How Do European Techies Go America?

CousinBob asks: "I'm about to finish my European MSc degree and want to work abroad (US or Canada) for a while. Some of my friends in the same position would like to move together to the same location/company just to give social life a boost. I was invited to a company once (they payed for everyting), but turned their offer down as they wanted to put me in Dilbertland. So just how do skilled and creative people find jobs across the pond? I'm just not ready to fill in my CV on a company's web page and hope they'r not locking me up in a cubicle. "

Re:What about the other way around?

[_Stryker]

Actually, I lived in Sweden for 4 years and it is much harder to get a permit there than you would think. Because US citizens are not part of the European Union it is much tougher for them to work in any EU countries. If you have a big enough company willing to make it happen, then you will probably be okay, but otherwise it is like pulling teeth.
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monster.com

[ptudor]

http://international.monster.com/ [monster.com] might be of some use... resources for moving to the US or out of the US.

Other places like CareerBuilder(.com), HeadHunter(.net), and HotJobs(.com) might have more info.

Of course I'm biased: I'm about fifteen feet from the machines that make monster work.

Re:Dilbertland for H1's

[Betcour]

Stuff cost less... but don't forget insurances, retirement, kids college to pay, etc... US seems cheaper at first, because you don't see all the hidden cost. In most European countries lots of things you pay for are free.

Re:What about the other way around?

[sita]

That does depend on the country, of course. Can't imagine you would have a problem getting a residence permit for an IT-job in Sweden for example. Given that you have a job offer.

our specialty...

[eries]

This is one of the things that my company (Catalyst Recruiting) specializes in. We try and bridge the communications gap between American and non-American students and employers. If you want more information, check out our web page, or email me directly.

Re:Dilbertland for H1's

[Artie FM]

As to cost of living... Maybe I should have left that alone. I live in the Silicon Valley and cost of living here is much more expensive than other places in the US. Cost of living is such a relative thing. I speak from what my friends from Europe told me, so they might be wrong. Who knows.

german

[emmons]

I'm living in germany right now as an exchange student, and immigration laws here are lax to say the least. You can come for 3 months with just your passport, and if you've got the skills and can get a job, especially in computer/tech, then getting a residence permit is even easier. One word of caution however, make sure that the drivers liscence from the state your from is accepted here. Some states are, some states not, some states only for 6 months (mine). Best bet is probably to get an international drivers liscence.

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Re:What about the other way around?

[bonzo_y]

Well thats the problem. Getting a job offer when you are thousands of kilometers away. Its not that easy to get a work permit for the EU. The employer that offered you a job has to apply for you and it usually takes a awhile and most employers don't want to wait.

Re:What about the other way around?

[bonzo_y]

Anyone know of big companies that could get you a permit if they wanted to?

Re:What about the other way around?

[Pogie]

What's the techie job market like overseas, anyway? I've poked around a bit, and most of the stuff I see tends to be positions with American companies that have overseas offices. Somebody got a knowledge base on this one? --me.

Re:Dilbertland for H1's

[Arial]

Scandinavia is notoriously expensive inside Europe.. I've met quite a few scandinavians in the UK, and their reaction was similar ( a lot of them end up staying here ). I live with a Canadian who's finding it much easier going here, coz she just couldn't get a decent IT job in Toronto: despite the cost of living being higher, IT jobs pay proportionately more.

Re:What about the other way around?

[Arial]

Not always true: if you make yourself invaluable enough in whatever time you have, then there's always a way. My last company ( 60 people ) got work permits for two South Africans ( despite the commonwealth connection, they don't get any advantages ) because it was easier than replacing them.

Admittedly it's harder for US citizens apparently, seemingly because the US is so restrictive with it's immigration policies! my Canadian housemate had a much easier ride compared to the americans she met over here.

My experience

[Malc]

Some countries have student working holiday programs. I came over to Canada from Britain on one of those (I had to be in Canada be 1st September after graduation). I took a graduate bank loan so that I wouldn't have to work in McDonalds, and I took the time to look around. I wanted to live in Toronto but had more luck with the American companies (the Canadian economy wasn't as strong back then). I ended up getting sponsorship for an H1, and have lived in Denver for the last three years. I've just moved back to Ontario again, but now work remotely for an internet startup, again, in Denver.

What really helped me though, was I had some friends that I could stay with (people I had met through a university exchange program).

In my experience, it can be hard looking for jobs remotely. Save up some cash and come and do some footwork locally (the location where you want to live). Be prepared for several cross-Atlantic trips. Work in a place for a while and make some good contacts through whom you can network for a better position. JDEdwards (based in Denver) seems to have tons of foreign workers... every time I went down to the park to play football (soccer), we ended playing with people from all over the world, brought in by JDE!

It seems that America is much further ahead than Europe for online job hunting. It does help having a N.American address and telephone #. Use the web to find as many as headhunters possible (they'll promise you the world, but mostly waste your time). You might also have luck targetting companies that you know also already recruits H1 people.

Finally, do some research in to local salaries. I accepted a salary that I thought was really good compared to what my friends in England were starting of with. Wrong! I played hard and doubled my salary in two years! I wouldn't recommend that strategy though if you have people (family) dependent upon you. There are resources on the internet that will attempt to tell you the average salary for a particular region. There are also resources (check with web-sites aimed at people who are moving) that will give you an idea of cost of living relative to another area within America.

H1 or I-551 (green card)

[Will Sargent]

Simply put, if you want to go to America then you have to find a company here which is willing to put up a work visa for you. Advertise on DICE and e-mail some recruiters. I know that some recruiters in the bay area specialize in H1 work visas exclusively, so you can get worked into the system.

Don't count on a green card. I got lucky -- I got a green card straight off but I know people who had to wait three or four years for them.

Dilbertland for H1's

[Artie FM]

A lot of people get into America on H1 visa status. There are three reasons this doesn't work for most people:
1) There is a limited number of H1's available. This year they ran out of them in spring.
2) often pay rates offered for H1's are lower
3) it seems much tougher to switch jobs.

As a result many of the people I know who work over here have something shady going on. You know Mexican's are not the only ones who want to work in the US but can't.

One friend of mine came over on a 6 month tourist visa and interviewed for several months... He found an american to marry so he is still here. During the 6 months he looked he was not able to get an H1. Another friend of mine leads a start-up here in Mountain View.. He travels back to the UK every couple months so that he can say he isn't living here.

I think if you have a company which will sponser you and pay to move you across the lake you should think twice about it. As soon as you get over here start looking for something better. Although it is tougher to switch as an H1 it may be easier than anything else. Note, pay attention to what city they will put you in. If they are the only company in town it will be difficult to interview at other places.

Also pay attention to how much you will have to pay them back. One more thing... American programmers can get paid many times what you would make in Europe... but the higher cost of living here makes up for it, so be carefull about that too.