Non-citizen looking to work in the US - waste of time trying?
I'm an experienced professional in my early 30s (approaching 10-year mark in total), working for a London-based AM (1-trn AUM) in Investment Risk. Although my team is almost entirely London-based, I am personally working in an office in a small European country.
Perhaps due to the lockdowns etc. I have gotten a serious travel itch the last year or so and would really like to work in a major financial center, preferably on another continent, if possible.
NYC is obviously the place that stands out. I have seen roles very similar to my own posted on indeed.com etc., but when I have applied i almost immediately get rebuffed - I'm presuming its down to my immigration status rather than experience, as i would match up well with the job specs.
Can someone advise if I am actually wasting my time trying to get to the US? Does your application just go in the bin as soon as they sniff the fact you don't have a visa? Maybe Canada would be easier, say an OTPP etc. in Toronto ?
Just wondering if others have gone a similar path, or should i just switch my focus to something more realistic, like an internal transfer to London (which they are being iffy about) or a move there externally.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Western Europe should be easier, but you'd still need an income/job once you are there. And your own employer might need you there also, a transfer to London is not unrealistic or a difficult task.
If the goal is to permanently move and reside in another country, however, there are alternatives that may make sense
- further education if you can afford it (employers paying for this is increasingly rare, but also possible)
- date/marry someone in the destination country. This makes even more sense if you come from a community where people prefer partners from their own culture. Doesn't have to be arranged, but there is a reason why so many niche dating apps and portals exist. You may have a preference that your spouse has a certain cultural, religious or linguistic background. Or maybe you don't want to be alone any longer. It doesn't matter, marriage is a key route into a new country these days and it is one that will work for many people for generations to come.
- if the destination country is more important than the career you currently have - some people have a life-long dream of starting their own business or do something else than sit at home or commuting to the office. If you have already decided that moving to the other side of earth is the right thing, why not go one step further and also rethink your career? Now might be the best chance.
- Always have a plan B or alternatives. Maybe the US won't work out, but Canada might. Maybe your employer won't move you internally, but another one might? Maybe starting your new business is too risky, but maybe starting a franchise might work? ETC - come up with LOTS of avenues before you decide...
It depends on what your ultimate goal is and the reasons behind them.
1) Is the goal to live and permanently reside in the US for the rest of your life? Then I'd consider investing the right amount of money for the education, investment visa or business visa. This, however, can also work as an internal transfer.
2) Is the goal to only spend a limited time in Western Europe and/or the US? I would not invest a large amount of funds but seek easier routes into the countries.
Internal transfers happen all the time, I have seen them across multiple industries and companies.
If you are not married yet and want a more permanent residence in the US - dating/marriage is also a solution.
The initial, relevant visa avenues should be L for the transfer, E1/E2 for either personal investment or transfer (depends on details), F visa for students, H1b for transfer or post F, E3 if you hold Australian citizenship, O if you have extraordinary skills. J should no longer apply to professionals (J could apply post degree though!)
There is, unfortunately, no working holiday visa in the USA. These are just ideas and I am not an immigration attorney, of course, and a legal professional may provide further assistance.
As you can see, there are various avenues into a new country and many options are available. Simply applying to a job in the US and hoping to land a visa sponsorship is indeed a possibility, but I wouldn't bet my career or life on it. You would have to time the application in the right window, the employer would have to file the visa application, pay the attorney, justify the investment internally and also externally (labor market assessment), and then in all likelihood not be able to get you the visa anyway (due to the lottery of H1b). This is a very unlikely avenue, but it is not impossible.
Also, play the diversity lottery if your background allows it.
many thanks for such a detailed response. As you outlined the options are a bit limited barring an internal transfer/pre-existing citizenship. Re visas I will look into the H1b further (am aware of the J1 visas though they are tied to being enrolled in university). Canada may be a bit easier as there is some IEC visa that allows casual work for up to 2 years which could work to get ones foot in the door somewhere for a more permanent stay.
I have also lived in Canada before, with the IEC visa! The IEC is the ideal entry visa if you qualify (cut-off is 30 years or 35 years, depending on nationality) and it enables you to be in the "Canadian Experience" class. Which in turn enables other categories. IEC has technically the limitation that you'll have to leave, but the employers can put you in additional classes of the immigration system. Also, express entry is much easier than any visa route into the USA.
I really enjoyed my time in Canada and would love to go back at some point.
interesting, thank you! Yeah i think I'm under the age cut-off. I would imagine Toronto and maybe Vancouver would be the places to aim for for high finance (I don't have the language level for Montreal).
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