minutes,



Would you rather we told you it would be easy, and that you should hire an immigration lawyer that promises to get you in? That way you could waste a lot of money and several years before your dreams were shattered.


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

You're right, Bev. I didn't mean to imply that "if you meet these criteria, you'll definitely be allowed in"... In fact, I remember hearing an anecdote from someone I worked for back in the US (I was an international student advisor so worked mostly with F and J visas, but we did a bit with Os and PRs, H1Bs, etc) who was telling the office that for the O visa, one of the possible awards that may make one eligible is a Nobel Prize. For a short time, the USCIS was interpreting that to mean "you can't get an O without a Nobel Prize" LOL 

Even if you CAN check off the criteria on the list, the person whose desk it lands on at the USCIS has an incredible amount of discretion


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

No, Tiffani, it wasn't you who implied that the qualifications were absolute - but your post made a handy place to respond. 

And it's not just the US that gives the immigration agents such a broad range of discretion over who "may" be refused a visa. That seems to be a nearly universal part of immigration. There is also the caveat from the CIS themselves that even with a perfectly valid visa you can be denied entry when you get off the plane. I know of a few cases where that has happened.

But I'm not at all comfortable with telling folks here that they have "no chance" at finding a job or getting a visa for the US. You never know - and for some folks, they are going to have to give it the old college try themselves to see what the obstacles are. Right now I'd say that the biggest "challenge" for anyone trying to get a working visa is the job market in the US. It doesn't really matter what line of work you're in - you have to have something pretty special to overcome an employer's inclination to take someone local, who can probably start work tomorrow and won't expect 25 days of paid vacation each year. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

Bevdeforges said:


> But I'm not at all comfortable with telling folks here that they have "no chance" at finding a job or getting a visa for the US. You never know - and for some folks, they are going to have to give it the old college try themselves to see what the obstacles are.


True that, but people do need to know that it's not a matter of just filling out a form and the US says "welcome to America!" It's a lot more complex than that and we would be remiss if we weren't honest about the difficulties they are likely to encounter. But I agree that we can be gentle about it


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## MichelleAlison (Aug 25, 2007)

Although I don't know the ins and outs about immigrating to the States, I do know that it is difficult. Something which I think is well known throughout the world, including the UK.

These people have taken a lot of time and posted not only their own knowledge, but also facts and links to websites backing up their information. Where I come from, the UK, I always thought we were taught to say thank you. Obviously, since I left the UK, manners have obviously disappeared.

Well done to all the posters who continued to post even after receiving rude replies. 

Michelle


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

I differ a little from Bev's position, because I think that for many people the chance is somewhere less than the chances of winning one of the big multi-state lotteries, except that taking a chance can be a lot more time-consuming and expensive than buying a lottery ticket. It's one thing to know the odds and try anyway, and another to think one is sure to get in or has a really good chance. It would be a shame for someone with very little chance to spend years trying to get to the US when they have education or skills that would easily get them into other countries, such as Australia. 

If people want to give it the old college try, that's fine. But to do it without a realistic grasp of the odds just doen't make sense.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

synthia said:


> If people want to give it the old college try, that's fine. But to do it without a realistic grasp of the odds just doen't make sense.


Synthia, I'm not saying that we shouldn't give people a realistic appraisal of their chances. But it's not necessarily helpful to say simply "you've got no chance in hell". Either you need to explain where the problem is (e.g. that type of visa requires a college degree, there are already thousands of unemployed chimney sweeps looking for work in the US, or a "family" sponsor is limited to parents, children or siblings) or offer another suggestion. If they haven't given enough information to offer a suggestion, giving them an explanation of why their plan isn't going to work at least gives them the option of trying to develop a Plan B for themselves.
Cheers,
Bev


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## flyingfree (Aug 6, 2008)

The U.S. is changing its immigration and visiting laws. It could be much more difficult very soon... I don't know how easy it is to get a green card at the moment because the economy is not doing so hot.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

I don't think I've been posting simple 'you can't do it' posts, though I'll admit I've been tempted. In this case though, there have been several very clear explanations and reasons given by several different people, and the response is that we are being negative. If the poster is going to dismiss everything anyone has to say, perhaps we should just give up and go back to the original question:

moving to the US, is it easy?

And the answer is NO! IT IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, AND CAN TAKE YEARS!


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## Emi22 (Aug 7, 2008)

*Visa*



twintubber said:


> Hi can you tell me is it easy to get to the USA .?
> 
> Getting a green card and staying is it easy


There are some visas opportunities for nurses depending on the country you are residing in. Where are you currently?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Emi22 said:


> There are some visas opportunities for nurses depending on the country you are residing in. Where are you currently?


We already told him that some regions sponsor nurses but that she will have to take her nursing board federal and state. At this point he has not told us if she is an actual nurse and to what degree or rather a day care worker. The British seem to use the same term.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twostep said:


> We already told him that some regions sponsor nurses but that she will have to take her nursing board federal and state. At this point he has not told us if she is an actual nurse and to what degree or rather a day care worker. The British seem to use the same term.


Think that was the other guy, wasn't it? This one was so flabbergasted that his mechanical skills were not a path in that he never did expand on his spouse's possible suitability.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

The nursing board thing isn't as easy as that. To take the boards, I think you have to have attended a program the US recongnizes, or at least one that covers a prescribed curriculum. The problem with nurses trained in the English system is that they don't contain as many courses in psychiatry, and because they have a midwifery system, there is virtually no training in obstetrics. The US, and I think Canada, don't use midwives much. Babies are deliverd by obstetricians, and consequently nurses requrie more training in that field.

When I read novels written by English authors but set in the US, they always seem to just move their characters to the US without visa worries, and if a character has a baby, it's always delivered by a midwife. That's actually rare here.

Anyway, the training is different and she can't sit for the boards without the right courses first. 

The US recruits heavily for nurses overseas, but only in places that use the US system and take US boards to graduate.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> Think that was the other guy, wasn't it? This one was so flabbergasted that his mechanical skills were not a path in that he never did expand on his spouse's possible suitability.


We had two - the mechanic's wife with no details and the A/C technician's wife who is in daycare.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Synthia - noone implied that moving to the US using nursing as a way of obtaining a visa is easy. A bit of initiative such as Google will answer all questions on what, when and how.

Yes they recruit heavily for US regions in need of skilled nursing staff. That Asian nurses are more willing to continue their education and work for the duration of a contract in sometimes not very popular areas of the US - you tell me. Hospitals do sponsor potential nurses, sometimes even with tuition reimbursement. 
Stomping ones feet because immigration laws apply to all instead of researching different avenues does not seem like a serious immigrant to me. 

Log In Problems
https://www.ncsbn.org/index.htm


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