Visiting Miami. Looking for work. Need some advice, please. (Orlando: apartment, to rent)

[Rusirod]

Hi everyone,

I am considering making a short visit to Miami in the near future. I'm from Portugal, I am 31, single, and I have no kids.

I'm looking for work as an architect/drafter/designer, and the posters from the Orlando section said that Miami would be a better place for this kind of business.

It's really impossible to find any job posting in my own country (Portugal), so I want to move out badly.
And I always wanted to visit the USA, so...
I do not have any job interviews lined up, at this point.

So if anyone is aware, I would like to know how is the construction business doing in the Miami area.
Additionally, what are the best places for a cheap stay? Places/neighborhoods to avoid? Is Miami walkable or rideable by bike? Where can I get good and cheap meals?

Thank you all, for your replies.

P.S.: I am aware that I need a working visa (H1B).

[JimboUSMC17]

No, Miami is not walkable or easy to get around in with a bike unless you want to stay within a general area. I guess it depends on your experience but it is extremely difficult to find a job here at the moment.

[Rusirod]

By general area, do you mean downtown or Miami beach?
Why is it so difficult to find a job there? That applies to any kind of job or just unqualified ones?

On my experience it has been nearly impossible to land a job on my country, even on other fields other than my own.

[Olmyt]

Downtown, brickell, coconut grove and Miami Beach are very walkable/bikable but that's like a 1/4 of miami...

As far as construction, THERE ARE ALOT OF buildings and huge houses being built but that market is saturated and most likely going to a finite amount of "known" companies.

I think the hardest part would be having your architecture diploma validated so that you can legally work as an architect here. My brother is an architect in Marseille, France and he has always wanted to move here as well...

Architecture as a whole is a difficult industry! You either make it or you end up working in something completely different.

Cheap place to stay...what do you consider cheap? I recently rented a VERY NICE furnished studio on the 41st floor of a REALLY nice condo tower right in front of the water with the sickest view for $100 a night for a visiting family member...that's cheaper than most if not all hotels.

Food, that shouldn't be an issue, tons of cheap food.

[Rusirod]

At the moment I'm considering working as a draftsperson, rather than a licensed architect.
After getting some income, I would consider trying to tackle the hassle of validating my diploma.

I consider cheap (reasonable) to pay around US$800/month, for an apartment, non-sharing.
But Miami probably has different prices. I'm okay with paying 900-1000/month, but I prefer cheaper options, and I'm willing to share with roommates.

[Olmyt]

You can definitely find something for that price...you can live in a REALLY nice condo tower in a 2 bedroom with a roomate and pay about $800-1000 a month depending on the building. That means gym, pool, etc. included. Or you can go cheaper in a not so nice area. Depends on where you will work.

[Rusirod]

Originally Posted by Olmyt

You can definitely find something for that price...you can live in a REALLY nice condo tower in a 2 bedroom with a roomate and pay about $800-1000 a month depending on the building. That means gym, pool, etc. included. Or you can go cheaper in a not so nice area. Depends on where you will work.

Yeah, of course. Depends on the place where I can get a job. I'll have to be living nearby, because realistically, I don't think I can get a car soon. Not to mention getting a Florida driver's license.

I'm planning to spend a few weeks. I noticed there are some hostels in Miami. The daily price is pretty affordable.

[Olmyt]

Best place to find things you want to buy or housing you want to rent http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/

[MiamiRob]

I would ask first are you a Architect? Do you have a degree in Architecture? If you are coming to the US I suggest you try to find what companies are hiring. The Architecture field is very competitive and I ask what degrees you have because a "drafter" doesn't make a lot of money where as a architect does. Start contacting companies first and have a resume.

Realize also that the US doesn't hand out Visas unless the government thinks your talents are needed here.

[FlyMIA]

It may be somewhat difficult for you to get a Visa. In the rare chance you can get a job the company needs to prove that your skills are so valuable that the U.S. should give you a Visa and basically take away a job from a U.S. resident or citizen. Not an easy thing to do. You are from Portugal so you obviously speak Portuguese that can be a plus, especially down here with Miami's large ties with Brazil. You really just need to search for jobs, it is not easy unemployment in the U.S. is higher than normal and even higher in Florida. It is not as bad as it is in parts of Europe like Portugal but it is not easy for anyone to get a job in many fields.

$1000 a month can get you a nice place with roommates. Really I would not waste too much time and money visiting Miami when you do not even have any jobs lined up. It is not easy to find a job in the U.S. right now and you coming from Europe it will be 20x harder for you. Come visit but if you really want to try to get a job in the U.S. be open to any area in the country. But I will say it will be very difficult unless you can find something that really needs Portuguese language skills. Even then there are plenty of bilingual people in Miami and the U.S.