Foreigners in Midlothian? (Cool: apartment, leases, house insurance)

[Andy Moens]

Originally Posted by Threestep

How come it is easier for the Mexicans to get the Green Card? You tell me please? They might be interested.

If i'm not mistaking there are more Mexican immigrants Legally than immigrants from any other country spread across USA. Thats why i assume they have different/easier way to get true the proces like i need to go true.

[Andy Moens]

Originally Posted by Campeador

My guess is that you made this comment without bad intentions, but you sound really uninformed and/or severely lacking in self awareness. By "people who are serious" you seem to imply that folks that come here illegally aren't serious, somehow. I don't condone illegal immigration at all, but to imply that they aren't serious people is extremely naive.

With serious i was referring too the fact thats it's almost impossible for a foreigner to get there because we are dependend on the EDV which is highly unlikely to win or a green card sponsorship. I for one would not mind to pay a personal fee ($2500) in order to have a legal permit which would allow me to go job hunting for 3months and if i can find a job within those 3 months i'm actually allowed to work and live there for a year without that the employers need to go true a bunch of money and taking potential risks on a new employee without really knowing them. Keep in mind that if my year is done and the employer wants to keep me he than can finance a green card for lets say $15000 and that money can be used as an investment and help reduce his taxes.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by Andy Moens

With serious i was referring too the fact thats it's almost impossible for a foreigner to get there because we are dependend on the EDV which is highly unlikely to win or a green card sponsorship. I for one would not mind to pay a personal fee ($2500) in order to have a legal permit which would allow me to go job hunting for 3months and if i can find a job within those 3 months i'm actually allowed to work and live there for a year without that the employers need to go true a bunch of money and taking potential risks on a new employee without really knowing them. Keep in mind that if my year is done and the employer wants to keep me he than can finance a green card for lets say $15000 and that money can be used as an investment and help reduce his taxes.

Ah, yes. It is difficult, which is why so many individuals choose to do it illegally.

Having read your posts, I'd honestly recommend staying put in Belgium.

[ChristieP]

One big difference between the taxes you pay there and the taxes we pay here is that the government here doesn't give away as much free stuff. Healthcare is not free, college tuition is not free, and finding a job with a retirement pension is nearly impossible. We pay about 25% income tax here, and the annual property tax is about 3% of the value of your house. You may get to keep more of your salary, but you end up paying for your own needs.

Our immigration system is designed to give American citizens highest priority for jobs here. For an employer to sponsor a foreigner for employment, it is expensive and time-consuming. The government makes sure an employer has to go through a lot of extra effort, and it's always a lot easier to hire a US citizen. Yes, that makes it very difficult on foreigners to play by the rules of our system. But that's how the system is designed.

[Andy Moens]

Originally Posted by Campeador

Ah, yes. It is difficult, which is why so many individuals choose to do it illegally.

Having read your posts, I'd honestly recommend staying put in Belgium.

I have been dreaming about moving to the US for more than 15 years so staying put is highly unlikely unless i cant find a legal way off course

[Andy Moens]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

One big difference between the taxes you pay there and the taxes we pay here is that the government here doesn't give away as much free stuff. Healthcare is not free, college tuition is not free, and finding a job with a retirement pension is nearly impossible. We pay about 25% income tax here, and the annual property tax is about 3% of the value of your house. You may get to keep more of your salary, but you end up paying for your own needs.

Our immigration system is designed to give American citizens highest priority for jobs here. For an employer to sponsor a foreigner for employment, it is expensive and time-consuming. The government makes sure an employer has to go through a lot of extra effort, and it's always a lot easier to hire a US citizen. Yes, that makes it very difficult on foreigners to play by the rules of our system. But that's how the system is designed.

Yes i understand and know that your on your own for healthcare ,pension and tuition and other things like that, however i do not understand why you think its free in Belgium? I pay around 4K on insurance every year+ a cut in my pay check off 1K every month just for healthcare, school is not free the only school thats free is kindergarden and preschool so once they are above 5 years old you pay for it. The retirement pension you mentioned thats coming out of my pay check so it's not really a government thing.

Our salary goes like this

What i get monthly as a project manager in construction
$2500
- rent or mortgage
$950
- insurance
$340
- electricity, water, phone and internet
$160
-food and drinks
$400-600 depending on what we eat keep in mind this is for 2 adults and 3 kids
- car and fuel
$250

with whats left over i try and save from for emergency's like a washer or a dryer that is broke for example

My girlfriend works also as u BSN and she makes arround
$1100 / month
she pays for a car and fuel
$250
-Insurance for her and the kids
$550
the rest of the money she has left is used for school, clothes and toys basically


Here comes the coolest part of it all. from the money thats left we need to pay that 14% of personal taxes from

And even cooler is that my boss needs to pay $7800 /month for me to the government and that money is used for our " Free healthcare and retirement program " and our beloved social safety net in case a person gets fired or is just to damn lazy to work so they can have a income some of them make more sitting at home than my wife does as a BSN.

I have never ever used any of those "benefits" or plan to in the future, i have never been without a job longer than 2 weeks if you want to work you can work it's that simple i do not mind running behind a train and shovelling poo if that is what i need to do to make money i will.

And all the above benefits is why i hate it here i rather be on my own than pay for some dumbass sitting around on his lazy ass and is still able to get money. I rather WORK for me than for someone else

Cool fact about Belgium Our ( King Philip) makes 4 times as much as the president of the united states. and this effing hell hole is no bigger than the Niagra falls

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by Andy Moens

If i'm not mistaking there are more Mexican immigrants Legally than immigrants from any other country spread across USA. Thats why i assume they have different/easier way to get true the proces like i need to go true.

Assumptions and immigration do it go together.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by Andy Moens

Taxes in belgium:
income 55% ( OFFICIALLY WORLD NUMBER 1)
food 8%
real estate when buying 35%
Cars/bike's 21%
Water, Electricity, internet...21%
Property taxes yearly 2% off the value
Personal taxes after income taxes 14%

Not sure how it's stacking up but it cant be worse than here

Income tax is tiered. Personal taxes - can you please elaborate.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by Andy Moens

I have been dreaming about moving to the US for more than 15 years so staying put is highly unlikely unless i cant find a legal way off course

Well, it's great to dream, but often times our dreams have so very little to do with reality--we are just tilting at windmills. The awakening can be a bitter pill to swallow.

I have lived in two foreign countries--once as a student and once to work. My wife is foreign; we went through the long (and frustrating) process of getting her an F1 visa, permanent resident, and eventually full citizenship. So I don't mean to dissuade anyone and everyone who dreams of moving to the US. But I don't think you, in particular, are in a good situation to pull it off since you are not going to marry an American, you aren't looking to study here, you don't appear to have family already living here (to sponsor you), and your career doesn't lend itself to transferring to the US.

Sorry to paint a bleak picture; I hope you can figure it out.

[Andy Moens]

Originally Posted by Threestep

Income tax is tiered. Personal taxes - can you please elaborate.

Income Taxes is based on your gross salary
Personal taxes is based on your net salary after all fixed costs like mortgage, gas, car, etc etc ( Wealth taxes )