| Don't leave home without it |
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| Written by Tim Hoad | |
| Jan 07, 2006 at 12:00 AM | |
 I have been asked about the process of applying for a visa to work in the US, so I though I'd give my experiences, and explain the process that I went through to get here.
There are several stages in the job application and relocation process. Some of these take a great deal of time, and some are very quick. 1. Job application and interview process.This will probably involve traveling to the US for interviews, and it should take about 6 weeks in total, from the time you apply to the time you receive a job offer.
2. Job offer, negotiation, and acceptance.Once you have been accepted, you'll probably have about 1-2 weeks to consider you offer, negotiate the contract, and accept the position. Negotiation of terms of employment is certainly possible, but it generally doesn't pay to come back and say "I want more money". You need to be specific about what aspects of the package concern you, and what can be done to address these issues. A higher base salary is often not the best solution (and is often difficult to achieve due to company salary ranges, which are usually fixed for a given position).
3. Labor Condition Application.If you accept the offer, your employer will petition the Department of Labor to allow them to hire somebody from overseas. For an H1B (the most common professional working visa), this only takes about a week, but the automated systems are not in place for the E-3 yet, so this took about 5 weeks for me. This step also includes some other paperwork that your employer will prepare for you.
4. Visa Application.Once step 3 is done, you can apply for a visa, which involves an interview at the US consulate. The visa is usually approved on the spot, and issued within a few days, however you may need to wait a month or more to get an appointment. You can book this appointment before stage 3 is done, and change the time if there are delays. If you time it right, this step could take as little as a week. If you're unlucky, it could take 6 weeks or more.
5. Departure.Generally, you are advised not to resign from current employment until the visa is issued, so you may need to give 4 weeks notice if you're currently working. You'll also need time to sell your car and so on. How long this step takes is pretty much up to you, but you should allow at least a month. Don't forget that there is a lot for your relocation specialist to organise at this stage (removal, shipping, insurance, accommodation, rental cars, etc.), so don't expect it all to happen overnight.
6. Settling in.You should expect to start work about a week after you arrive in the US. I believe most working visas require you to start within 10 days.So I guess the minimum is about 14 weeks from the day you apply until the day you start work, but it could be as long as six months. For me it was 10 months. |
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| Last Updated ( Dec 01, 2006 at 10:49 AM ) |
