Just curious how the **climate** is out there for muslims and arabs. After 9/11 my husband couldn't find a job to save his life, no matter his multiple degrees & training in the US. This is why we started a business, so he could be self-employed.

Recently there was a 20/20 story about names on resumes that sounded very ethnic. Two candidates with the exact same resumes but the names on the top were treated very differently.

Is it harder for muslims and arabs to get any job these days? Or is it just professional jobs? All this talk about people feeling like they have to hide themselves in order to be accepted into society just makes me sick, so I'm posting this to exchange experiences.

ETA: I'm also curious what is a realistic income expectation for a new immigrant who may or may not have training in a field. Have you found your husbands who have found work have been able to get good raises/promotions equitable with others in their workplace?

I can't really comment just because Wadi's English skills were poor when he arrived. Although I have some suspicions, it wouldn't be accurate for me to say that he was discriminated against for his ethnicity when it very well could have just been the language issue.

I guess time will tell as Wadi's English improves and that's no longer a factor.

True, we didn't have that particular hurdle to jump, so I didn't think of it.

Yes, very very very very very difficult. Exceedingly difficult. Moreso then we ever possibly imagined.

If anyone is so inclined, please make du'a for my husband.

i can't quite say if Del has had any difficulty because he is still with the company he was employed by in Canada, however if recruiters are any indication - no, it hasnt been difficult. they call/email 2-3 times a week.

That's actually really great to hear. We've kind of been out of the loop on it all since we have our business, but there just might come a point when that's no longer going to work.

Rachid found a job quickly... well after me showing him the applications he had to fill out, he did the rest. He was hired by a man from saudi arabia, he was super nice with Rachid and it was only 5 min walking from our appartment... I think you have to keep looking and you will find good people that just want a good worker....

I know for us we are going to try to network as much as possible. I"m already doing that here now and we're not even married yet. Heck never hurts to have as many connections as you can get.

Places that I have started to network are:

local masjids
any friends where I work who are from Egypt
our immigration dept (i work for a university and I actually audit this department so that's way cool)
friends of friends who are in the same line of sales as he is
relatives who have odd jobs they will need done in the future to help as a filler if there's a lag for him
my ex husband. lol. he owns a kitchen cabinet shop and always needs guys to help him out. he's not too keen on possibly working for my ex though so that would be a last resort.

Anyway you get the idea. Just google arabic associations or associations from his country of origin in your area and introduce yourself and explain the situation. It can't hurt!

When Adil was granted his OPT EAD, he had a little bit of a problem finding a place, but I think that was more so because he was only garrenteed to that company for one year. I think that this next time trying to get hired by a large company will be much easier for him. Other friends that are muslim have been hired pretty quickly here in Philly. I guess that's because it's a large city that's very diverse. Inchallah he'll have a job before we go to Morocco.

My husband picked up the paper and after our AOS interview went to check out a few to get an application. He was dressed very nice and was hired at the first place he went to. Since then, within 5 months they have increased his pay by $4 more an hour. He has been treated very well and enjoys his job. He had put in for 2 others right after getting this one just in case and went on the interviews and he was hired for those two also but turned them down. I think all most people are looking for are hard, courteous, dependable workers and are thrilled when they get much more than that.

Doreen

My BIL has recently found the same difficulty with the OPT. As for my husband, I truly think it was because of 9/11 and everything that went with it. Not just the arab thing, but also companies were crashing, closing, freezing hiring, etc. We also live in a very diverse area (Silicon Valley) that I'd never think would discriminate, but that is probably way too much idealism on my part.

My husband was hired the day after his passport was stamped. He went in that day for the first interview, they called him back as soon as he got home, he returned the same day for the second interview and was hired.

He actually took interviews when he had applied for OPT . He was denied OPT, but got the job (and therefore couldn't take it).

I think a lot of the time having a degree from an American university helps.
-C

Oh my, where has Tamer been applying Rahma? I think it has been a year right? I hope he finds something soon.

Mine has a couple of these, and a lot of work experience, but it didn't help when we needed it most (Sept & Oct 2001) because I'd been laid off.

Yeah, I do believe that hiring practices have become less discriminatory the further America gets away from September 2001.

The Arabs and muslims who I know, who have immigrated here after Sept. 11, have had a harder time finding jobs because of their education levels and not because of their backgrounds. Most (who I know) do not have college degrees of any kind. They have to start from scratch here, learning the language and taking up a course of study.

-C

No one that I know has had a problem finding work. I know several people with Arab backgrounds, all of which have secured jobs. They are not Muslim, but I don't think that has anything to do with it unless you are wearing your religion on your sleeve I suppose.

My husband has not had a difficult time finding work.

However, I think the fact that his only work experience in Morocco was professional made it hard rather than easier. He was given some offers that paid ridiculously low and told he didn't have the right kind of experience.

Also, online applications can be a pain when your work history is outside of the US or you have not held multiple jobs. They often require you input a State where a previous job was located, require multiple jobs in the work history, and other quirks. You cannot get to the next screen otherwise.

Jamal is one of the lucky ones. He found his present job the second week after he got to NY. I think it was easy because he is a skilled carpenter and cabinet maker and speaks Spanish. His English was almost non-existent but one of the two partners who owe the shop is Egyptian and almost of the workers are Hispanic. He is pretty content with the work and is working hard on his English as he knows that once he is fluent he will be able to make much more money in his profession.

Dorothy

this can be true for anyone - not just arabs (not suggesting this is what you are saying). You can see many people with issues becoming employed in their fields in the *Moving to America* forum. Job experience overseas or educated overseas = to some employers.

What's an OPT EAD?

My husband had problems finding work for the first couple of months, more so due to his English ability and understanding the application process. At his current job, he has actually recruited another Moroccan. Even though he works in Beverly Hills and runs into eccentric people, they are mostly inquisitive about him and always encouraging him he can do better (i.e. finish school, use his language skills,etc.).

Thank you for asking. I'm wondering too.

Employment Authorization Document, not sure what OPT is.

Optional Practical Training I love google.

And I love acronyms!

You are eligible for an OPT EAD after finishing a degree in the US, but it's only good for one year, so it's difficult to put it to use because employers don't always want to invest in you due to the length of time it's valid for.

I have a friend who's husband was a teacher in Morocco, but when he came here, accepted his first job at Whataburger. He's since moved on to working at a nursing home, and plans to go to nursing school. I guess my point is that our SOs will need to be flexible in finding a job outside of their career/education field of back home, when coming here. And yes, they might have to accept something crappy for the time being, but eventually something will open up. I'm sure this person didn't think he would want to be a nurse, but that's what opportunity presented itself. I think it's important to be flexible at first.

Just thought this would be an interesting topic to read since I plan to go to the States on a student visa next year.

I feel it depends a lot on the work experience etc. even though not knowing people in the business can also adversly affect the job prospects. being an operations and business deelopement manager myself, which depnds a lot on the local business style, I am guessing it would be difficult for a person like me to get a job in the US directly. But I do plan to do my MBA there, so I am sure that will help, with their placement services et all....