Considering 12-Month USA Work Visa...

thingee

Hi guys,

Looking for a bit of advice and maybe to meet likeminded people. I have been thinking for nearly a year now about going on a 12-Month USA Work Visa.

My main qualm is that I know nobody else who is considering doing this and I'm kinda fearful of takin the plunge on my own. Please don't get me wrong, I am NOT a weirdo loner or anything but none of my friends are interested in doing it and I have been on hooked on the idea since my last few trips stateside.

I love the idea of going to live somewhere in California for a year, gettin a decent job, and really enjoying life (seen as it pretty much sucks in Dublin at the moment). Basically, I think there's an opportunity to start living again and stop just surviving.

Is there anyone else out there in the same boat or have any thoughts?
Cheers.

jimmybeige

Are you just after finishing college and thinking of going on the J-Visa?

I don't think California is awash with jobs at the moment. Pretty sure it's been hit harder than most states by the recession.

scarymushrooms

I too was considering it, but was put off by how expensive it is. Plus the fact you can't just go work in a bar or waitress if things aren't looking your way. You HAVE to get a job related to your degree.

Plus California, it's really tough out there at the moment.

thingee

@jimmybeige: yep. just after finishing college and thinking of going on the J-Visa. spoke to usit about it and i'm 100% eligible.

@scarymushrooms: tbh the cost of it isn't really an issue as i got a redundancy cheque last year and still have the majority of it left. was in Cali during the summer and loved it hence why i wanna go there. getting a job related to my degree isn't a massive qualm as i did a business degree i'm pretty open to what i can do. just need to feel out the opportunities.

wanderlust1

I spent this summer on the east coast on a J1 and fell in love with the place. I'm of the same mind in that I really want to go back and just experience life elsewhere for a year and earn more money than I would here to fund a masters..

I'm in my final year of Law and will be graduating in September 2012 so I'm wondering if anyone can answer whether it's possible to get a J1 visa and extend it to a year long work visa while over there?? Or whether I can apply for a work visa as the restaurant I was working in said they'd definitely take me back. A few people from Eastern Europe I was working with were able to change their visa status and eventually received a green card so it must be possible in some way for Irish citizens?

Thanks!
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HavingCrack

wanderlust1 wrote: »

. A few people from Eastern Europe I was working with were able to change their visa status and eventually received a green card so it must be possible in some way for Irish citizens?

e

I'd be very cautious of believing anything the Eastern Europeans on J1 student visas tell you, in particular the Russians and Kazaks. My experience with them was that they were naive and uninformed in the extreme as to what the differences between the various visas and green card is.

deasyd

I really wanna go after Christmas. I am 100% eligible to aswell, but I have the same issues as you guys. I know no-body over there and a lot of my friends here either don't qualify or want to go.

I thinking of New York.

I think maybe we should get the ball rolling in this forum and maybe do a meet up of people going at the same time so we don't have to do it alone.

Maybe plan our trips together?

TAlderson

California is definitely experiencing the recession more than other states. I'd suggest looking into its neighbors to the north, Oregon and Washington, if you'd still like to have that West Coast culture. Portland, Oregon is known for being a "hip" city, lots of standard and "alternative" culture, good food, etc.

What would you want to do as a job? You might find it hard paying all your expenses if you're just working at a grocery store or something like that, especially if you want to live in a city. New York is wicked expensive, so you'd definitely want to have a good job there if you don't want to eat ramen every night and live in a ****hole. I know other cities and areas might not be as glamorous, but once you break through the New York/LA mindset there are tons of great places throughout the US, which would also be cheaper to live in and easier to find a job in. If you could elaborate as to what you're looking for I might be able to suggest some places.

-Tyler

wanderlust1

@Havingcrack she'd actually been living in the US for years and had originally come from Belarus on a J1 but had then changed her visa status while in the US to allow her to remain. I must get in touch with her to ask her the specifics though.

I'm just not exactly sure if I qualify... Going on all the research I've done, I'd have to head back over Summer 2012 on a J1, come back, apply for an internship, hope I get one, and then go back again for the year..

Are they crazy strict on the whole leaving the country for 90 days or is it jsut USIT, SAYIT etc saying this??

goawaylisa

I made a solo move last March to NYC on the 12-month J1 and never looked back. As long as you really make an effort to get a job/ internship and to just meet people, you won't be alone for long. There are tons of resources for Irish graduates over here, check out:

• Irish Network NYC
• Irish Business Organization (IBO)
• New York Irish Center
• Failte 32

These guys will help you (as they helped me) in getting employment, advice, social life.

It's very hard to get to live in the United States so you should take this J1 graduate opportunity while you can!

-Donal

17Bubbles

Heya,
Im really interested in the 12month USA visa programme aswel having graduated from college recently and there are just no jobs out there!I would be interested in going after christmas, it would be daunting heading over on my own so i would be delighted to meet as you seem like you have the same idea as myself... cheers

theshowdog

Snap.

Thinking of doing the exact same.

The plan is to go in May however I was talking to USIT yesterday and they said I need to go before April (I won't have the money) or wait till after August (also not ideal). This is due to all the summer j1s. I wasn't provided with a full explanation but presumably the competition for jobs would be too fierce.

However I want to go in May so for now that is the plan.

What date do you have planned?

I have a friend from there and I'll be going to San Diego.

Had you any specific part of California in mind?

P.S do you know how much you expect it to cost you total?

newgrad2012

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone on this forum followed through and has left for the States? I would love to hear how ye are all getting on. I am just finishing my MA at the moment and would love to move stateside in the next 12 months - depending on my finances!

Ideally I would get to NYC or Chicago but i'm pretty open minded so am happy to hear your opinions. I have a friend moving to DC which could be cool.

I would be going on the 12 month work visa. I have a BA from Trinity and will have an MA from UL. I also did a 3 month consultancy internship. Just wondering what the jobs prospects are like in different areas.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Caliden

I'm in Boston on the 12 month J1 since the start of December and loving it.
I graduated with a masters from NUI in software design.
It was difficult initially because I was getting very little feedback/replies to job applications.

Despite what CIEE saying that you have to get a job in your field, your main priority is keeping afloat and spoke with others who worked a bar job for the 12 months while they were here as they couldn't get anything else.
While this is technically breaking the rules they simply showed CIEE their minimum of $1500 in funds and CIEE stayed off their back.
The U.S. gov only care if you're paying taxes so if you do those 2 things it seems to keep everyone happy.

In my situation though I wasn't getting a response from anything until mid February and within 2 weeks I had a job with a web hosting company in Burlington.
Loving the work and will be here until my visa completes. I was hired through a recruitment agency which seemed to be more effective than replying to jobs directly.

You will also need to revamp your 'resume' so it stands out from the crowd and work experience seems to trump education.
I had to build a portfolio with any coding/projects I had from college to really start getting places even though the code itself was trivial.
Any side projects or anything outside of college/work that you done should also go in there.


If you have any connections at all in Boston, use them!
It's crazy how far a friends of a friend who you know, will go.

As for coming over, if I was to do it again I would come over at the start of February as there really wasn't anything going until then.

Depending on where you plan living you will need roughly 1500 to start renting (and that's with a really low monthly rent, first+last months rent and security deposit).
If you plan on staying in a hostel until you find a job you will still need money for food so essentially at least 3k startup money.

scarymushrooms

This was really helpful! Thanks. I've wanted to do this for some time, still can apply for it until next year sometime. I've always been worried about the work aspect in regards to the CIEE, as my degree is quite general. I'd like to work in a bookshop, so hopefully that would be possible.

Thanks again, and best of luck with your new life in the US.

Penny77

I tried to start a thread on this visa before and glad to see it up and running now!

I am strongly considering applying for the 12-month work visa to the States.
My situation is this:

I'm a 35 year old guy and graduated with a post grad diploma in highway engineering after spending 10 years working as a land surveyor(Civil) - my thinking is that I would have a good chance of making that professional step up through this program in the US - What do you guys think?

I'd like to know more about how well other people are getting paid - I would be hoping to get a half decent wage after have worked for 10 years - What do you think ? Caliden mentions that experience is valued more than qualifications..

It's interesting that on the ground people are working in jobs not specifically connected to their qualification but USIT say the CIEE program is very strict on areas you can work in..I could get work in NYC through GAA contacts quite easily i'd say..Would you say Irish companies would be more flexible on this?

Agents - What agencies are you guys using? Any suggestions for Roads/Civil/design-engineering?

Are USIT really not accepting any more application between April and September? I will call them and report back

Look forward to hearing back from you
Penny

Corrimbla

Guys there is a huge thread on this since 2008 here,

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055381254

I know lads that have came out on this visa looking for Civil work last April.. mixed results - One was looking for 3 months before getting work and the second had a job within a month and his company are going to sponsor him through the H1B visa. As regards USIT, Sayit or the IIIC. I personally used the the IIIC and only have good things to say about them plus they work out the cheapest. As regards the working in other areas outside your field. This is sketchy and haven't heard anyone getting away with it bar the person further up this thread. As regards money I know the lads doing civil are on about $20 a hour but with your experience you may do better, but then again its an intern visa so they may have you held over a barrel when it comes to money.

Yellowyorange!

I was thinking of doing this too, but the 'related field' thing seemed to be an obstacle as my degree is a BA in Music and History. Has anybody any experience of this visa with a more general degree like a BA? Just how related is related??