What about Texas, maybe San Antonio/Hill country area? Since Alabama is one of your choices, I guess,you don't mind politics too much.

 

I am actually also considering Texas, aye! I do have cousins there as well so it's on my radar. My only concern is that it (from my limited research) seems to be mostly desert-like area, and I was hoping for more greenery.
And also, while I don't care about politics too much, I care enough to feel like we wouldn't be perfectly safe in Texas. The only reason I mentioned Alabama is family.
So... Not sure about Texas. I'll keep it in mind, though!

 

As with so many countries these days, it's next to impossible to move to the US and then start looking for a job. Unless, of course, your "latina" wife is an American of latina/hispanic ethnicity - but in that case, she will have to either have a job lined up that is adequate to "sponsor" you or will have to have a co-sponsor who will take financial responsibility for you in the first 10 years (I think it is) that you're in the US. Winning the DV lottery is a possibility - but ultimately you'll wind up wherever you can find a job.

As far as getting your CPA is concerned, that will depend on what state you are living in. While the CPA qualification is pretty readily transferable from one state to the next, the actual granting of the CPA certification depends on the requirements of your state of residence (and/or employment).

So basically it comes down to which state you can find jobs in. But buying a house anywhere in the US is pretty rough these days - and if you're dependent on finding a mortgage, figure a good two years or more to build up your credit rating/history.

 

Go where the job calls you. You can always readjust once you’ve been here for a while

 

If he looks for a job then Texas is probably a good place to start, especially with Software Development as well. I never heard that someone's heart desire was to move to Alabama, unless you want to open a Christian camp.

 

You need a job first..... and for that you need to find a prospective employer willing to sponsor you for a work visa.
I'd concentrate on that as a priority, get into the US and then, if you don't like where you end up, move.
However, from the sounds of it neither of you are experienced in your fields - most employers want experienced workers as it takes time and money to sponsor a work visa.
You should concentrate on getting work experience ......

 

I do have accounting experience - been in the field for nearly 3 years now, just waiting for my certification (need to have 3 years experience!). Either way, that won't be too relevant in USA as laws are different. It will help, of course, but it's not the same.

The visa thing, I understand all of that. I'm just trying to get a general advice of states.

 

It's pointless to debate which area is best without a job and unfortunately a job doesn't automatically mean you can afford housing in the area either. I am in Ireland and a lot more positive as I will be in a different area and live a completely different life. It's no different in the US and various individuals will tell you what's best and how they live, but worth nothing to you.

I see it locally and you will get one person who moans all day and that person will look out the window and see rain. The other person is more flexible and seeing rain means its sunny elsewhere, so they go out and enjoy life. To me it sounds like you're looking for the perfect place but there will always be a downside. Being in the EU and where you are now, you also have easy access to other places to create the best of both worlds, but only you can decide.

 

I personally come from third world country (Croatia) and have lived in other poor countries (Czech) before moving to Ireland. I'm actually doing very well here in Ireland but, just as you pointed out, that rain is... an absolute killer. Not only that but housing is such a huge issue it's insane. Any decent home in a decent area will easily go over 300k at this point. It is possible to get that kind of money but, lets face it - no home in ireland is really worth that amount. That's why i want to move to USA. And you could say "Move to somewhere else in EU" but I just don't want to. I want to speak English, i've decided that since very young age. I could move to UK as their weather is slightly better than ours here in IE, but they have the same housing issues we have.

 

300k for a home is outrageous! What do you think a somewhat nice home in a good neighborhood within reasonable commute to jobs costs in a metro area In the US? Then research property taxes and insurance. Some locations do not grant access to homestead discounts to non permanent residents.

 

Depending on family circumstances OP could go the grandparent route.

A 3 year accountant with no US experience - how should a US employer justify a need for visa purposes?

 

North Carolina - everyone, and everything is recommending NC. but from what I've heard, they have the least worker rights, it is quite religious (to a fanatic point. I am a very strict atheist and just don't want to deal with all of that) and also seems like racism is a problem outside of the advanced cities. So this one is crossed off our list.

ALL of the States is quite religious; there is racism everywhere, according to some people so you do have to deal with it ......

How about Alaska? Wide open spaces to get away from people, lots of snow for recreation, wildlife and housing not too expensive.

 

See #1 - four seasons and more warm than cold
See #13 - housing at 300k is unreasonable

 

In relation to weather the OP could look to Portland ME if they want a mix of Ireland and Croatia. Sunshine hours are similar to Barcelona and only slightly below Dubrovnik's. Rainfall amounts in Portland are 35% higher compared to Dublin, so similar to Sherkin Island. You have access to nature and climate makes it very green but with the sunshine hours of the Med. Realistically a person who requires a Visa won't have the luxury of pick and choose and it's highly unlikely there are many jobs for a young accountant needing a Visa.

 

Hello everyone!
I am sure you hear these questions all the time, but I figured I might as well ask here, as I've no clue who else to ask.

I am wondering, which states would you recommend us to move to, and why?

I am an accountant, who is going to finish his ACCA certification in Ireland within a year. I would work on obtaining CPA as soon as i can, in USA. My partner is a software developer, though she is yet to gain any experience in the field (Fresh out of uni.). She is latina - I am stating that as racism is one of our concerns.

Now, this is what we would love to have in the states people recommend us:
We would love to have a bigger house with front and back yard. We'd love to have all four seasons, but we definitely prefer sun and warm weather a lot more than the cold and snow (We don't mind flying out somewhere cold every Christmas). We'd love to live in a state where we could often go for a hike, to camp out in the woods, and to go swimming in either a lake or ocean. Also, this is minor but, as we live in Ireland.. We're so, so sick and tired of constant rain and clouds. So if possible, we'd prefer a less cloudy climate. Like, few months a year it's fine but when it's all you ever see...

So far these are states I have considered:
Alabama - I actually have godparents there. They sort of half raised me while they still lived nearby, before they moved back to USA (originally they're Americans). Now, Alabama sounds amazing and they'd all help us out greatly. But we're terrified of tornadoes. It's all so unpredictable, I don't know how safe it actually is.
New Jersey - seems amazing on paper, but the house prices are very high. As we work in tech and finance, we'd need to live closer to New York / Philly, which is very pricey.
Massachussets (sorry if I misspelled that!) - seems like a really good choice, but our salary would be similar / the same as it is in NJ, yet houses are 2-3 times more expensive.
Winsconsin - Seems... rough. We'd be able to buy a house pretty fast but it just seems rough from everything i've read online - both form safety, and weather.
Oregon - Seems like it has everything we'd like, just like New Jersey, but a lot more affordable! Aaaaaaaaaand it has tonnes of rain and clouds, which we're trying to escape from.
California - Probably the best choice, but we're just afraid of being able to find ends meet. We don't really want to live in absolute poverty as soon as we come over.
North Carolina - everyone, and everything is recommending NC. but from what I've heard, they have the least worker rights, it is quite religious (to a fanatic point. I am a very strict atheist and just don't want to deal with all of that) and also seems like racism is a problem outside of the advanced cities. So this one is crossed off our list.

There's a few more we considered a few more but not in big enough depth to actually convey it here.
Could you please share your recommendations? I'd love to hear as many opinions as possible.

As for How are we going to move to USA - for the sake of argument, lets say we won a DV lottery and are trying to find out where to live our lives now.

Thank you all in advance!

Palm Beach Florida

 

Hello everyone!
I am sure you hear these questions all the time, but I figured I might as well ask here, as I've no clue who else to ask.

I am wondering, which states would you recommend us to move to, and why?

I am an accountant, who is going to finish his ACCA certification in Ireland within a year. I would work on obtaining CPA as soon as i can, in USA. My partner is a software developer, though she is yet to gain any experience in the field (Fresh out of uni.). She is latina - I am stating that as racism is one of our concerns.

Now, this is what we would love to have in the states people recommend us:
We would love to have a bigger house with front and back yard. We'd love to have all four seasons, but we definitely prefer sun and warm weather a lot more than the cold and snow (We don't mind flying out somewhere cold every Christmas). We'd love to live in a state where we could often go for a hike, to camp out in the woods, and to go swimming in either a lake or ocean. Also, this is minor but, as we live in Ireland.. We're so, so sick and tired of constant rain and clouds. So if possible, we'd prefer a less cloudy climate. Like, few months a year it's fine but when it's all you ever see...

So far these are states I have considered:
Alabama - I actually have godparents there. They sort of half raised me while they still lived nearby, before they moved back to USA (originally they're Americans). Now, Alabama sounds amazing and they'd all help us out greatly. But we're terrified of tornadoes. It's all so unpredictable, I don't know how safe it actually is.
New Jersey - seems amazing on paper, but the house prices are very high. As we work in tech and finance, we'd need to live closer to New York / Philly, which is very pricey.
Massachussets (sorry if I misspelled that!) - seems like a really good choice, but our salary would be similar / the same as it is in NJ, yet houses are 2-3 times more expensive.
Winsconsin - Seems... rough. We'd be able to buy a house pretty fast but it just seems rough from everything i've read online - both form safety, and weather.
Oregon - Seems like it has everything we'd like, just like New Jersey, but a lot more affordable! Aaaaaaaaaand it has tonnes of rain and clouds, which we're trying to escape from.
California - Probably the best choice, but we're just afraid of being able to find ends meet. We don't really want to live in absolute poverty as soon as we come over.
North Carolina - everyone, and everything is recommending NC. but from what I've heard, they have the least worker rights, it is quite religious (to a fanatic point. I am a very strict atheist and just don't want to deal with all of that) and also seems like racism is a problem outside of the advanced cities. So this one is crossed off our list.

There's a few more we considered a few more but not in big enough depth to actually convey it here.
Could you please share your recommendations? I'd love to hear as many opinions as possible.

As for How are we going to move to USA - for the sake of argument, lets say we won a DV lottery and are trying to find out where to live our lives now.
I recently explored furnished apts west palm beach and was impressed! The site offers a variety of modern, well-maintained apartments with great amenities like fully-equipped kitchens and cozy living spaces. The locations are prime, with easy access to beaches, shopping, and dining. It’s perfect for both short and long stays, whether you're visiting for business or leisure. The seamless booking process and friendly customer service add to the experience. Highly recommend checking it out for a hassle-free, comfortable stay in West Palm Beach!
Thank you all in advance!

My opinion is North Carolina

 

Just remember every state is different as far as WHERE in the state you choose to live. For example, I have found many people don't think of California as getting snow. The picture they have is a sunny, warm coast line yet where I live, up north, an hour from Reno Nevada, we get snow and sometimes a lot of it.
It's almost impossible to know about a particular state unless you ask about a certain city and area within that city. Same with states that, for example where I live is NOT a city it is very rural and considered a town.
I agree with most on this thread. Get a job lined up first. You can move later.
Good luck with everything!

 

From my own experiences in the US, the favorite places I've lived are Tulsa, Oklahoma and Greenville, South Carolina. Both are mid-sized cities compared to the larger metros, but offer a good quality of life and decent finance/accounting opportunities. Homes are typically well below $300k. Both are fairly religious, but it was easy to avoid it.

 

I lived in Alabama and it has a lot of pluses except for its politics. and the church going people. If you live in a place lin northern Alabama less so than in the south . Mobile is a beautiful places and there are lots of nice little towns if you do not mind church going people and Trumpers--tornadoes and hurracanes..
California. I lived there for 30 years and loved it. Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Santa Rosa Sonoma Santa Cruz etc. The country is beautiful, especially the wine country. no tornadoes but earthquake and the see is freezing cold in the north , enough to have seals..
Central California is also beautiful. still cold sea..

New Mexico has the 4 seasons you are looking for. It is deserty bu very beautiful and interesting
Oregon and Washington can be very nice The coast has a lot of fog and rain but if you move a littleast you can get very nice weather there.
I do not care for the East, I worked there New York Connexticut New Jersey.. and it depressesme although there are some beautiful spots but I do not like heat in humidity in the summer and that is what you get there just as NC and Alabama..
Good luck to you..
Wisconsin is beautiful but the winters are way too cold and long for me..