Slashdot Mirror
Finding Work in the US as a Non-US Resident?
America-bound asks: "I'm a senior Java developer living in Europe with the wish to move to the US eventually and live with my significant other. Over here, I have a diverse set of experience working on in-house development and freelance/project work. I don't intend for this to look like a resume or request for work, so I won't go into specifics. Europe, or at least my country, has very healthy prospects for those working freelance, but I'm not sure how things are in the USA (California to be more specific). My timespan for achieving this is realistic; I'm looking at making the move within 2-3 years, giving me time to work on my skills, experience and do more networking, as well as get used to life in the USA. I would like to know if my plans for working freelance, or as my own company, are very realistic in the US. Perhaps there are other good alternatives that I haven't explored yet. Hence, I turn to Slashdot hoping for some clues by others who have either made the switch to living in the US or are working there successfully, as freelancers."
Speaking as a freelance java programmer in the US, I think java in particular is on the way out. I hate to think what it'd be like in 3 years when you start. LAMP or MS based apps are more common and growing. Good freelancing jobs can be hard to get into, it's mostly about networking and having the right people trust you for the job. Why not freelance for people now? Why are you moving to the US?
-- these are only opinions and they might not be mine.
You really need to do your immigration research first. Unless you find a sponsor as far as work visas go, and then go through an extensive process to get a green card, don't even bother trying...
i.e. Been there, done that, back in Canada.
If you could get hired on by an international consulting firm, and maybe do something for them in Europe first, then ask for an internal posting overseas, that would be easiest. They have the resources to move people around, deal with Visa's, etc.
Both of these problems are easiest solved by marrying your significant other. You can get a temporary green card, and if she has health insurance through her employer, it will likely be expandable to cover her spouse (you). These are significant marriage benefits, and one reason GLBT people are requesting legal recognition for their marriages.
"We're rapidly sliding towards a totalitarian dictatorship in this country... are you sure you want to move here?"*
As opposed to say Britian?
*Pet peeve of mine. Most slashdotters have NEVER lived under a dictatorship, and just know what they've read, or watched on TV or movies. Just as the rest of the world's view of the US comes through entertainment channels. Likewise most slashdotters have never actually encountered "evil", and gratuitiously throw the word around with not a hint of it's true depth.
Be thankful that you never grew up having to know what a dictatorship, or evil is, and stop pretending you do.
As for the OP. You're going to have to spend quite a bit of time developing a clientel. Skills, and knowledge are just wedges to get you into the room. You might be able to leverage the client base you already have in europe.
Most of Europe has a *much* higher standard of living than the United States: nationalized health care, various other supports important to a freelancer. 49/50 US freelancers go bankrupt at least once- is that really the future you want?
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
If you marry your aforementioned "significant other" and formally attain US citizenship, intead of just "living with" him or her. You'll probably wind up on a lot more solid ground as far as employment is concerned.
The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
Oh boy, where to start. First off, I'm a Canadian, working in the US. In my experience, the US immigration system is very slow, horribly complicated and arbitrary. IANAL but you can't just show up and open up shop. You need a work visa first, and you can't just get that, you need a 'sponsor', and that means that they need to get you the appropriate visa, and that takes time. Something like an H1 is good for a limited time (3 years, extendable once to another 3, IIRC). If you want to become a permanent resident (green card) you'll need to show expertise in a subject, and still need some sort of sponsor. (again, IANAL) If you do make your way over here and pass the legal hurdels, there are still issues with simple things like establishing credit so that you can get a credit card or a basic phone line in your apartment.
As far as I can tell, the easiest way to cut through all this red tape is to marry a US citizen and then after a year or so you'll be set
However might I suggest you try Canada. The immigration process is ridiculously easy relative to the US, as long as you can show that you have the cash on hand to support yourself while establishing your new life. It's just as easy to start your own business in Canada as in the US, and the countries are fairly similar. The bad things are: the taxes are way higher (especially for small businesses) and lower standard of living (aparently Canada fell below Ireland recently.. yikes!). But because of Canada's proximity to the US there is no shortage of business opportunities to pick up 'near-shoring' contracts.
Whatever you choose, good luck!
And in all honesty, people underestimate how things happen. I grew up to my teens under a dictator.
:( (and this is AFTER losing over 30 lbs this past year)
:)
What we had:
Better healthcare, better education, near ZERO unemployment, no sweatshops (our particular lord and master HATED dealing with the west because, as Hussein also put it "they lie so much, even they don't know where they stand" this being a VERY accurate assessment of the USA/Western business model, in AD&D terms, we'd call the west Lawful Evil (or soulless bureaucracy for pure material gain)... oh and we had VERY GOOD public transit... there was a bus to ANYWHERE in any town of significant size (pop. wise)... or trolley or metro or any combo of the 3. Cabs too. Most people were taxed at an even level, taxes were drawn out before pay, so what you were paid is what you got. Did I mention that people were allowed to grow their own food and did so admirably? I saw very FEW fat people until I came to the USA. Must be something in the food, air or water cuz I'm rather chubby now too
What we did not have:
Freedom to freely gather for whatever cause we wished to support. Freedom of religion (churches were watched, people going in or out were harassed and deprived of social boons (grades lowered, etc)). Having a second job or business was considered a crime, as was the act of abortion without a permit (same with marriage and having kids). Kept overpopulation down quite well.
His major flaws were the stifling of ideas... if the man had been less brutal and less greedy, he'd still be in power, instead of leaving a double to die on TV so he could retire with the missus. Needless to say, I presume the same will happen to Saddam, and to George Bush / Cheney when they are overthrown (I'm still waiting for the idiot in chief to declare martial law, the day he does is the day I'm a Canuck
if you were on the wrong side of our master there, he'd never hear of you... the job was delegated to his version of the NSA (and after a thorough investigation, usually taking a few seconds with a silencer or knife, nobody would hear of you again)... we had a saying "the walls have eyes and ears, say nothing and live long"... the only place people could talk was in the country in homes their grandparents had built in the times of the king before the "modernization" of the big cities.
~Daedalus
" What luck for rulers that men do not think" - Adolf Hitler
After you have H1, you can start looking at getting the "green card", One of my co-workers did this. Several years after getting the H1, getting the green card. Eventually marrying a US girl, I assume now he's in the US for good. :-)
Beware working with a H1, means the company may have you by the balls. If you stop working there, or they fire you, you may have to leave the country. This means making sure you want to work there, and it is a good company. If you want to change jobs, your only option is to find another company to sponsor the H1.
You said you are into Java. At the moement there are quite a few companies developing java apps for mobile phones, you might want to look in that job sector.
Immigrate to the USA the easy way.
1: Learn to speak Spanish.
2: Sneak across the Mexico/US border.
3: Work for cash.
You'll do fine.