sittichai

I write software that tests other software. Requires good programming skills. Been doing this job for 4 years. Been programming for 7 years. Sys Admin and Network engineers over here also makes around 70k if they don't know how to write code. But they can easily make more if they do know how to automate their admin work. My husband writes software as well and makes significantly more than I do. He's got over 25 years of coding experience. He started programming when he was in grade school. We picked jobs that we're passionate about. When you enjoy what you're doing, it shows in your work and you get rewarded for it. It also helps to be nice to people in general. All of the jobs that my husband and I have/had came from referrals. People won't refer you if they're annoyed with you.

would you know how much is help desk support/engineer starting pay there in mainland?

I'm in Los Angeles. People told me that I can't get a high paying job like the one I had in Philippines because I'm an immigrant and was advised to look for babysitting jobs. That it's hard here. It's different, that most people who are even born here are having a hard time finding jobs. That my college degree in Philippines doesn't mean anything. I applied for a job in Technology anyways. I'm an engineer and makes $86,000. My husband is also an engineer. We have a household income of over $200,000. My husband has a pension and 401k plan from his work. I have a 401k plan. We also have tuition fee reimbursement. We get annual bonuses, flexible spending accounts, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, legal plans, discounts to multiple companies like AT&T, T-mobile, Apple, Lenovo, hotels.com, travelocity.com, etc. You get free snacks/beverage at work. These benefits are very typical to tech companies here in Los Angeles. Most of my co-workers are Asians and makes at least $60,000 a year. Good luck in your job hunting!

wow that is incredulous!!!

that's even higher than our system admin and network engineer, w/c only makes around 70k and 65k...

can i know what specific skills and jobs duties that you have as an Engineer?

is is really that high paying there in the mainland compared to here in island? plus the houses are damn so cheap yah!

can i know too how long have u been in IT, and what specific field too, like it is hardware, network, software, sysadmin, support? that pay is really humungous

Hi! I am really having a hard time getting a job here in hawaii.. I got my green card november of last year.. The problem is i dont have any job experience here..all i did while waiting for my card is to baby sit.. I am a registered nurse in the philippines.Now since early this year i was applying to many jobs here in the US but no luck yet.. I tried any job openings even those entry level jobs, even fast food chains or any store but no one called me back for good news. I am really getting stressed and depressed. Can somebody help me what to do?!

Thanks in advance!

hi.

am from oahu too..good luck on job hunting. i got job already..a lot of jobs actually in craigslist...

here are some websites:

monster

hawaii job engine

jobs on demand

altres.com

officeteam.com

Name calling is unnecessary, rude, and ignorant.

Congratulations on getting your papers. Hope a job offer follows quickly.

i do have a job now..on my 3rd day..

What papers do you have? if recent movement, please consider to update yer timeline?

ead,

ap

green card

I have work too....I guess my ranting and freaking out worked...

$41,673.83 in a small town in Texas could be quite enough to live comfortably... you may even be close to middle class. But $41,673.83 in a large city like DC, NY, LA is close to nothing for a decent life. With all due respect, do you understand that? And that's why people keep asking you where you are. Because it seriously matters.

Maybe this article about middle class can help you: http://www.sfgate.co...ine-3819526.php

the 41k, is that for two household? or treated as for each single american?

there are various kinds of support engineers. there are those that answer tech calls for things like cellphones etc. those salaries are in the 30-40k ranges. then there are support engineers for software companies that deal with supporting the product including writing maintenance code etc. those are probably in the 40-70k range.

sure man. thnx

Hmm...uscis is holding your life? Just because you cant work right now? Interesting.

not anymore...I have my papers now...done dealing with these USCIS freaks..im working now..thanks goodness...back to life now!

Just found this when I logged onto our company intranet website "...average median salary of less than $41,673.83, the national average wage index as calculated by the Social Security Administration."

Just remember that this is for ALL jobs in the US which include those CEOs making several millions of dollars.

Hope this helps,

Dave

thanks man

Someone with a computer background needs some google-fu, IMO. There's all sorts of salary comparisons out there..

i did. i wanted to here from a forum, not from google. google also gives u the forums.

I like this thread...just preparing when i was there to find job or approx. the salary..thank you

yeah me too..thanks to a lot of people replying..

COmpletely depends on your location, your experience beyond your education, and how irreplaceable you will be to the company. If you go to an interview expecting after having calculated on what your salery would be based only on your experience, you're forgetting the 2 other factors.

Ask if the company offer any benefits. In the long run, you might be better off getting a dollar less an hour and sticking with the company with a better policy regarding vacation/paid holidays or insurance.

EDIT: I know I'm worth more than my current salary however building up the US resume is a factor to include in your calculation as well. I know some people lie on their resume which, IMO, is why you get 60 or 90 days to prove you're hired or fired. After that time if you've done a great job and proven to be irreplaceable and having the experience you claimed to have, you can always try to bump up your salary.

thanks . that is true.

Working on March 2011 now, so that is 17 months. Someone filing July 2012 would be looking at Dec. 2013 for an approval, if it stays with that same time frame.

WOW thats quite LONG time as compared to AOS via k1 because some on k1 gets like an interview in 3-4 months or if k1 does not go thru interview, its like 8months to 1 year wait time....

I did not know that AOS via Employment is that LONG..and would u know HOW Long is the Green card issued for those AOS via Employment???

wow ..thank you guys for your input. Really really appreciate it! especially I'm a new immigrant here..that certainly helps a lot about my expectations here in America.

Can I know too what are the benefits like if I retire after certain age, do I get like PENSION from government? Sorry for my newbie questions.. I am just not familiar yet with how things will be if I fully decided to live and stay for good or even become an American by Naturalization...

While support engineer and help desk are two completely different realms of an IT dept in my mind, this is from my experience before I changed states and fields.

Help desk - $12-17 per hour

Desk Side Support - $17-30 per hour

Remote Field Support - $23-30 per hour

All of these salaries were from long term contract positions with a fortune 500 company that I did IT support for 7 years before I became an employee and changed dept.

Also, these salaries are based on living and working in San Diego, Ca. Your experience may vary.

Good luck

thank you so much..appreciate it!!

March 2011 is for adjustment of status based on employment @CSC... not family based

so is it correct that if they applied july 2012, theirs will be mid of 2013 ???

Somewhere between $350 and $650 a week, if you are extremely lucky!

Not sure what your "computer background" entails but if you get a job that requires a BA in Computer Science, Information Technology, etc., then starting salary, I would guess, would be around $60k minimum.

so if 650 per week, multiple by 4 its only 2600 usd monthly... is that correct?

Some years back the median salary in the US was $30,000.00

i like ur answer... straightforward.

how many years ago?

what does computer background mean?

post excerpts from your resume and I can take a look. I am involved in the hiring process at our company and we are a saas firm.

i am IT support engineer/helpdesk.. do u know a salary bracket for me? 7+ years all IT experience...

OK OK stop typing in all caps and stop using the word IRREGARDLESS (it isn't even a word)

Ok - the median income for the US is about $26,000 according to a quick google search.

but it does vary by job and where you live. My husband is in computers and would NEVER ask for $26000 in an interview.

So it does matter what sort of job you are looking for

thanks, apologize for the caps..

It also depends on the company you apply with and your location.

The cost of living varies greatly across the US.

ok..IRREGARDLESS OF THE FACTOR LIKE WHAT KIND OF JOB, WHAT LOCATION

CAN you provide a definite bracket for a salary that is the MEDIAN in America? like a middle class household income in America, what should it be???

pls provide figures....

I just want to establish and know where to put myself and what to expect

I know this is subjective. I am just a new immigrant here in US. I have Computer background waiting for AOS & Green card. Can I know what is a DECENT salary here in US as a starter?

I dont have kids/dependents yet, me only and my hubby. Can someone give me a snapshot of decent salary in USA, means that its not LOW and not HIGH as well.

Thank you so much to those who will reply.

Right now CSC is processing March 2011 applicants for I-485 based on Employment

Just go here and look at processing times.

Is it same wait as for those AOS via Family based?

So if now they're processing march 2011, if my friend only applied last month, would it make theirs more months more to go? like more than a year maybe???

Bank called this morning, I got the job!!! Background check went well, they said I have no credit and there is basically nothing wrong they can find on me so I am good to go. OMG, I am sooooooo happyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and don't give up hope. It took me 3 weeks after I received my EAD. I walked in in all the banks, took employment applications from all of them and did a follow up after a week, in person, in the bank. I got 2 face to face interviews in one week and one offered me a job.

congrats.

what bank position? I am from banking field too, can you give me salary range in banking position here in US?

ty..

I have a friend asking me how long does it take for AOS approval via/based work application? Because mine is Family based on K1 so I am not able to answer him. Any idea?

I'm sorry to hear that Sittichai,

Welcome to my rocky boat! Never before does time crawl so slowly. Actually to me it is traveling backward.

yeah sadly..you filed your AOS with EAD and AP, 7months ago?

where is the justice here, common USCIS peeps..hope you are reading these forums!!!

Hi everyone,

Four months since the applications, here're what I got in my email inbox:

On July 19th, 2012:

1.

"** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On July 19, 2012, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283."

2.

"** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Application Type: I131 , APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT

Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On July 19, 2012, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I131 APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283."

I waited and waited, eagerly picked up the mail every day and saw no notice "mailed to you" as I had heard.

Then today, July 25th, 2012, I checked my email, and got this:

3.

"*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On July 24, 2012, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283."

And

4.

"The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: xxxxxxxxxxx

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On July 25, 2012, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I765 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283."

Please, can anyone give me some explanation? I'm totally confused and worried.

At the same time, my case status on uscis site jumped from "card production" as on July 19th back to "post decision activity". What on earth does all this mean???

(While my case was transferred to the black hole called CSC, I have no hope to get my green card in any time soon. I'm dying to receive the work permit or the travelling card. We paid an attorney to file the papers for us, and he told us not to apply for a SSN until the right time came and he would advise. (The right time doesn't seem to have come yet). I've been here for 7 months and it feels like imprisonment, no SSN, hence, no bank account, no driving license, no insurance, no job, no money. No life! )

Oh no... I surely might end up like this too!

First come first serve at the office you're at. Applications are separated. Three months is nothing. Sorry.

Does it mean that if you submit AOS with EAD and AP (each have different receipt numbers), all of those three will be approved by difference people/diff centers?

like AOS is for Missouri(National Benefits Center), how about the two(EAD&AP)??

You're forgetting that not everyone gets EAD before greencard/interview.

The processing time is what it is, I admit i root for my fellow December filers as they were in that USCIS line long before you, some of them did not receive EAD before the interview. The wait is annoying, for sure! But you can't really speed it along.

From the day the case is transferred to a local office/CSC, you get another 180 days before you can put in a service request.

At least you're waiting together, right?

Is that Service Request even attended to? How come urs took so much time...how u doubted that they may have lost or misplaced your application?

Holding what up? You're not even at the minimum processing time yet. When things do take forever, lots can hold it up. RFEs, background checks, the sheer number of applicants ... There are only so many people to process so many cases.

I can't simply wait up to the point where processing time is reached. If you know a fire is coming, why do u have to wait until u get burned right??

That's why I forced those outsourced customer reps to give me a Service Request which I still believe will not help it...

I just don't know if those USCIS peeps are gonna even look it up!!