Moving to Portland from Cupertino, is it a good decsion? (Hillsboro: credit, schools)

[Steve Pickering]

If you are H1b, you should be aware there is a movement in Oregon to restrict H1b employees. This is not the most H1b friendly state.

[sillicon_brain]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

If you are H1b, you should be aware there is a movement in Oregon to restrict H1b employees. This is not the most H1b friendly state.

Steve,
that's a good point. But fortunately I am not on H1B so its ok with me.

[Nell Plotts]

The state has no authority to control the number of H1B employees.

[sezzam]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

If you are H1b, you should be aware there is a movement in Oregon to restrict H1b employees. This is not the most H1b friendly state.

You mean Oregonians don't welcome H1B visa holders? If that is what you mean, I doubt that is true.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by SMUR

You mean Oregonians don't welcome H1B visa holders? If that is what you mean, I doubt that is true.

I think what Steve meant is that there is a thoughts about a ballot measure and pressure on lawmakers by concerned citizens in Dallas Oregon to restrict the number of H1-Visa holders in the State of Oregon.

[sillicon_brain]

Originally Posted by SMUR

They might also have a different pay in OR for your role, and it is understandable if they want to make COL adjustments. (After all, you would ask for a raise if they asked you to go to the Bay area from Portland.)

So, consult your HR and Payroll before you go any further. Talk to anyone else in your company who may have relocated like this before. Also, when you broach this topic, be a person just being curious, not a person who has already decided to move. This way, you don't send the wrong signals that you might be looking to leave the company or some such.

Smur,
Yes my company has office in Beaverton so I was thinking to be on local payroll. But if income taxes are high in Oregon than why there would be any decrease in pay (as I got from your point), is this mainly due to low cost of living? I was assuming my company won't change the pay structure but I'll talk to my HR for sure.

[sezzam]

Originally Posted by sillicon_brain

Smur,
Yes my company has office in Beaverton so I was thinking to be on local payroll. But if income taxes are high in Oregon than why there would be any decrease in pay (as I got from your point), is this mainly due to low cost of living? I was assuming my company won't change the pay structure but I'll talk to my HR for sure.

That is a big (and frankly poor) assumption. Your company could (not saying they will) have different pays for your role in CA and OR. This is especially true if they already have a presence in OR. And, this matter is unrelated to income tax.

[sezzam]

Originally Posted by hamellr

I think what Steve meant is that there is a thoughts about a ballot measure and pressure on lawmakers by concerned citizens in Dallas Oregon to restrict the number of H1-Visa holders in the State of Oregon.

I wasn't aware of this development. Do you have a link or two where I can learn more? A web search didn't bring up anything of use.

[Nell Plotts]

Retired HR professional here... Although the corporate compensation structure may have a premium for employees in high cost areas (aka, the Silicon Valley) it is very rare that large employers reduce pay when an employee moves from high to lower cost community. What can happen is what is called pay compression, raises are not as generous as they adjust to what they pay locally. However, for many occupations there is a national, or at a minimum regional, pay and they do not offer less because the job is in Portland (or Seattle) vs the Silicon Valley. Can you imagine an employer like INTEL offering an executive less for working in Portland?

Tax wise I don't expect the OP to see much difference. CA has a sales tax and high motor vehicles fees, OR does not. In OR our taxes are income tax and property taxes.

[sezzam]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Retired HR professional here... Although the corporate compensation structure may have a premium for employees in high cost areas (aka, the Silicon Valley) it is very rare that large employers reduce pay when an employee moves from high to lower cost community. What can happen is what is called pay compression, raises are not as generous as they adjust to what they pay locally. However, for many occupations there is a national, or at a minimum regional, pay and they do not offer less because the job is in Portland (or Seattle) vs the Silicon Valley. Can you imagine an employer like INTEL offering an executive less for working in Portland?

Tax wise I don't expect the OP to see much difference. CA has a sales tax and high motor vehicles fees, OR does not. In OR our taxes are income tax and property taxes.

It might be true that large companies rarely reduce pay on relocation (and that is my experience as well), but a cut in pay/benefits is not unheard of either. So, it is prudent to check with HR before committing to anything.

I agree the overall tax burden will probably remain the same between CA and OR.