# Australian looking to move to USA



## rushabhshah28 (Nov 12, 2008)

Hi there

I am coming back to this forum after years ! Forum really helped me with my move to Australia 2009-2010.
This time i want to move to USA. As an Australian citizen i am eligible for E-3 visa however i am not sure how do i go about getting work & visa (sponsored). Or if there is any other way.

I am working as an independent IT contractor here in Sydney doing projects for Banks and Financial institutions. My preferred city is NYC. I will be accompanied by my wife and my 2 yr old kid. 

Can someone help me with Australian or USA based contacts/agencies who help with sponsorship and find a job? I also need a separate E-3 visa for my wife who is working in Supply Chain.

Thanks


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Not a direct answer to your question, but do you have any idea how much it will cost to live in NYC?


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

I can't help you find work, but do advise that if you get an E-3 visa your wife will (after a couple of months) be able to get a work permit. She will then be in a better position regarding work than you will, as she can do any kind of work from self-employed to working for any employer. You will be bound to one employer. If the employer or job or conditions change you will have to apply for a new visa.


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## rushabhshah28 (Nov 12, 2008)

accbgb said:


> Not a direct answer to your question, but do you have any idea how much it will cost to live in NYC?


I do not have a number but i am aware is very expensive. I am not ruling out other cities like SFO, LA but NY is preference. 

Can you share the cost of living details?


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## rushabhshah28 (Nov 12, 2008)

Bellthorpe said:


> I can't help you find work, but do advise that if you get an E-3 visa your wife will (after a couple of months) be able to get a work permit. She will then be in a better position regarding work than you will, as she can do any kind of work from self-employed to working for any employer. You will be bound to one employer. If the employer or job or conditions change you will have to apply for a new visa.


Thanks for that. As i am an independent IT contractor in Australia and would like to do contracting in USA, it makes sense my wife gets a E-3 and i go as a dependent to allow me that flexibility. 
Only concern with it is, if she loses her job we only have 10 days to get my visa else we leave the country. That was the reason i wanted to get E-3 for each individual.


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

No, I'm afraid you don't have 10 days to leave the country. There is no grace period.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

rushabhshah28 said:


> I do not have a number but i am aware is very expensive. I am not ruling out other cities like SFO, LA but NY is preference.
> 
> Can you share the cost of living details?


I'm not a fan of cost of living indexes, but to get an idea of actual apartment rentals, take a look here: Real Estate - Buy, Sell or Rent a Home - The New York Times Click on the For Rent tab and then "See Available Homes" - and yes, those are the monthly rental prices. (Noting, of course, that they list things with the most expensive first.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## StellaJefferson (Sep 8, 2015)

rushabhshah28 said:


> I do not have a number but i am aware is very expensive. I am not ruling out other cities like SFO, LA but NY is preference.
> 
> Can you share the cost of living details?


New York is widely regarded as the most expensive city to live in within the USA, especially in relation to salaries earned. While the cost of living is cheaper than other big cities like London, Sydney, Hong Kong and Tokyo, the 'Big Apple is by no means a cost-friendly location.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

I have never heard of E3 for a contractor. Kind of defeats the purpose, does it not? 

You find jobs in the US just like you do everywhere else - networking, applying, pounding the corporate pavement.


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## JoeyJoJo! (Jun 25, 2013)

You can't contract on an E3. You can't contract until you you are a Green card holder, which despite living in America for the rest of your life may never happen.


The OP lives in Sydney, which is way more expensive than New York. I live in New York not because its a cool city, but because I have a much more affordable lifestyle for me and my family.

As for getting an E3 unless you are in the US chasing employment, the odds of getting a E3 are small. still plenty of local workers and many banks offloading the IT to India now. Programmers are in high demand if you are good with Basic.net etc


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

Some people are hired by US firms who manage to get E-3 visas sorted, and then contract the person out. It can be dodgy, but a number of people have mentioned it in this forum.

However, the OP did mention that his wife might obtain an E-3 visa, and if that happened he could then get an EAD with his E-3D visa, and would be able to contract.


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## rushabhshah28 (Nov 12, 2008)

Thanks for the info. 

Is there no way to obtain a green card from E-3? 

If not, is it worth considering for H1-B? Any advantage for Australian citizen for H1-B?

What is the usual duration for a Green Card from H1-B?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

The H1-B quota is exhausted quickly every year in April, so unless your (and your employer's) timing is particularly excellent it's not a great visa. A major advantage of the E-3 is that it's actually available.

If you're eligible you can apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery. The 2017 round opens in just a few hours (as I write this).

A fairly common path for E-3 visa holders is to convert to L-1 or H1-B at some point in the future. E-3 visa holders also sometimes marry U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

rushabhshah28 said:


> Is there no way to obtain a green card from E-3?


It's generally considered not, E-3 is not a 'dual intent' visa. However, people are successful from time to time.


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