Easy to be hired being a Foreign National?

[Lumens]

This is my first message here, so first of all, my best wishes to all of you.

My never ending question those days, is that being a European Union Citizen, holding a BS in Aerospace Engineering of an European University, with Materials and Aerial Weapons specialty, but working in a Logistics field of a famous Military Aircraft Program of Europe I want to start applying in US companies to search for a job in this country.

The reason is easy, my girlfriend is from US an we planned or to move her or to move I, so as usual we (males) are nobody..;-)

The problem is that I don't know how easy/difficult is to be hired now and I don't know a true strategy for doing this (start applying, applying, and more applying...??)

My work experience runs for between 2 and 3 years, right now.

Thanks in advance.

 

[InteroperabilityFix]

get married ASAP. without a green card, you are subjected to export regulations which prevent you from getting most jobs at big aerospace companies that are in any way related to defense.
Not married, you require a work visa. to get a work visa, you need sponsorship, for which the smaller aerospace companies might not be willing to pay since it runs about 2000 dollars at the minimum.
Once you get married, you will get a work permit in about 3 months. Employers, knowing you are bound to get your green card,and citizenship, will be much more willing to hire you especially since they don't have to sponsor you to legally work in the US.
So, it's darn hard if you don't have the right to work in the US. I don't think being a citizen of the EU gives you that right.
Once you get married, with your experience, you should have a lot of doors open for you.

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[Lumens]

Oh My God!

We plan to marry when we want, not when being more comfortable to get a job...;-)

For what you say, it seems very restrictive, much more for a small company.

Really, so hard it is to find something in the engineer field?
After your words I am totally depressed... Someone told me that being an engineer is not hard to find a job, due to a shortage of them in the US. Is that true?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[SWhit]

Not being a US citizen will eliminate you from consideration for many jobs in defense. I don't know how many may be open to you. I would suggest looking at European companies operating in the US. I know Eurocopter has operations in the US and that BAE does business with US companies. They may want employees from there to come to the US.

 

[Lumens]

Thanks SWhit and thanks Messerschmitt for the previous posts.

I must confess that doing a little research you find that about the 40% of OEM job posts are not requiring US Citizenship and the other 60% do this requirement. More or less, for what I have seen. I agree with another discussion topic that on websites only appear a minimum posts of the jobmarket, but this is all I have on this moment.

Usually, this is a dilemma, because I must do (she doesn't speak my country language, so she won't move) the move. And more and more I am researching the restrictions are higher not being a US Citizen.

I will research trough Eurocopter and BAE's, but being in another Division of the same company as the first one, it will be difficult to transfer.

Thanks for the posts. I will try. Maybe there is a chance...

 

[wes616]

There is a german based aero recruitment firm that places engineers in the US, and will also help in securing an H1B visa, (without telling the name because I don't think that this is the proper forum for it) you should be able to find it via google, or some of the other aero-job sites.

good luck.

Wes C.
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Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

 

[sdsurfer]

As a note, BAE do most of their with the DOD, u will have to have a U.S CITIZENSHIP To work here. i am 100% sure. if i were you i will try any company that deals with commercial aircrafts, airlines/aerostructures groups etc, airbus has a facility in the midwest somewhere. But yeah having a green card is necessary nowdays, hope this helps

 

[airplanenut]

You will need a green card which you can't get if you don't fall in certain cat., or are married to a US citizen.
Another way is a H1B visa which will still require you to be sponsored by a company willing to hire you and deal with cost and paper work.... The H1B is a nonimigrant visa so it is only temporary (usually 3 years I believe). If you obtained one, you can try to change your status to an imigrant (green card process) with the need for the company and you to fulfill certain conditions. For example the company must show, it can not find a US citizen for the job, it must even advertise your position ... and so on. The process to obtain a green card might be 2 or more years..after you got everything together. Guess all I am saying it is not easy, thrust me, I know from experience.

 

[Lumens]

Thanks to all.

For what I am reading, I am not discouraged, but it seems not easy. Thanks airplanenut, I think that H1B is the most easy way to find a job there.

After the 3 years, for sure we will be married.

 

[wes616]

After the 3 years, for sure we will be married.

Or you'll know for sure that you'll never be!

Good luck!

Wes C.
------------------------------
Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

 

[InteroperabilityFix]

Lumens, are there any companies from your home country operating in the US, or any large companies where knowing a foreign language (yours) might be useful?

Also, you could try looking into a Masters degree in Engineering. You will probably be able to secure an assistantship,which will pay for your courses and a stipend, and while that money is not much, you would at least have established a foothold in this country.

And more education never hurts

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[Lumens]

Thanks Messerschmitt!

There are companies from my country operating in the US, of course. But not in my Business Unit. To change from Business Unit to another and ask for a transfer to the US is something very US mind (very practical, of course) but not from here. It's just the opposite. If you have someone doing a good job, you never want him going out. Ok, he can say that he move yes or yes, but meanwhile you have him. Defense companies are not encouraging moving out (despite saying publicly just the opposite) due to the primary concerns of the Business: Defense.

To try to get a Master's Degree it's another way to move there, but of course much more difficult. Better to say near impossible, mainly due to economical reasons.

Thanks Messerschmitt and the rest of the people. Maybe I was wrong when selecting actual job. From others aerospace jobs is (maybe) easy to move.

 

[prost]

Have you considered graduate school? You gain legal entry and residence in the US, you can network with employers in the US (including EADS North America, in case that's where you work now), and with graduate school acceptance, I think you can get a 1 yr. visa for 'training'. You have to be careful about unscrupulous employers who will want to hire you for minimum wage, but I suppose that advice goes for employers anywhere you work.

 

[InteroperabilityFix]

yeah, forgot to mention the OPT (optional practical training) year...which can lead to an H1B visa.

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