Absolute beginner questions

[Spright 0]

Dear all,

I'm an absolute beginner to the whole topic of US immigration; please be nice.

I'm a skilled professional, a doctor of biology. My citizenship is Israeli, but I live in Germany, married to a German and we have a toddler.

I'm now considering looking for a job in the States. However, I'm very scared. Immigration regulations are daunting, but moreover: what will happen if I lose my job?

This is my main concern. In Germany this isn't a problem at all: generous unemployment benefits for the rest of your life, rent and health paid by the state. If I work in the States for half a year and then get fired, what are my rights? Will the cops escort me to the next available flight, because my visa is dependent on this job? If not, am I entitled to any sort of social help until I can find a new job?

To my understanding, Green Card isn't relevant here at all, because the process takes years and I'm talking about losing my job after only a short period, before my permanent status is settled.

Are my fears justified, or do I have a huge misconception of things?

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

First we have a huge VW plant here in my city and many Germans coming in

If you do succeed in aquriing a position in the US, the company you work for would hire an attorney to do your application / granted you would have to do a lot of work yourself to provide attorney with any documents required.

Not sure why you would worry about getting fired so quickly. any company here hiring you, would be spending a great deal to get you here and would do al to try to keep you / in other words, you would have to screw up pretty badly to get fired.

Green card is relevant for any work in US

yes, huge misconception.

your main concern is finding the job and the company proving there is no one in the US who can do the work

[Spright 0]

I don't plan on screwing up badly, but companies do get into hard times, make cuts, shut down. If I were alone perhaps I wouldn't worry so much, but since I'll be moving my family across the ocean I think it's a legitimate concern. You haven't answered anything regarding what my status will be once I'm terminated.

As for proving there's no one in the US who can do the work: is that more of a formality, easily and routinely done, or is it a real hurdle?

[canadian_wife 1,791]

With such generous social benefits in Germany why are you looking to uproot your family to the US? Surely you know that rent is not paid for by the US government, nor would you be afforded the same social services as a green card holder or a US citizen.

If your work visa is terminated, so is your authorized stay in the US (in most cases). While the police are unlikely to come knocking on your door, it is still your responsibility to abide by the US laws and regulations.

good luck

[Spright 0]

I'm only "looking" to uproot my family because there are hardly any jobs in my field in Germany, alas.

So, if I find a job in the US, then at least at the beginning my visa is bound to this job and if I lose the job I'm not given any chance to look for a new one?

[canadian_wife 1,791]

With many work visas there is a grace period which allows one to settle affairs. However, some visas, like H1b visas, are only applied for in April. So if one loses their job, it can be difficult to be issued a new visa before the application date.

However, social services will not be available to you during this grace period. One may lose their company health care and other benefits once the job is finished.

good luck

[ricnally 258]

I don't plan on screwing up badly, but companies do get into hard times, make cuts, shut down. If I were alone perhaps I wouldn't worry so much, but since I'll be moving my family across the ocean I think it's a legitimate concern. You haven't answered anything regarding what my status will be once I'm terminated.

As for proving there's no one in the US who can do the work: is that more of a formality, easily and routinely done, or is it a real hurdle?

no, not just a formality.

[raven52 233]

With your Phd.,.,in biology, I would think your field of study would be in great demand in the USA.

Have you done any searches for vacancies, in the USA for your field of study?

From High school to the best universities, and colleges.,..,..,would have a great interest in you.,.,and if not there, with the health care situation what it is in this country, under going vast changes.,,its just an opinion, you would be in demand, at most colleges, and hospitals, though you might have to get a teachers cert..,, but they make great money and benefits at colleges and universities.

[FabtheFab 67]

Hi,

canadian_wife is right. I think that if you care about social benefits in general and a support system if you get fired, the US may not be the best place for you.

I have a couple of friends who moved to San Francisco a couple of years ago. They are French. He came as an expat, in a very high position. It turned he got a new boss after his first year and they did not get along. He ended up fired.

They had around three months to leave the country. It was extremely stressful for them.

They had a H1B. Another problem during their stay (they were in the US for about 3 years) was that his wife was not allowed to work. She used to have a career before and it was quite difficult for them.

They're in Canada now. She is working. Maybe you should consider there as a possible destination too.

Edited October 4, 2015 by BRlove

[DeKi 10]

Not to pile on the discouragement (I have, after all, chosen to live in the US myself for many reasons, including marrying a USC), but to add an additional factor for you to consider: many places of employment are limited in/or themselves limit their ability to hire foreigners for positions in US locations. You would literally see the notification "applicant must have U.S. work authorization" still in the job posting. There is no point in applying for such openings. What is worse is that some companies which do not include such an explicit statement might still internally have decided that they are not interested in dealing with sponsoring work-based visas and you won't even know it.

Bottom line: immigration regulations ARE daunting, as you correctly recognize. And I am not at all sure the labor conditions are ultimately better for your qualifications here, considering these limitations on a foreigner's candidacy. Unless you specifically see an opening that seems like a great fit and that employer is willing to sponsor your work authorization, this experience will not be like a regular job search where you send resumes blindly to many places and hope for several responses.

[Boiler 43,435]

Look up H1b transfer.

Your benefits from an employer are subject to whatever you negotiate. You would get Unemployment theoretically but if you can not transfer you would not have that long to leave so it would be moot,