Anyone here ever move to another country because of a job opportunity?

[abhijit]

Im interested in knowing if anyone of you peeps have ever moved far from home because of a job opportunity or something similar?

I'm having thoughts about moving to the US after my education. A good friend offered me a place in a team of developers in Chicago (I hope it'll still stand when i graduate, he said it would but who knows!)... It might be my chance to get experience in professional development and see where I can go from there.

What turns me off about moving to the other side of the globe is moving away from my friends. Sure hopefully I'll make friends in the US aswell, but what if I dont? What if all my colleagues hates swedes?

Anyone have any experience of this and can share some words of wisdom?

Permanently or temporarily?

[Atheist]

Well I would aim for permanently, but you never know what happens.

[abhijit]

Well I would aim for permanently, but you never know what happens.

You need a steady source of income to sustain yourself. If you can keep that going for you, it doesn't matter where you are.

There are also comfort levels. I would not be comfortable in a country where they don't speak English.

[Atheist]

Thanks for all the replies so far!

The more I think this over, the more I like the thought of moving.
The town I live in now is the same I've lived in all 21 years of my life. A small quiet town with approx. 5000 citizens. Moving to a town such as Chicago will be a big change, but also a good experience. I had a look at the rent for apartments in Chicago last night and found that they weren't exactly as cheap as here, but they weren't awfully expensive either..take this for instance: apartment!.

I wouldnt want to move into a "bad" neighbourhood though...id rather pay more to avoid that..

[Gambit001]

if it was me id give it a go, at the worst you can always return home, whereas if you turn it down flat you'll prob wonder in years to come what if i had taken that job in Chicago

i done a move, not a massive one, but moved to the Isle of Man for 2years to work, simply because of the way the industry was in N.Ireland at the tim, i knew nothing about the Isle of Man except for the TT races.

turned out to be a highly enjoyable 2years of my life and i only moved back cause i got offered a very good role back in Belfast.

last time i was in Chicago i was a nipper, my aunt & uncle live out there and have done for about 30years to no ill effect

[mendhak]

Look, you're not going to get much of an experience if you keep worrying about it. Just go, but remember to always have a backup plan. If things don't go well or if you hate it more than I hate onions (which is impossible), then you can go back. Just go, although I think London's better. In some ways. I like rain.

[abhijit]

Thanks for all the replies so far!

The more I think this over, the more I like the thought of moving.
The town I live in now is the same I've lived in all 21 years of my life. A small quiet town with approx. 5000 citizens. Moving to a town such as Chicago will be a big change, but also a good experience. I had a look at the rent for apartments in Chicago last night and found that they weren't exactly as cheap as here, but they weren't awfully expensive either..take this for instance: apartment!.

I wouldnt want to move into a "bad" neighbourhood though...id rather pay more to avoid that..

Is that in the suburbs? My friends in Chicago stay in Naperville or Schaumburg. From what I've seen in Chicago, there is a decent public transport system. Doesn't beat the London Underground, but you can move from most places without having to buy a car.

[Atheist]

Is that in the suburbs? My friends in Chicago stay in Naperville or Schaumburg. From what I've seen in Chicago, there is a decent public transport system. Doesn't beat the London Underground, but you can move from most places without having to buy a car.

I clicked the link "View google map" on that page and it seems that apartment is in the middle of the city.
Its nice to see that there are apartments to get so central without paying a ton.

[abhijit]

I clicked the link "View google map" on that page and it seems that apartment is in the middle of the city.
Its nice to see that there are apartments to get so central without paying a ton.

Now add utility bills to this amount. Water, heat, gas, electricity will all add up, unless they are included.

[Atheist]

Now add utility bills to this amount. Water, heat, gas, electricity will all add up, unless they are included.

Yeah, heat and cable are the only things that are included.

[Atheist]

Look, you're not going to get much of an experience if you keep worrying about it. Just go, but remember to always have a backup plan. If things don't go well or if you hate it more than I hate onions (which is impossible), then you can go back. Just go, although I think London's better. In some ways. I like rain.

Yeah thats true, but I'm not really worrying.. I just like to think over all aspects before I do something,
I'm really excited about this now, it'll be an amazing experience.

mmm....onions...

[mendhak]

Shut up

[Atheist]

Shut up

You shall henceforth be known to all as Al.

[mendhak]

I shall call you onion breath.

[Atheist]

I shall wear that title proudly.

So..about the boring parts of moving to the US...I understand a H1-B visa is some kind of work visa. But from what I've read only 65000 people ("aliens" ) can hold a H1-B visa in the states..so what are the options if I cant get one?

The H1-B would allow me to stay for 3 years. These 3 years should be enough for me to decide if I want to try to make it permanently or not. What exactly should I do to try to become an American citizen when this time comes?

[homer13j]

I had a look at the rent for apartments in Chicago last night and found that they weren't exactly as cheap as here, but they weren't awfully expensive either..take this for instance: apartment!.

I wouldnt want to move into a "bad" neighbourhood though...id rather pay more to avoid that..

Then I wouldn't go anywhere near Chatham. Stay out of the south side and near west side completely. Either go with something on the north side or the north or west suburbs. Don't rent an apartment in a large city sight unseen. After looking at the apartment spend a while walking around the neighborhood. If you don't feel safe go look somewhere else. I can guarantee you will not feel safe in Chatham.

I had a place in Elmhurst (15 miles due west of The Loop) two blocks from the train station. Very convenient but not cheap. One of my biggest complaints was a skinny white boy like me wouldn't dare ride my bicycle downtown unless I took a lengthy ride through the better north side neighborhoods. And the shortest automobile route downtown was the incomprehensibly congested Eisenhower Expressway which was deemed obsolete about 20 minutes after it opened for business in 1950.

There are better cities to live in the US. Good luck wherever you end up.

[wossname]

incomprehensibly congested Eisenhower Expressway which was deemed obsolete about 20 minutes after it opened for business

*Must...resist........Vista...joke...too...obvious......arrrgh!*

[Atheist]

Then I wouldn't go anywhere near Chatham. Stay out of the south side and near west side completely. Either go with something on the north side or the north or west suburbs. Don't rent an apartment in a large city sight unseen. After looking at the apartment spend a while walking around the neighborhood. If you don't feel safe go look somewhere else. I can guarantee you will not feel safe in Chatham.

I had a place in Elmhurst (15 miles due west of The Loop) two blocks from the train station. Very convenient but not cheap. One of my biggest complaints was a skinny white boy like me wouldn't dare ride my bicycle downtown unless I took a lengthy ride through the better north side neighborhoods. And the shortest automobile route downtown was the incomprehensibly congested Eisenhower Expressway which was deemed obsolete about 20 minutes after it opened for business in 1950.

There are better cities to live in the US. Good luck wherever you end up.

Thanks for the heads up man! I suppose I'll have to get a room at a motel or something and try to find an apartment meanwhile.

[homer13j]

Thanks for the heads up man! I suppose I'll have to get a room at a motel or something and try to find an apartment meanwhile.

That's exactly what I did. Then when I found the perfect apartment I only had to wait six weeks for it to be ready for me to move in...

[abhijit]

I shall wear that title proudly.

So..about the boring parts of moving to the US...I understand a H1-B visa is some kind of work visa. But from what I've read only 65000 people ("aliens" ) can hold a H1-B visa in the states..so what are the options if I cant get one?

The H1-B would allow me to stay for 3 years. These 3 years should be enough for me to decide if I want to try to make it permanently or not. What exactly should I do to try to become an American citizen when this time comes?

You're mistaken about the 65 K people limit. Every year the department of labor issues 65K H1B visas. The company you wish to work for has to hire a lawyer who will do all the paper work to file a petition. Once you get your petition, you need to visit the American consulate in Sweden to get your passport & visa papers stamped. Then you can enter the United States. You cannot switch jobs unless someone else is willing to file a petition for you. The maximum stay on a H1-B is six years. You can get an extension for 3 years.

For your other question, (regarding citizenship), you need to contact an immigration lawyer.

[mendhak]

Are you going to visit us in London on your way there?

[Atheist]

Getting closer now....!
Im progressing through my final year in my education, and my plans to get a job in Chicago remains.

I just came to think of something...Is getting a work visa a lengthy process? I mean, should I begin this process before finishing my education?

I'm as excited as before, if not more!

[abhijit]

Getting closer now....!
Im progressing through my final year in my education, and my plans to get a job in Chicago remains.

I just came to think of something...Is getting a work visa a lengthy process? I mean, should I begin this process before finishing my education?

I'm as excited as before, if not more!

Define: lengthy process

[Atheist]

Define: lengthy process

Definition: A process that would take sufficient amount of time to hinder me in my progress, should I not have begun said process earlier