UK expat moving to DC: what to do with missus?

[smurfario]

Bit of a punt this one, but TRFers are such a helpful bunch I thought it worth a try.

I have been offered a posting to Washington DC with my company. It's a fantastic opportunity for a Brit to get stuck into the Beltway scene during an interesting time in US politics, and one I am loathe to pass up. However, what to do with my wife...?

I already work away during the week and there is no question of her not coming with me, but I am worried about her work. She wants to work (damn, we need the money ) but as a UK civil servant with UK specific skills - she's an Environmental Health Officer - what on earth can she do in DC? How hard is it to get a work permit, for instance? I will of course badger my company to help, but if it cannot, what then?

Does anyone here have any guidance, be it general or specific, about expat spouses working in the US? This particular bombshell only hit today so I am scurrying around for info from any sources I can think of, but there's nowt like the real life experience of real people!

Cheers,

Jim

[diversified]

Can't help you with the employment info, but Washington DC is one hell of a town. Anyone who is bored in Washington DC must be laying on their deathbed.

[toph]

Are you Jim Murphy as in the Eastwood/East renfrewshire MP (or former MP)

[redshirt1957]

Man, if only I had that problem with "what to do with the wife".

[unclesallie]

Originally Posted by smurfario

Bit of a punt this one, but TRFers are such a helpful bunch I thought it worth a try.

I have been offered a posting to Washington DC with my company. It's a fantastic opportunity for a Brit to get stuck into the Beltway scene during an interesting time in US politics, and one I am loathe to pass up. However, what to do with my wife...?

I already work away during the week and there is no question of her not coming with me, but I am worried about her work. She wants to work (damn, we need the money ) but as a UK civil servant with UK specific skills - she's an Environmental Health Officer - what on earth can she do in DC? How hard is it to get a work permit, for instance? I will of course badger my company to help, but if it cannot, what then?

Does anyone here have any guidance, be it general or specific, about expat spouses working in the US? This particular bombshell only hit today so I am scurrying around for info from any sources I can think of, but there's nowt like the real life experience of real people!

Cheers,

Jim

Jim: you're wife's ability to work in the United States depends upon her status here. If you come here in H1B status(for example), that would be as a specialty occupation, requiring at least a 4 year degree to do the job, or equivalent training. your wife would be here as an H4, and NOT permitted to work. so I guess the question is are you coming here in Non-Immigrant status, and in what status? if your wife comes over as a dependent of you in non-immigrant(NIV) status then she will not be able to work. On the other hand, if she applies for her own visa(say as an H1B specialty worker in envirnonmental clean-ups(for example)she'll be able to work. She would need a US company to sponsor her for the work-based visa. Perhaps your company is US based and is sponsoring you as an L-international manager transferree to its US operations from its UK operations?


best of luck!
dan

[ntesta05]

I live right outside of DC....have fun with the traffic not as bad as some bigger metro areas like LA or NY but it ranks up there with the worse.

For your wife, her best bet would be to try to get a gig with a private company. State and Federal jobs would be out of the question since they require some sort of US citizenship and local residency (length of residency is key for state/local municipality jobs).

Consult your embassy when you arrive here in DC. They should be able to provide you with more specific details on what exactly would be the best options for your wife.

I'm into hiking, cycling, and shooting sports (skeet/trap/sporting clays) so if you are active in any of those, hit me up and I can give you some info on where to go and what you need to know...

[Kenny147]

Jim,

I'm a displaced Aussie who's been living in the US for the last 10 years. Long story short; started with a beer, ended up in court and involved a woman!

Anyway, I now live in Arlington, just across the river from DC with my girlfriend, who's South African. She's just got a job with Barclays as an assistant to the head of global investments and makes more than I do as an airline pilot.

I'm not sure what visa you're wife will get but as long as she has a work permit, which I can't see her not getting, she'll have no problems getting a job with any of the UK firms that have offices here in DC.

It's been a few years since I went through the whole immigration process but I'm pretty sure as the spouse of an H1B visa holder, which I think you'll be, she will get work authorisation.

You'll like DC, great city with lots to do.....