Employers supportig relocation? (lawyer, find a job, universities)

[free]

Hi everyone,

I am currently living in the UK, but my wife and I want to settle down permanently somewhere in the SF Peninsula region...
In my efforts to cut my relocation plans to the bay area short I was hoping to find a job online where the employer would "quickly" sponsor a H1-B Visa for me,
so I don't have to wait for my permanent greencard process to complete before I go there (my wife is a US citizen).

However, my skill-set is not something companies can't get locally, so given the choice they probably put my application away very quickly as soon as they see that I would need sponsoring from them to come over... as they can have someone locally who is just as eager to work there and can appear for an interview right away, without the hassle.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a community or website where I could go where my being abroad is something less negative to employers?
Or has someone had different experiences, or advise how I should do this differently?

Thanks for any hints you can give...
-free-

[tonrob]

Originally Posted by free

Hi everyone,

I am currently living in the UK, but my wife and I want to settle down permanently somewhere in the SF Peninsula region...
In my efforts to cut my relocation plans to the bay area short I was hoping to find a job online where the employer would "quickly" sponsor a H1-B Visa for me,
so I don't have to wait for my permanent greencard process to complete before I go there (my wife is a US citizen).

However, my skill-set is not something companies can't get locally, so given the choice they probably put my application away very quickly as soon as they see that I would need sponsoring from them to come over... as they can have someone locally who is just as eager to work there and can appear for an interview right away, without the hassle.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a community or website where I could go where my being abroad is something less negative to employers?
Or has someone had different experiences, or advise how I should do this differently?

Thanks for any hints you can give...
-free-

This isn't the best website for visa info. Go here to find more info:

Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

Your H1-B plan isn't going to get you to the US any quicker. Apart from a couple of "exception" categories of employer (e.g. universities) then H1-Bs will next become available in April 2009 for work starting in October 2009, and even then they typically get oversubscribed by a factor of 10 and are allocated by means of a lottery. Basically forget it.

With a USC wife you have a guaranteed route to permanent residency, something that thousands of Brits would give up their right arm for (including many who are already here). The process for getting your GC isn't that tough or time-consuming so I suggest you just go for it. A good immigration lawyer will be able to tell you how long this is likely to take at this time.

[free]

Originally Posted by tonrob

This isn't the best website for visa info. Go here to find more info:

Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

Your H1-B plan isn't going to get you to the US any quicker. Apart from a couple of "exception" categories of employer (e.g. universities) then H1-Bs will next become available in April 2009 for work starting in October 2009, and even then they typically get oversubscribed by a factor of 10 and are allocated by means of a lottery. Basically forget it.

With a USC wife you have a guaranteed route to permanent residency, something that thousands of Brits would give up their right arm for (including many who are already here). The process for getting your GC isn't that tough or time-consuming so I suggest you just go for it. A good immigration lawyer will be able to tell you how long this is likely to take at this time.

I didn't know the H1-B visas take so long. I had the impression they were the shortcut.
But I guess you're right. We have received similar advise from others and so now we are going to file papers with the American embassy asap and we have been told, if all our documents are present and correct I may have my permament IR-1 visa within 2 to 3 months... Let's hope.

Thank you for the link! Looks like a great source for information...