Emmigration to USA
Emmigration to USA
(OP)
Hi, I currently work as a Production Engineer in UK, Apprentice trained, HNC qualified, I'm 40 years old with no ties. I have experience in various light assembly environments. Currently I am employed in the Electrical Industry, the company manufacture - Distribution Boards, Consumer Units, Lamp Holders, Sockets, Plate Switches etc. My job is to support product introduction by Product Costing, MOST Analysis, BOM and Route Creation, Sourcing and Implementing Capital Equipment, Methods, VE/VA. I would like to emigrate to USA to work. What would your advice be. No jokes please.





RE: Emmigration to USA
http://www.shusterman.com/
Essentially, you need to get a company to sponsor you for a work visa or marry a US citizen. Yes, if you are really good, you can apply for permanent residence for national interest but you'd better be really good. Also, if you have significant capital and are willing to invest it that will create US jobs, that can also be a way in.
It's not particularly easy. We just got our green cards and this application cycle took 2 1/2 years. All in all, because of several problems and changes in the requirements, we've been pursing this for close to 5 years.
Another site to check out is immigration specialists, I believe they also have a good general primer on the requirements.
RE: Emmigration to USA
Others might have more experience and be able to give other ideas, especially those who have already gone through the process.
However, unless you fall in love with a US citizen, the best way I can think of is to try to get yourself a job with a UK or European based company that already does a lot of work in the US, and where you will be required to travel to the US frequently. You will find out more about what working there is like, and hopefully you will impress a client sufficiently enough that they want to employ you directly. You never know, you may even meet the person of your dreams!
You might struggle with an HNC. I know people for whom this has been a virtual blocker, despite achieving all of the other criteria. You should probably look into getting a degree (e.g. via a part time course). Being a full member of the IEE will also help.
RE: Emmigration to USA
As a commonwealth citizen, immigration to Canada should be easy. Once a Canadian you could then work in the USA under the terms of the North American Free trade Agreement (NFTA).
See the Canadian federal government web site http://canadainternational.gc.ca/view-en.asp?Grp=00EB00F3&act=1&tbID=1 for immigration information and the main site www.gov.gc.ca for access to all Canadian government sites.
If interested post here and I’ll include some additional links (professional links and job opportunities etc.)
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com
RE: Emmigration to USA
RE: Emmigration to USA
Doesn't help us with engineering degrees I know but a large number of engineers seem to be married to nurses. My wife happens to be a nurse and that is how we got our green cards, she was the primary applicant and I was the dependent spouse (to use their terminology
RE: Emmigration to USA
The other advantage is you would be close to the US for your job search and looking for a final place to settle.
I looked through the Immigration web site. As a skilled worker you would be rated on points in six categories. They include work experience, age , education and language ability in French and/or English. Only a few points are allocated for having a job offer in Canada. You also need sufficient funds to support yourself for 6 months (stated as less than $Cdn 10,000).
It looks like any engineer would have no problem qualifying, especially if you are a native English or French speaker.
TD2K
What is it about engineers and nurses? My wife is one as well.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com
RE: Emmigration to USA
RE: Emmigration to USA
I'm not familiar HNC. I've worked with a number of Europeans who have emigrated & most of them had a job in the U with a company also having facilities in the USA. I've worked for several large multi-national companies & there is often opportunity to transfer into position outside the US as an temporary ex-pat or as a permanent transfer.
If you have QA/QC experience & can get ASQ certification(s) or have welding experience & can get AWS certification(s), US companies are often looking for folks with CWI, CQE, CQA, CWE,...
http://www.asq.org - American Society for Quality
http://www.aws.org - American Welding Society
Check http://www.roadwhore.com for international assignment openings.
RE: Emmigration to USA
There is an “L” visa, which is for employees of multinational firms sent to the US in an executive, managerial or specialized knowledge role. The individual must be employed by the parent (or subsidiary or other related company) for a period of one year in the last three. There does not appear to be any time limits on this and the assignment can be to establish an operation in the US.
Why not establish a limited liability company in the UK, work for it for at least one year and then establish a subsidiary company in the US and move there to establish a new office? You could become the president of the subsidiary firm, which is a managerial role.
If you are planning on going out on your own as a consultant once in the US this might be a good way in. The only major restriction that I can see is that you would only be allowed to work for the subsidiary firm and would have to maintain the UK firm.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com