# Another one wanting to move to USA!



## JimJams (Jan 11, 2010)

Hey guys

Been lurking around here for a few days checking out all the helpful info. Thought I'd try and find out some info and hopefully get the ball rolling for myself! I'd like to move to USA, it's something thats been in the back of my mind for many many years, but just never got round to doing anything about it or realised it would be that difficult!

Right, my situation. I'm 29yrs old british citizen, single, have a business/IT related BSc (Hons) and have approx 7 years experience programming. So judging by what I have read, i figure the following are my options...

1. Diversity Lottery
Gutted I just found out about this and missed the deadline only a few weeks back! ******! Plus just read that Bangladesh may get knocked off the list next year (although depends on USCIS stats)... Double ******! My parents are were both born in Bangladesh, so could have qualified that way. Hopefully still be around for DV2012. (why have i never heard of this before?)

2. Work for a multi-national and get a transfer with L-1B visa
This is something that I am going to try and do now, find work for a MN... but you know how it is with the job market here... But this is probably my best bet from what I've read.

3. Find myself a job in the US and get company to apply for EB3 visa
I know that it will be tough to get a job out there, and I am being realistic. It tough enough getting a job in the UK, let alone a US employer giving a foreigner a job with so many locals unemployed... 

Is the EB3 visa limited to a cap every year? Is there a long waiting list to get one once you have a job offer?
Would I qualify for a EB2 visa since I have a bachelors + over 5 years experience in field? Would this be any easier to obtain?

My experience has been as a C# Web/Applications programmer, working on E-Commerce types sites. Mixture of programmer and business/systems analyst. Would this be "unique" enough to get these types of visa?

4. H1B Visa
I know there is a 65k cap on these. Wondering if it would be easier this way. But from what I read these are gone within a few days or being released (in April). I seem to recall reading that last years were around till December though... I assume I still have to find my own job and convince the emplyer to apply for one of these?

5. Seasonal work
I friend/acquintance of mine lives in Aspen, Colorado. He was convinced he could get me a seasonal jobs... how serious he was being I don't know. How hard is it to get one of these types of visa? Could I then "convert" to a different type if i managed to convince a local company to give me a full time job in my own field (IT)?

6. Work on cruise ships etc
A kiwi friend of mine said a few years back that if you worked on one of the cruise ships (port from USA) then it would be easier to get a visa etc. I've not found anything to back that up... Talking cr*p?


Also, I am not looking for a quick fix or anything. As much as I would like to up and leave tomorrow, I'm looking at a more realistic plan. Besides, my situation may have changed in a years time, who knows! I'm also considering going to Oz/NZ/Canada for a year with WHV also... but keen to do something before I lose that opportunity cos of age 

Just keen to get some input to see if I have missed anything... I'll have a few more questions I'm sure! 

cheers
JimJams


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

1. Parent thing only works if they were normally resident in Bangladesh at the time of your birth and were only temporarily in the UK.

2. Okay.

3. You've missed out the line for the EB3 -- they're currently processing September 2002 applications. And no you can't stay here and work while you're waiting! EB2 is current, though. No idea whether you'd squeeze in on the experience. Companies don't seem to do that much straight EB2 sponsorship -- they like you to go via the non-immigrant route and then earn your green card.

4. Good chance and it opens in April. Need to find an employer!

5. H2B for seasonal work. No future to them, really.

6. S/he is indeed talking cr*p?


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## JimJams (Jan 11, 2010)

Thanks for the reply Fatbrit.

1. My dad was in UK, my mum in bangladesh waiting to get visa's etc to come over. Should have said, I was born in Bangladesh myself and came over when a year old then got naturalised in the UK after being here for 5 years. Will have to wait this one out till the next DV...

2. Still my best bet I think!!! 

3. Damn, that EB3 line is LOOOOOOOOOOOONG then! So if you can't work while you waiting, how does this thing work? I thought you need to have a job offer to get one of these, surely no company is gonna wait that long to get someone over! Unless you talking about EB3 -> PR/GC status? I'm not too interested in PR status straight away, so a EB2/3 visa would be ideal since I only wanna go over and work for the moment... well ideally, i'd like to go travel around and then find a job wherever I like best 

Does anyone know whether a degree + 7 years experience is enough for EB2 visa?

Fatbrit, when you say companies don't seem to do that much EB2 sponsorship, do you mean to get GC or just to get a job in general?

4. Gonna look into this further then...

5. This may be something I consider just over one summer/winter, but depends on how everything else goes...

6. Thought so!!!


You know, reading through this forum it just goes to show how much more easier it is for people to come to the UK and work and live. Why does it feel so much more difficult going the other way... never realised there was this much work going on in the background!

Any ideas what the best way of finding a job with sponsorship is? Or is it more a case of contact loads of companies, find a job, and then try and convince company to sponsor you? I mean, I'm guessing there is no specific website/recruitment agent that does just H1B or EB2/3 jobs right... I've seen a few H1B job websites but they all charge upfront and so think they may not be all that good... any experience with these?

If I was to find a job, then how long would it take to get a visa roughly? Obviously worried that if it takes 6 months, then you gotta be damn good at what you do and the company has gotta want you bad!



thanks


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

1. is good to go, then. On a side note, your connections with Bangledesh will forever haunt your journey through US immigration. Expect everything to take longer.

3. Employers want something from you first. They see a green card as a prize to be earned, not given away.


You know, reading through this forum it just goes to show how much more easier it is for people to come to the UK and work and live. Why does it feel so much more difficult going the other way... never realised there was this much work going on in the background!
US immigration is family-based. If you ain't got no kin folk already here, it's going to appear that way to you.

Any ideas what the best way of finding a job with sponsorship is? Or is it more a case of contact loads of companies, find a job, and then try and convince company to sponsor you? I mean, I'm guessing there is no specific website/recruitment agent that does just H1B or EB2/3 jobs right... I've seen a few H1B job websites but they all charge upfront and so think they may not be all that good... any experience with these?
Always hate to recommend sites I'm not 100% sure about but this one throws up some interesting data:  MyVisajobs.com. Don't buy anything off them, though! But at least you can see who's sponsoring the visas.

If I was to find a job, then how long would it take to get a visa roughly? Obviously worried that if it takes 6 months, then you gotta be damn good at what you do and the company has gotta want you bad!
If you got a job offer now with H1b sponsorship and managed to get a visa number in April, then they normally only take a month or so. The Bangladesh factor may add more. But you couldn't start until Oct 2010 anyway.


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## JimJams (Jan 11, 2010)

Fatbrit said:


> 1. is good to go, then. On a side note, your connections with Bangledesh will forever haunt your journey through US immigration. Expect everything to take longer.
> 
> 3. Employers want something from you first. They see a green card as a prize to be earned, not given away.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply again Fatbrit. Was kinda expecting the bangladesh thing to factor in there somewhere/somehow, esp in this post-911 era we live in, and even more so after the xmas incidents.

Hopefully the DVL 2012 will still be open to Bangladesh, slim chance of winning anyway I guess, but someone has to!

Everything you have said makes perfect sense, well when you look at it from the other perspective at least! I am not too worried about GC etc, a 2-3 year work visa would be ideal. I'll look through the link you gave and do more research myself. Something may turn up. If not it's off to Oz or Canada for a WHV anyway 

Another route that I was considering was to emigrate to Canada, get residency there and then going over using a TN1... but it takes 5 years for Canada PR right... this may be too long drawn out!

cheers


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