Finding Work in the US as a Non-US Resident? 110
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."
Are you sure? (Score:1, Flamebait)
--Mike--
Are you sure?-Taking back our image (Score:3, Insightful)
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 tha
Re:Are you sure?-Taking back our image (Score:2)
<GODWIN [wikipedia.org]> Hitler was elected, and slowly ratcheted up the level of control over the masses. History doesn't repeat itself, but it does
Re:Are you sure?-Taking back our image (Score:2)
Thats so true.
Prior to coming to the US as a student, I used to think there are no fat people in USA. I also thought there were only 2 types of people; white people and black people.
Standing in Manhattan I was so confused.
I did... (Score:5, Interesting)
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
Re:I did... (Score:1)
China near Black Sea? Wow... US education at work (Score:2)
Also, in China they practiced brutal mass suppression, we never really had much of that, ours was more individual based. China is a very populous country, ours was relatively small, being that Russia (at the slightest nod of the oh so benevolent US gov't (the people we aided by turning guns on the Nazis)) divided what was ours to all their bo
Re:China near Black Sea? Wow... US education at wo (Score:1)
I'm french *beep, bad answer*. Blame France. Hadn't paid attention to the Black Sea thing.
Why didn't I remember that Black Sea thing? Oh, I know! Maybe because you DID NOT mention it in the post I replied to, but in some other post that i just read that has nothing to do with it. Instead of treating me like a stupid muthafucka, make sure you ain't the stupid muthafucka, check which post I'm replying to
"you're native to someplace in the US eh?"
near, about 3,500 miles to t
Re:China near Black Sea? Wow... US education at wo (Score:2)
Re:China near Black Sea? Wow... US education at wo (Score:1)
i'm not supposed to read all of the 2
Re:China near Black Sea? Wow... US education at wo (Score:2)
So I was mistaken, you didn't fail to read up, you didn't read down.
At that point he replies to you, about a day and a half
Re:China near Black Sea? Wow... US education at wo (Score:1)
You weirdos
Re:I did... (Score:2)
The usa is CONSISTENTLY ranking POORLY in all the natural sciences, maths, comp sci, etc.
I grew up in the eastern block, in a country near the black sea (you're a canuck, unlike the locals here you MIGHT be able to find that on a map and guess correctly)... and I seem to recall that even nowadays, that particular country STILL outranks (math, science, comp sci, etc) everyone but the Ukraine... and on occasion Germany and S.Korea...
At least... (Score:2)
HINT: I like neither side because as we've all seen lately, they are just two faces of the same rotten coinlike entity.
And rotten they are, all rich, all completely out of touch with any form of intelligent life, preaching to either a bible thumping chorus of idiots (or bible thumping chorus of rich assholes), or a welfare loving chorus of illegal immigrants... neither side se
Re:Are you sure?-Taking back our image (Score:2)
Re:Are you sure?-Taking back our image (Score:2)
Re:Are you sure? (Score:2)
Re:Are you sure? (Score:2)
Perhaps you could assist those of us who fall short of your measure with one or more real-life examples of countries which have been one or the other but not both.
Re:Are you sure? (Score:2)
Examples of totalitarian states: any of the notorious "thought control" states: Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, any of the many one-party Marxist countries. They're characterized by their "total" control, not just of people's lives, but even of the way they think.
Police states, by contrast, don't care what peop
Re:Are you sure? (Score:2)
Seriously, thank you for a thought provoking reply.
By the way, about that student who claimed to have been visited by DHS agents wanting a word with him about his interest in the late Chairman's best seller. Turns out he made it up.
Re:Are you sure? (Score:2)
A possibility that should have occurred to me. Still, it's not pleasant to know that federal agents have the authority to track what we read. The fact that they haven't used it yet is neither here nor there.
Re:Are you sure? (Score:2)
I'm sure there must be some story someone could tell about King George the 43rd and his court that would make me go "No way, even they wouldn't do that", but I can't seem to think of anything at the moment.
Freelancing is always hard (Score:2)
Re:Freelancing is always hard (Score:2)
Re:Freelancing is always hard (Score:2)
I wouldn't recommend it. (Score:3, Insightful)
Do your immigration research first (Score:5, Informative)
i.e. Been there, done that, back in Canada.
Re:Do your immigration research first (Score:1, Informative)
They should start appling now for a fiancee visa so they can marry in the US. After that there'll be a 6-12 month wait for employment authorisation and onger for the green card.
He should speak to a good immigration atorney.
Re:Do your immigration research first (Score:2)
Re:Do your immigration research first (Score:2)
International Consulting Firm (Score:5, Insightful)
Not so easy (Score:5, Informative)
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.
Re:Not so easy (Score:2)
Re:Not so easy (Score:2)
Re:Not so easy (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Not so easy (Score:2)
I also know some couples who, all, without exception, sought out advice f
Re:Not so easy (Score:1)
Not always true. My private health insurance (for myself and three kids) costs $211 per month. The insurance offered through my employer would be closer to $700 per month. (The private plan has a $3000/6000 deductible, so it's close to being a catastrophic plan, but well child care and prescriptions are hella cheap, about the same as the group plan.) Ask your insurance guy, he can probably find something that'll beat wha
Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:5, Interesting)
If Europe was so much better, why isn't everyone going from the US to there? Instead the flow is reversed.
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:1)
Where I'm from (North Europe), the US actually seems a bit 'old-fashioned' or 'quaint', when it comes to infrastructure and household technology. Electricity, water and air quality especially - as if there were no standards, just random experiences to be had when attempting a long, hot shower. Indivual safety seems to be an issue and sometimes the poverty in some are
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Which part(s) of the US are you referring to? The electric power infrastructure is quite uniform in the US, actually, especially given its size, and I found during my trip to England/Scotland/Wales ten years ago that constant water pressure and temperature seems to be an issue in other parts of the world, not here.
Air quality varies tremendously. The US is a
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
There's an easy fix for that one- the rooftop water tower....a single set of incoming pipes brings water up from the mains and dumps it into a tank on the roof. A second set of pipes comes out the bottom and distributes it throughout the high rise- and everybody lower than the roof ends up with good water pressure.
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Keep dreaming about the standard of living - in Europe, one's not generally forced into choosing between making decent money and having a life outside of work. I'd say that's worth something.
-Isaac
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
And choosing between money and 'having a life outside of work' has nothing to do with a standard of living. It has to do with you. I make a lot of money, and I only work 40 hours a week.
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:1)
The US has a lot more "red tape" to cut through, but it's pretty much the same for everyone.
In Europe, if you're white, blonde and blue-eyed, you can do pretty much whaterver you like, e.g. work for years on an expired student visa. No such luck if you're latino or black, you might even have to sue the immigration perople to stay in the country.
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:3, Insightful)
You see, that's the problem with USians. They seem to think of Europe as some place. But in reality, if someone is saying "I've been to Europe", the only thing possible to conclude from that is that the speaker is ignorant, and most likely from US, because if (s)he were from anywhere else in the world, (s)he would say, "I've been to France/Iceland/Ukraine/Albania", or something like that.
I r
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
On your three: 1. The dream stays a dream- very few people percentagewise actually ac
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:1)
All told though, I see the Canadian workplace becoming more focused on the money aspect of things. Several colleagues have thought of moving to Europe after finish
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Yes it is. It is a single country, with similar law, economy, culture, history, etc... There is the american dream, the american way of life, etc...
In Europe it is different. It is a continent of national states, who have spent the last 1000s of years fighting each other every few decades. USA is mostly about being united against a common enemy. Europe is mostly about endless bickering with the closest neighbours, to the point where
nitpick (Score:2)
ehm, no
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
You speak as though taxes are not themselves an unavoidable drain on the profits of a small business.
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
They are. But when you compare private health care's profit margin (15%-20%) to public healthcare's overhead (Medicare is a mere 2%) and combine that with the fact that taxed profits aren't taxed if they don't exist (as opposed to a private healthcare plan, whose costs go on even if profits are zero), the small business comes out WAY ahead contributing to the pay of a government bureaucrat at a mere $40,0
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:1)
B) The government should not decide how, when , or the quality of how you are treated.
In the U.S. you can at any moment go to a hospital or doctor for something as little as having a headache or a feeling of frustration. This is possible because people work, if you give people things for free they have no motiviation to better themselves. Regardless, the government has no place in healthcare, once you've been treated under the U.S. system you realize the differ
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
B) An elected official appointing a bureaucrat to decide my care according to democratically formed laws vs a greedy rich insurance company trying to limit their costs? Give me the first any day.
In the U.S. you can at any moment go to a hospital or doctor for something as little as having a headache or a feeling of frustration.
And spend the next 26 months trying to get the insurance company to pay for it- or worse yet, get charged for it out of pocket at 5
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
While I was in Germany in April of 2004, they were implementing a 10 copay so that people would stop wasting doctors times for headaches and feeling frustrated. They wanted them to just take OTC medicine, or call up their mom. Hell, it's not so important so as to see a doctor over.
Quite to the contrary, if healthcare is free, people will exploit it. Unlike America where we
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Better health care? Nope, health care is far superior in the USA. Just because the owner of the small business doesn't pay for it directly, don't think he's paying any less. If he has to pay for it all via taxes, (remember SOMEONE has to pay f
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:1)
And that affects QUALITY of life how, exactly? More material goods does not success make. In fact, I know plenty of bankrupt people that you'd think were rich- based on their material goods bought on credit.
More people (percentage wise) own their own houses in the US versus any country in Europe.
Also not a good thing in toda
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Here, I actually agree with you. When people have mechanisms by which they can get and feel fake success (material gain) without consequences (having to pay for it someday) the quality of life for them (demoralization, no incentive to try) and everyone else (welfare subsidies) goes down the drain. Ente
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
And this is *directly* related to the spiral our whole economy is in- it's been 29 years since the United States of America made a profit in our exports overall. Because of that, i
Re:Ideology friendly to slashdot. (Score:2)
It's not ideology. Which is why I put in the subject line I did. When it comes to *freelancing*, what the OP wants to do, it's a hell of a lot easier if you don't have to wonder where your next meal is coming fro
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
No. For one, I have a tendency to follow Das Kapital more than the Communist Manifesto to begin with- it makes more sense and is by far the better work. Secondly- his bankruptcy means yet another homeless illegal alien who can't afford to go home when his visa is up- which is bad for the community at large. Far better he stays home, where governments s
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Doesn't matter which one you follow, both are "evil" in the eyes of the ignorant.
Here's my 2 cents.
As I recall even in the manifesto... an economy is there to better the people. It is not there to crush the people under the heel of the rich (aka the burgeoise) The economy is a "tool" to make sure everyone has "enough" to live well... but not to excess.
Unfortunately in the USA, and soon to be "in america" as Canada is heading that way too, the rich are crushing everyone under their heel and ta
Re:Europe more friendly to small business (Score:2)
Yes, that was the main point. I don't think he ever forsaw the possibility of a regionalized government web page to collect a database of needs, thus providing better numbers for production of various goods and services, which might actually help give a
Like I said (Score:2)
Bush, Cheney, the bin ladin's in Arabia... Saddam... they all couldn't and can't get enough of power and money...
In the end, it will take a revolution, I just hope the geeks wanting a reform are strong enough to do it, and of course the old w
When the buguoise are all gone... (Score:2)
Not really, I'm just joking... but that seems to be how many revolutionaries think
Re:When the buguoise are all gone... (Score:2)
The truest state of an ENLIGHTENED society is anarchy... not chaos, but self ruled men, coexisting with other self ruled men, aiding each other out of the understanding that if all succeed, and in succeed in helping one another they will advance together.
Unfortunately, the current elderly generation must die, as must ours, to allow for an untainted one to rise to power. We have been tainted by fanatical religions and greed entirely too much to be worth saving, IMHO.
Only t
Re:When the buguoise are all gone... (Score:2)
But practically, everyone who has attempted to enact any utopian government has only succeeded in making an opressive regime. Perhaps the only reason why the US doesn't have such a government is because our founding fathers didn't try to make a PERFECT government, they tried to make a government that was restricted, and
Re:When the buguoise are all gone... (Score:2)
It just took time... but look at Rome... it took Rome a lot longer than 300 years to get as corrupted as we have become in our measly history. And look at them now, a slum, mostly known for the Mafia, the Vatican and the Coloseum (not Colisseum)
Oh well... all great empires have their time, and all things have an end.
~D
Re:Like I said (Score:2)
The key, as I see it, is an evolutionary system- one where law is used of, by, and for the people as a weapon against the parasites. That, and I favor decentralzed, mob rule government...each town, even each neighborhood, is supreme within
YES (Score:2)
YES YOU ARE THE MAN!!! THANK THE FUCKING GODS ABOVE AND DEMONS BELOW!!!
yes... decentralization, indeed... taking power from the central "authority" and making it a mere arbitrator, as it SHOULD BE and AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN!!!
Taking those that gain too much by doing too little, and destroying their way of life... making them EARN what they get... so that the marine motto actually has MEANING... and they actually uphold it "never given, always ea
Re:YES (Score:2)
Re:YES (Score:2)
Either way, I used to work with ex marines, and have a friend who worked FOR one... (I think he became a pilot, said it was far less risky than working IT
Nonetheless, they ALL said the same thing... that the one thing they learned in USMC was "nothing given, always earned"... i.e. they would earn everything they got.
~D
Here is Advice (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Here is Advice (Score:2)
If you want to grow, you must surround yourself with great peers and great companies. At least that's what motivates me.
Yes, taxes are higher. Houses are unbelieveably high. But after living in the midwest and in California, I can tell you that your chances of making a lot of money are much higher here.
Consider marriage and citizenship (Score:3, Informative)
Look North (Score:2, Informative)
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
Re:Look North (Score:2)
Is that the same Ireland that is now one of the best places in Europe to live, looking relatively good on everything from economic stability to crime levels?
Re:Look North (Score:2)
Nah, it's that other Ireland, you know, the one that nobody talks about.
Re:Look North (Score:1)
I think this is a crucial point a lot of potential "immigrants" overlook. Even if you do get a visa for 3 years, and extend it for another 3, after 6 years you MUST leave the USA. The laws may change in 3 years, but that's how it is right now. Of course if you get one of the coveted green cards you can stay, but those are difficult to get. Of course if you marry an American (of the opposite sex) then things become a little easier.
Re:Look North (Score:2)
IANAL, but I have spoken to an immigration attorney about this subject (and my company has this attorney on retainer as they're sponsoring me). I am an H1 holder currently on the second three years (it expires late next year). As long as you have a valid status, you can extend your H1 (or even a TN, although it's trickier) almost indefinitely. Valid status would include applying for a Green Card and "
Re:Look North (Score:2)
(aparently Canada fell below Ireland recently.. yikes!)
:D
Whats with the yikes? From the 2005 human development index [wikipedia.org], Ireland is number 8 in the world in terms of standard of living, and rising, beating out the US at number 10 and the UK at number 15, besides being one of the richest nations on earth. Canadialand is at number 5, so don't worry, you still have a slight edge there.
some advice (Score:2)
People come here to work every day. A lot of them start their own companies
H-1B Visa and company sponsor (Score:2, Informative)
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. I
You're going about this the hard way. (Score:2, Funny)
1: Learn to speak Spanish.
2: Sneak across the Mexico/US border.
3: Work for cash.
You'll do fine.
Your own multi-national (Score:1)
I'm assuming you have the european advantage of being multi-lingual. Language, coding, and business skills are a rare combination. You shou
Re:Your own multi-national (Score:1)
Re:Your own multi-national (Score:1)
dice.com (Score:2)
There is two aspects. The first is getting a job right away might require that you find a company willing to work with work visas (H1-B isn't it?). Some will. Basically, some companies have done it and will do it -- while others don't know what is involved in doing it and avoid it.
The second
Multinational company (Score:1)
But, if you want to move here and work, you'll need a H-1B or similar visa. These are very, very expensive - lots of lawyers and legal fees involved. We're talking a five-figure sum by the time you've got to a green card. Used to be that comp
Visa lottery (Score:1)
A couple of caveats:
- there is a proposal on the table to get rid of the visa lottery.
- People born in some countries, e.g., the UK, are not eligible for it.
The usual work visas, H1 and L1, require employment and don't work for freelancing.
If you are really good, you may be able to self-petition yourself for a Greencard, but you probably would have to have a couple patents, etc.