Getting a US work visa

[graham84]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone here might be able to help me. I'm a british citizen travelling to New York to spend some time with friends there in Mid-July, and will probably stay out there (on a visa-waiver program) for 2-3 months, like an extended holiday. But I'd really love to be able to join my friends and work and live in New York... so I want to look into getting a work visa.

I have a 3 year BA in Philosophy from a British university, experience working as a writer for a year and a half, and some additional writing experience. If I were to spend some of my 'extended holiday', writing articles and submitting them to new york based publications, trying to encourage them to take me on, do you think I'd stand much chance of them sponoring me for a H1 visa? Or even taking me on board as a trainee with a J1 visa?

I know that I'm not exactly specialised in my field in the way that the visa rules outline. But I'm hoping that maybe if I put my all into networking, showing people what I've got, and writing as much as I can while I'm out there to boost my portfolio... i might impress someone enough, for them to be willing to sponsor me. Is this a good idea? Or am I off the mark? Any advice or suggestions would be muchly appreciated.

[synthia]

What kind of writing do you do? Do you regularly have articles accepted and published by the English press? Do you have something unique to offer that our thousands and thousands of liberal arts graduates don't have?

New York publishing is a tough market. Have you tried submitting articles from the UK? If so, what kind of response did you get?

You would not only have to get a job in a market that is hard to crack, but you would have to find an employer willing to spend extra money and time to do so, and willing to wait for your services until the process is completed.

To hire you, a magazine or newspaper would have to provide evidence that there are no Americans available to fill the job. The special visas for writers and other artists are for artists, not journalists. And they would still require that you offer something unique. The reason they are sometimes easier to get is that there is no 'American Nicole Kidman (substitute name here)' available.

And unless you are writing about things that are happening in America, why have you move here at all? Couldn't you do the same thing in the UK?

Your best bet would be to find an employer willing to send you to the US.

[Bevdeforges]

There is nothing wrong with taking some time during your extended holiday to check out the job market in New York. See what jobs are available to someone with your qualifications - and maybe even put in an application or two and see if you can get an interview.

As Synthia mentions, you have to have something "special" that isn't available in the general population in order to get an employer to go through the (rather expensive) process of supporting you for a visa. But the best way to find out what sort of thing you need is to simply try your luck a bit in the NY job market. If nothing else, it may give you a better idea what sort of experience to shoot for when you go back home to better target your career toward an eventual move to NY.
Cheers,
Bev

[graham84]

Thanks for the advice guys. My writing job was with an international charity, writing feature articles on social issues and current affairs for their website. But I'd really like to get into music writing, I've had articles published by UK music publications and I feel that's what I'm best at. I'd also love to do travel writing/writing for guidebooks.

As to what I'd have to give, that other candidates from the US wouldn't... to be honest, I don't know. But I'll try to think about that. Maybe being british could give me a uniques slant on things. All I know is, I really want to experience work/an internship in new york, and to live closer to my good friends out there. Like you say Bevdeforges, I guess there's no harm in trying.