USA GRADUATE VISA

Pily

Hi,
I am hoping to go to the US this year on a 12 month graduate visa, As far as I can tell the restrictions with regards to jobs/internships are pretty rigid. Is this the case and do you 100% need to find a job or internship related to your degree or would it be possible to do bar or restaurant work if you fail to find a related job? I want to be able to travel around once I arrive there and am not sure if this would be possible were I to secure a job related to be degree. Am I being completely unrealistic about this?

Any help would be much appreciated

silja

They are pretty strict, see this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056884273

If you want to travel and work a bit, the summer J1 would suit you better.

Pily

Thanks for your help!

Suitwearing Anarchist

hey sorry to jump into your thread but this may help you as well i was just wondering if anyone had any links to job sites that cater to the 12 month visa? im looking at going in august trying to head for new york and my degree is in politics sociology and history so any help in that regard would be fantastic

Nicklesains

Hi, a friend and I are also going to do the 12 month scheme. I study Economics and Finance and my friend is doing a commerce degree, We are both in line to get decent 2.1's and finish in May. Just looking to see if anyone has or knows of anyone who went on this visa to New York or San Francisco and got on well i.e got a job, good accommodation etc. Worried about not having a job sorted out and being in a tough position once over there. New York is expensive and don't want to be without a job for too long.... Any info would be appreciated!!

La_Gordy

Also wanting to bump this thread.

Are there any boardsies on this graduate visa? I've only read about it and know nobody that has tried it but it does sound worth a shot.

lil_lisa

I went on one a few years ago. I arrived here on a summer J1 as soon as I finished college and found work while there. Then, organized time off work with my employer to fly home to apply for the 1 year graduate visa (took just under a month).

Job opportunities differ from city to city and depends on the industry. You just have to start sending out resumes (important to USify your Cv) and assume that 100 people are also applying for the same job so you need to stand out.

The_Poznan

lil_lisa wrote: »

I went on one a few years ago. I arrived here on a summer J1 as soon as I finished college and found work while there. Then, organized time off work with my employer to fly home to apply for the 1 year graduate visa (took just under a month).

Job opportunities differ from city to city and depends on the industry. You just have to start sending out resumes (important to USify your Cv) and assume that 100 people are also applying for the same job so you need to stand out.

Hi Lisa,

Any ideas what cities are doing well in US?...done a MSc Supply Chain Mgt thinking going over on 1yr visa with hope getting sponsored...three places that appeal are states of Texas, Colorado or Atlanta been reading these places have lowest unemployment rates etc

lil_lisa

Based on your degree, I would look at where major headquarters are around the country. NYC and San Francisco pop to mind. I'm not too familiar with Colorado, Texas or Atlanta cities for companies. I'm sure Atlanta could be a place to look. Maybe make a list of a few companies you'd like to work for, find out where they're located and consider that city. Just researching a few will probably shed light on where you could end up.

A few companies that come to mind would be:

Target
UPS
GAP
HP

Consider what companies you would be interested in working for too.

La_Gordy

The_Poznan wrote: »

Hi Lisa,

Any ideas what cities are doing well in US?...done a MSc Supply Chain Mgt thinking going over on 1yr visa with hope getting sponsored...three places that appeal are states of Texas, Colorado or Atlanta been reading these places have lowest unemployment rates etc

Hi Poznan,

Just wanted to know where are you getting this info? I've seen a variety of figures which say different things about each city so I'd be grateful if you could point me in a more concrete direction!

I'm a languages graduate with a business masters and I'm hoping to go to the East Coast as it feels a bit closer to home.

The_Poznan

La_Gordy wrote: »

Hi Poznan,

Just wanted to know where are you getting this info? I've seen a variety of figures which say different things about each city so I'd be grateful if you could point me in a more concrete direction!

I'm a languages graduate with a business masters and I'm hoping to go to the East Coast as it feels a bit closer to home.

Cheers Lisa thanks for that advise.

Well I hear many Americans are relocating down to the more southern states due to more opportunities, cheaper living costs & property etc. I'm not saying these are the places to go but for IMO there could be more opportunities plus your not going to be competing with as many Irish folk for these jobs as say east coast...the Irish accent 'could' have a bit of a novelty factor and open more doors.

Ok the latter statement is just my opinion before someone shoots me down!:)

ProudDUB

The_Poznan wrote: »

Cheers Lisa thanks for that advise.

Well I hear many Americans are relocating down to the more southern states due to more opportunities, cheaper living costs & property etc. I'm not saying these are the places to go but for IMO there could be more opportunities plus your not going to be competing with as many Irish folk for these jobs as say east coast...the Irish accent 'could' have a bit of a novelty factor and open more doors.

Ok the latter statement is just my opinion before someone shoots me down!:)

I lived in several American cities where the Irish traditionally have never moved to in large numbers, so they would have had very small Irish populations. I was very much a novelty for a lot of people that I came across. However, I can honestly say that no job I ever got, I got because I was Irish. At least not to my knowledge. I was either good enough to do the job, or I wasn't. My cute Irish accent never came into it.

Then, when I was in the job, I was good at getting clients to listen to me & make my sales pitch, as long as I was ok with letting them blather on first, about their Great Granny O'Hara who moved to the US in 1934, and did I know any O'Hara's from Bellmullet? Americans just luuuuuuuurve to talk about their ancestry. As soon as you open your mouth, they will be all over where you are from, and more importantly, where THEY are from, at the drop of a hat. It is cute and flattering at first, but it will only take you so far in a business sense imo. :rolleyes:

At the end of the day, the Yanks that I dealt with, bought or didn't buy my companies products based on their own intrinsic value and not my cute Irish accent. So don't think that your accent is some magic gate way to success, as it may not be. There is no army of Irish out there that you will be competing with for jobs. There will be an army of people from all nationalities out there competing for jobs. The Irish are just another one in the mix really.

To be be honest, I think that living somewhere where where there are few Irish can be a hinderance, more than a help. I have family in the Pacific Northwest. A lot of Irish moved there in the late 20 years to work for the likes of Microsoft and whatnot. The network that the Irish have there, and the way that they look out for each other and give each other help and advice, is something that I have always envied. I never had that when I moved to the US.

So go to whatever city takes your fancy, or where the jobs market looks favourable for your chosen field. Don't go somewhere because you think that your being Irish is a big advantage or disadvantage. When you get there, you'll find that we are just another piece of the pie in a very, very big and varied melting pot.

La_Gordy

Does anybody have experience of obtaining this Graduate Visa without going through USIT? They make everything so much more expensive that if possible I'd like not to use them.

lil_lisa

There are several other companies who provide it, SAYIT, IIIC, Intrax, go4Less and possibly a few more.

propagandavm

Hey guys,

I'm a newbie to boards so I'm not totally sure where to post this but I'm hoping to go to the US/Canada on a Graduate Visa in October.

I studied a BA in Visual Merchandising in DIT and Im hoping to get a VM position in a store. There are absolutely no paid opportunities for me in Ireland so the US/ Canada or London are my only options now and I want to take the opportunity to go abroad while I can.

Is there any one else out there hoping to do the same around then? I have been to Chicago on a J1 before and I loved it there so I'm thinking there would be good.

So if anyone is in the same position send me a reply.

GavK

Hi Propagandavm,

I'm in the exact same position as you are! I studied a BA in Business in DKIT and i'm looking to Head over on the graduate Visa in October.

I went to chicago on my J1 in summer 2012 and really want to go back. I'm working in AIB at the minute but my contracts up in september so i'll be looking for banking/admin work over there.

Are you thinking of heading on your own or with a group ?

propagandavm

Hi GavK

Im going on my own as my most of my friends graduated a few years ago so cant get the graduate visa. Are you going on your own or with a group?

I have applied for my visa so im just waiting to hear back from the IIIC now. Have you applied yet? Have you applied for jobs yet?

GavK wrote: »

Hi Propagandavm,

I'm in the exact same position as you are! I studied a BA in Business in DKIT and i'm looking to Head over on the graduate Visa in October.

I went to chicago on my J1 in summer 2012 and really want to go back. I'm working in AIB at the minute but my contracts up in september so i'll be looking for banking/admin work over there.

Are you thinking of heading on your own or with a group ?

GavK

I'm going on my own too as my friends graduated last year. I was going to pay my deposit with USIT who I went on the J-1 with. How much is it costing you through the IIIC ?

Haven't looked at any jobs or internships yet I may get on it, have you ?

Dr_Brian_Cocks

Engineer here, where do you find the jobs???

Sinead54

Hi there,
New to boards but I am also thinking about either New York or San Francisco in October, I have graduated with degree in social policy so I just don't know where to head for related work. New York seems really expensive and I couldn't afford to take an unpaid internship, any update on how you got on with your application?

Thanks

iusedtoknow

Sinead54 wrote: »

Hi there,
New to boards but I am also thinking about either New York or San Francisco in October, I have graduated with degree in social policy so I just don't know where to head for related work. New York seems really expensive and I couldn't afford to take an unpaid internship, any update on how you got on with your application?

Thanks

SF is equally expensive as NY. The coast are where a lot of opportunities are, but also with the greatest expenses.

seachto7

Hi guys, just chiming in with a query. I'm starting a grad dip in September, and was curious to enquire about this. The opportunity to spend a year in the USA is not something that crops up every day.

I'll be a VERY mature student, 37 when I finish, so on the one hand I'm not sure if it's worth the risk applying and going and not getting a job. On the other hand, it would be an opportunity to try and spend a year in the USA.

I would like to try and get a "good job" or a job in my field wherever, so it would be something I'd take into account going anywhere. All I know is I'm going to get out of Ireland for a while.

Is there a rough cost for the application?

Edit: I came across another thread which mentioned it was about €2,400 in total for flights etc.

They also said it was an internship visa? So, one can't apply for a job in their field for a year?

Sinead54

Hi Seachto9,

I have just gotten quotes back from USIT because Go4less are out of visas for this year. T New York in October my quote is around €2150. Its a work visa/internship visa I think because you can do either. Unless you have enough money to support yourself to do an unpaid visa, work related to your field would have to be in the form of a paid internship or paid work.
I hope this helps, I'm finding its a confusing process

seachto7

Thanks for that. Yeah, I'd only look into it more if it involved having to get a paid job. I'll need to start making some cash when I finish the course.

David10

Did you go to Chicago in the end lads? Looking to get there on the grad visa after xmas!

GavK

Well david, I've been in Boston for the past two months but flying home for xmas and flying back out to Chicago in January. what date you planning on coming out ?

David10

How are ya Gav?
Looking to head out asap after xmas, im in semester x in UCD at the moment so finishing this month... I'd hopefully be there around jan/feb! How are you getting on so far?

GavK

Hi David, We're heading home from boston for xmas then flying out to Chicago on the 7th of January. Things are going great so far the past 3 months have flown by so just guna make the most of the time we have left.

David10

That sounds unreal! And how are you sorted for jobs etc? Did you find something relevant to your sector cos the thing seems pretty strict... I have a commerce degree so could do any management or marketing, dunno what the employment situation is like however!

GavK

I've a commerce degree too and I got work with a marketing company downtown. Its not that strict you just have to link the job you get with a module you did during your 4 years in college. I did a marketing module in the 2nd year of my course so that counted as being related to my job. What date you thinking of going to Chicago ?

Joe_Dull

Does anyone have any idea what jobs would be applicable to a psychology degree? Preferably in NYC. I'm actually not mad about the subject, so the further from psych the better!

I'd absolutely love to go over for the year but I'm terrified I'll end up high and dry without a job.