UK student looking to emigrate to SF (San Francisco: tech job, transfer)

[michaelbenson]

Hi There I'm currently a student in the UK, and I am thinking towards life after graduation - I'd ideally like to move to America, and with previous occupational experience in the tech world I thought moving to San Francisco could be a good mix.

I guess I am looking for any advice you guys have on where would be the best place to live - and also the best way to go about getting a job? I was thinking of getting an internship this summer so that when I graduate in 2012 I can already have established links with companies who could seek to employ me full time.

Any advice you guys have would be greatly appreciated

[nor cali boy]

Well... the good places to live i think would be Nob Hill and North Beach... if you don't want to be that close to the city than move to Haight-Ashbury, Forest Hill, or maybe Noe Valley... also make sure you stay out of Tenderloin and Japantown Area... as for getting a tech job i dont have much advice cause im in the medical industry but anyway good luck moving to America and i hope you enjoy this very fine city

[nor cali boy]

Oh ya and my reason for staying out of T-loin and Japantown is that its not a very safe part of the city... hope i could be helpful

[mayorhaggar]

Good luck getting the visa or greencard or whatever, immigrating to the US (or most any country) can be difficult. If you can do that then everything else will be pretty easy.

[michaelbenson]

Thanks for the feedback guys

Yeah the whole 'actually getting a Visa' part is something I had sort of overlooked with regards to its difficulty. I am hoping to spend the summer of '11 doing an internship in CA, and then maybe look towards a graduate degree in Berkley. The idea then being that I'd get some sort of job out of all this, which would make getting the Green Card more likely (hopefully)!

[gnomatic]

The easiest way...get a job in the European branch of a multi-national tech company with offices in the bay area, and do an internal transfer after awhile. I had a few friends who moved to the US via this route. Way easier then those of us who did the H1B route.
If you are still working on your undergrad degree, getting an internship directly in the US would be next to impossible because it's very unlikely a company will sponsor you for a VISA (not even sure you can qualify for one without a degree) for a summer internship.
Unless of course you were born outside of the UK, in a country that qualifies you for the green card lottery...in which case...start applying for the Green card lottery this year.

You didn't mention what in tech you plan to do. If you are talking about high tech R&D...most of these jobs are NOT in SF, but are in cities/suburbs around SF. Commuting in the bay area sucks...and very tough with the long hours expected of engineers.

[michaelbenson]

Originally Posted by gnomatic

The easiest way...get a job in the European branch of a multi-national tech company with offices in the bay area, and do an internal transfer after awhile. I had a few friends who moved to the US via this route. Way easier then those of us who did the H1B route.
If you are still working on your undergrad degree, getting an internship directly in the US would be next to impossible because it's very unlikely a company will sponsor you for a VISA (not even sure you can qualify for one without a degree) for a summer internship.
Unless of course you were born outside of the UK, in a country that qualifies you for the green card lottery...in which case...start applying for the Green card lottery this year.

You didn't mention what in tech you plan to do. If you are talking about high tech R&D...most of these jobs are NOT in SF, but are in cities/suburbs around SF. Commuting in the bay area sucks...and very tough with the long hours expected of engineers.

Yeah I had been hearing that some sort of internal transfer is usually a much easier process than doing the H1B route. My only concern is that I'd join some multinational company and that opportunities to move to America, or particularly, SF don't arise. Or that when they do I'd already be settled down.

Can you possibly give advice on which companies are often looking to transfer their staff to America? Or at least make use of this option when necessary.

And as for what in "Tech" I'd like to do - I'd be looking more towards working as like an account consultant liaising with clients on behalf of the said Tech companies.

[gnomatic]

Originally Posted by michaelbenson

My only concern is that I'd join some multinational company and that opportunities to move to America, or particularly, SF don't arise. Or that when they do I'd already be settled down.
...
Can you possibly give advice on which companies are often looking to transfer their staff to America? Or at least make use of this option when necessary.

There is nothing to stop you from looking for another job at another company if you don't get the opportunities (be it location, technology, promotions, salaries ...whatever) you want. Get the right experience and you can choose your own path in the future.
Getting your foot in the door to get that experience is the hardest part. If your university allows for a 16 month internship between your 3rd & 4th year, DO IT. And get it at the "biggest" name possible. Never underestimate the power of name recognition.

I think given your interest on the customer interaction side...you should look at Europe based (HQ) companies with offices that support North American clients in SF Bay Area. Also, in addition to your studies, get the various certifications in the areas of technologies you are interested in. The certifications don't mean much if you are in R&D, but it makes a difference on the support side.

With the current economy, few of the bay area big tech companies are hiring, much less encouraging internal transfer here (where salaries are higher). I know my former company was actively encouraging relocation (fully paid) OUT of the US...where there was plenty of new open positions (at of course the lower salary), while they eliminated positions here. Friends who transferred to the US did so several years ago, and it was in more senior positions (at least 5 yrs experience).

[topgear]

Originally Posted by michaelbenson

Yeah I had been hearing that some sort of internal transfer is usually a much easier process than doing the H1B route. My only concern is that I'd join some multinational company and that opportunities to move to America, or particularly, SF don't arise. Or that when they do I'd already be settled down.

Can you possibly give advice on which companies are often looking to transfer their staff to America? Or at least make use of this option when necessary.

And as for what in "Tech" I'd like to do - I'd be looking more towards working as like an account consultant liaising with clients on behalf of the said Tech companies.

Lot of European companies here, a lot of English companies, so that could be a distinct possibility.