British family relocating to Houston - sponsored job??? (Dallas: schools, live)

[backtotx]

Fair point. Although I do still feel that once you move out of London you will see more opportunities for you and bigger and better housing that you can afford. As you have missed the H1B visa deadline for your husband starting with a new company in the US the only other option would be to go the E visa route but this involves investing a LOT of money into a business in the US. Did your husband ask about the possibility of a transfer to the US? A transfer would be an L1 visa and not the H1B visa. Have you thought of relocating to a European city or really going for it and going to Australia or New Zealand?

[Katuska]

Yeah, Australia sort of popped up as a possibility and if Houston wouldn't happen we'd definitely explore that avenue.
The problem with relocation is that right now his company has a freeze on relocations due to Bear Stearns being acquired with its vast amount of experts. As my husband is serving his 'at risk' redundancy period, he has to leave his company in 6 weeks time. Either something comes up in Houston in that time or he has to go. Alternatively, he could stay at the company and wait for the embargo to be lifted but then he wouldn't get his redundancy pay which is a nice sum. If he stayed and the relocation still wouldn't happen (Murphy's law) then we'd be seriously screwed. No relocation, no redundancy pay, just same old, same old.
This is why it is sooo difficult to make a decision. None of us want to regret a bad one for the rest of our lives...

[Katuska]

Oh, furthermore, the reason why we'd really like to relocate through his company is the L1 visa. On an L1, as my husband's dependant, I'd be able to apply for jobs without having to be sponsored. Whereas on a H1B I could sit at home twiddling my fingers. I've got a great job here in London (Market Analyst) and I'd love to work in the US as well.

[backtotx]

A-ha!!! The L1 is (as you know) for an employee who works for a company overseas who wants to transfer to the company in the US.........However, the L1 is also for someone who has worked for the company in the past and wants to work for the company again, but in the US. This works if the employee has worked for one continuous year in the last three for (in your case) the UK company. Although we are in the US on H1B we should have been in the US on an L1 as my husband had worked for his employer previously before going self-employed. However he just missed out on the 3 year limit due to the lawyer not acting quick enough. Have a look around on the web about the L1, but all is certainly not lost.

[Jezer]

May I ask in which markets you work Katuska?

[Katuska]

Originally Posted by backtotx

A-ha!!! The L1 is (as you know) for an employee who works for a company overseas who wants to transfer to the company in the US.........However, the L1 is also for someone who has worked for the company in the past and wants to work for the company again, but in the US. This works if the employee has worked for one continuous year in the last three for (in your case) the UK company. Although we are in the US on H1B we should have been in the US on an L1 as my husband had worked for his employer previously before going self-employed. However he just missed out on the 3 year limit due to the lawyer not acting quick enough. Have a look around on the web about the L1, but all is certainly not lost.

Backtotx, you're a star!! I didn't know that!!! What a relief knowing that even if things go wrong this time he can still do it for another 3 years. I feel better about this whole thing now! Thanks again.

[Katuska]

Originally Posted by Jezer

May I ask in which markets you work Katuska?

I work in Global FMCG markets.

[backtotx]

Katuska - you are welcome! Let us know what happens. Have fun in Houston, we lived there a few years ago. There is also a British school in Houston if you are interested, their webpage is The British Schools of America provide high quality education in a structured, positive and caring environment, which meets the individual needs of pupils.
We are in the Chicago suburbs at the moment but are moving to Dallas over the summer, in fact we are flying down to Dallas tomorrow for a visit. I am sat with my fleece on at the moment, I look forward to the much warmer weather.

[Jezer]

My daughter went to that school.

[backtotx]

My son and daughter were there in 2001/2002 - expensive times!