Relocating to the US (Seattle, WA)
Discussion
Hello all
I'm in the process of relocating to Seattle with my company, it's still in it's early stages and will be likely to touch down in the New Year.
It's a real daunting move for me but an opportunity I cannot pass up!
The relocation/visa piece is covered for me and the missus but the main thing for me is the standard/cost of living. After everything (bill/rent-wise) in the US/UK is paid (I have private medical health) I'm likely to have ~$1,500 p/m left in the pocket due to continued outgoings I'll have in the UK... is this enough to get by on?
A little more detail:
No car initally
1 dependant = wife
Mortgage and additional (small) debts in the UK = ~£1,000 p/m
Has anyone else done anything similar?
I'm in the process of relocating to Seattle with my company, it's still in it's early stages and will be likely to touch down in the New Year.
It's a real daunting move for me but an opportunity I cannot pass up!
The relocation/visa piece is covered for me and the missus but the main thing for me is the standard/cost of living. After everything (bill/rent-wise) in the US/UK is paid (I have private medical health) I'm likely to have ~$1,500 p/m left in the pocket due to continued outgoings I'll have in the UK... is this enough to get by on?
A little more detail:
No car initally
1 dependant = wife
Mortgage and additional (small) debts in the UK = ~£1,000 p/m
Has anyone else done anything similar?
$1,500 will be "ok", but it will be tight, imo. How far away from the office are you likely to be placed? Not sure what public transport Seattle has, but a monthly T-pass in Boston is $70. You may, in fact, need a car.
Does the relocation package include utilities? Most rentals on this side of the country only provide heat & hot water, not electricity, telephone, internet etc. Basic cable including internet is circa $50 but that may be expensive compared to national figures as Comcast have a virtual monopoly in Boston.
Are the company paying for the new place or just the deposit (first, last & security sometimes). Is there rental increase factored into your contract?
Cellphone could easily run to $100 a month if personal, rather than company.
What visa is being sought for you? (6 months is optimistic if it hasn't been filed btw)
Does the relocation package include utilities? Most rentals on this side of the country only provide heat & hot water, not electricity, telephone, internet etc. Basic cable including internet is circa $50 but that may be expensive compared to national figures as Comcast have a virtual monopoly in Boston.
Are the company paying for the new place or just the deposit (first, last & security sometimes). Is there rental increase factored into your contract?
Cellphone could easily run to $100 a month if personal, rather than company.
What visa is being sought for you? (6 months is optimistic if it hasn't been filed btw)
Edited by Famous Graham on Monday 16th July 15:00
Potatoes said:
I'm not aboslutely clued up on what is needed.
Time to do so 
It's an absolute minefield, with many pitfalls that your employer may not necessarily be aware of. Have they had experience in relocating employees from the UK to the US (there are additional implications if it's the first time for the employer too)?Famous Graham said:
Potatoes said:
I'm not aboslutely clued up on what is needed.
Time to do so It's an absolute minefield, with many pitfalls that your employer may not necessarily be aware of. Have they had experience in relocating employees from the UK to the US (there are additional implications if it's the first time for the employer too)?
Potatoes said:
Famous Graham said:
Potatoes said:
I'm not aboslutely clued up on what is needed.
Time to do so It's an absolute minefield, with many pitfalls that your employer may not necessarily be aware of. Have they had experience in relocating employees from the UK to the US (there are additional implications if it's the first time for the employer too)?I don't know if this is feasible for you, but my company worked out my disposable income and figured out the necessary salary to leave me with the equivalent in the US. So I submitted things like UK rent, bills and so forth, and they took that into account, then checked rental prices here, utilities, cost of living etc etc. I think I ended up $84 a month better off
Of course, what one doesn't really appreciate are the incidentals that one forgets, even with a furnished apartment : bedding, that first big "shop" to get all the stuff into your kitchen you take for granted, that kind of thing.
I'm not too put out, though, my lot paid for a fully furnished and serviced apartment for the first 6 months (which has just ended) and I've found a place of my own a good $300 within the housing budget allocated to me (all of which goes into my account btw).
Do you work for Boeing by any chance?
You really need to figure out how your employer intends to do this - i.e. in what capacity they are 'importing' you, because it has implications regarding your ability to earn, beyond just your paycheck.
Very, very few situations arise where an employer petitions directly for a permanant (EB-1) category, without preceding it with an employment based visa - L1, H1-B or E1/2. The main reason being, if they equip you with a greencard from the get-go, there is absolutely nothing to stop you resigning and working for a competitor, the minute you step off the plane.
H and E visas carry some punitive restrictions that L visas are free of, so you really should make sure you completely understand what you are letting yourself in for, before you pull the trigger.
Also remember, your employers immigration lawyers are protecting their interests, which might not be quite the same as yours...
You really need to figure out how your employer intends to do this - i.e. in what capacity they are 'importing' you, because it has implications regarding your ability to earn, beyond just your paycheck.
Very, very few situations arise where an employer petitions directly for a permanant (EB-1) category, without preceding it with an employment based visa - L1, H1-B or E1/2. The main reason being, if they equip you with a greencard from the get-go, there is absolutely nothing to stop you resigning and working for a competitor, the minute you step off the plane.
H and E visas carry some punitive restrictions that L visas are free of, so you really should make sure you completely understand what you are letting yourself in for, before you pull the trigger.
Also remember, your employers immigration lawyers are protecting their interests, which might not be quite the same as yours...
Thanks Matt,
Nope - not Boeing
I will certainly look into that as I was not aware to that level of detail, I'll reach out to our global relo team to learn more and appreciate the steer.
I've worked with the company for 4 years in the UK and am now being moved to the US. I'm eager to learn more about the visa as I'd agree, it doesn't make business sense to equip me with the tools to disappear as soon as a more attractive role opens at Boeing/Microsoft/Amazon/Starbucks/Other Seattle-based companies.
Either way, I'm not looking to move on as I really enjoy working where I am and am enjoying the career growth offered. The reason I question the money revolves heavily around me not wanting to sell my house in the UK as I would like to return to it someday. I've been looking at renting it which would more than cover the mortgage so after insurance/estate agent fees would just cover it and allow me a lot more freedom financially than stated in my first post but this remains a big concern for me. Also my other half will go from an earner to a dependent...
Nope - not Boeing
I will certainly look into that as I was not aware to that level of detail, I'll reach out to our global relo team to learn more and appreciate the steer.
I've worked with the company for 4 years in the UK and am now being moved to the US. I'm eager to learn more about the visa as I'd agree, it doesn't make business sense to equip me with the tools to disappear as soon as a more attractive role opens at Boeing/Microsoft/Amazon/Starbucks/Other Seattle-based companies.
Either way, I'm not looking to move on as I really enjoy working where I am and am enjoying the career growth offered. The reason I question the money revolves heavily around me not wanting to sell my house in the UK as I would like to return to it someday. I've been looking at renting it which would more than cover the mortgage so after insurance/estate agent fees would just cover it and allow me a lot more freedom financially than stated in my first post but this remains a big concern for me. Also my other half will go from an earner to a dependent...
Has anyone told you that your wife will not be permitted to work in the US?
If you have been advised that your wife will be unable to work, that is pointing toward an H1-B, specialist employee visa type, which would put her in H4 category - not the most desirable employment based visa, it has to be said. Depending on the 'preference category' of your petition, you could be in for a long slog to a greencard - and the opportunity for her to work again.
Additionally, unless your role is so specialized as to avoid the H1-B visa-cap, your petition can't be submitted until April 2013, with an earliest start date of October 2013 (can you tell I've been through all this bullsh!t?)
Of course, none of this applies, if your company opts for L1 (A or B), which is an intra-company transfer - and much more likely to be the case, based on what you have shared - an L2 (for your wife) will allow her to apply for work authorization (EAD) after 90 days.
When I first moved to the US (on an L1-A) I was advised to maintain a UK property, which I did - but I have to say that renting property when you are thousands of miles away (even through an agent) proved to be a troubling experience for me. I sold my UK home after 5 years of being in the US and in waiting this long, avoided any tax liability to HMCR, which saved me a whole bunch of cash.
A couple of other issues you might want to consider/investigate...
What happens if, for any reason, this relocation doesn't work out? Is there a relocation contingency in the package?
Is the company willing to provide a route to permanency (Greencard) in your contract?
Does the health insurance cover your spouse? What are your out-of pocket contributions/co-pays going to be?
How much vacation/time off are you entitled to? (This may come as a nasty shock)
Will the company continue to make NI contributions in the UK, while you are in the US? If yes, for how long?
Why no car? You absolutely need a car here.
The US is no cheaper (and in some areas a whole lot more expensive) than the UK, in terms of cost of living.
How familiar are you with the climate in SeTac area? Do you have any phobias around seismic activity?
Good luck to you - It's a great experience and may well change your life!
If you have been advised that your wife will be unable to work, that is pointing toward an H1-B, specialist employee visa type, which would put her in H4 category - not the most desirable employment based visa, it has to be said. Depending on the 'preference category' of your petition, you could be in for a long slog to a greencard - and the opportunity for her to work again.
Additionally, unless your role is so specialized as to avoid the H1-B visa-cap, your petition can't be submitted until April 2013, with an earliest start date of October 2013 (can you tell I've been through all this bullsh!t?)
Of course, none of this applies, if your company opts for L1 (A or B), which is an intra-company transfer - and much more likely to be the case, based on what you have shared - an L2 (for your wife) will allow her to apply for work authorization (EAD) after 90 days.
When I first moved to the US (on an L1-A) I was advised to maintain a UK property, which I did - but I have to say that renting property when you are thousands of miles away (even through an agent) proved to be a troubling experience for me. I sold my UK home after 5 years of being in the US and in waiting this long, avoided any tax liability to HMCR, which saved me a whole bunch of cash.
A couple of other issues you might want to consider/investigate...
What happens if, for any reason, this relocation doesn't work out? Is there a relocation contingency in the package?
Is the company willing to provide a route to permanency (Greencard) in your contract?
Does the health insurance cover your spouse? What are your out-of pocket contributions/co-pays going to be?
How much vacation/time off are you entitled to? (This may come as a nasty shock)
Will the company continue to make NI contributions in the UK, while you are in the US? If yes, for how long?
Why no car? You absolutely need a car here.
The US is no cheaper (and in some areas a whole lot more expensive) than the UK, in terms of cost of living.
How familiar are you with the climate in SeTac area? Do you have any phobias around seismic activity?
Good luck to you - It's a great experience and may well change your life!
Potatoes said:
This is a perm move and the company I work for will be completing the visa and I'm not aboslutely clued up on what is needed.
I'll be moving to work permanently in the US with the wife so I'm goig to assume I'm obtaining a Green Card.
Don't say that at the embassy..."intent to return" to the UK is something they look for - hence Matt's comment regarding keeping a house.I'll be moving to work permanently in the US with the wife so I'm goig to assume I'm obtaining a Green Card.
In addition to Matt's comments, I'd also add getting confirmation in writing from the company that they do indeed intend to sponsor you for a green card, so you can egt started on that as soon as possible. As you might imagine, it's not an overly quick process. The longest part of mine was getting the company to agree to it in the middle of downsizing.
You do need to find out what visa you're being sponsoroed for in the first place, not least so you understand your position and what is exepcted from you - you don't simply get given a visa (alas), there's a fair amount of paperwork involved for you, the lawyers, your manager and your manager to be, plus various docs to supply (and some you'll want to get sorted now to save you time in the long run).
Are you going over as a manager of people or a 'skilled professional', what are your qualifications(university, etc)?
There quite a few people on PH who've gone through this so can advise what to expect, and what not to do.
Oh, and as mentioned, unless you're going to be living next door to the office, or in NY, you'll need a car.
Yeah, I'm being flippant. Luckily I live right on the T (about 45 mins from downtown), so don't need a car day-to-day. Boston being a small city anyway.
I suspect it's due to it's size, and, thus it being an absolute nightmare for parking, that zipcar have done so well here. There are over a hundred of them, three of which are at a gas station 2 blocks from my new apartment.
I suspect it's due to it's size, and, thus it being an absolute nightmare for parking, that zipcar have done so well here. There are over a hundred of them, three of which are at a gas station 2 blocks from my new apartment.
Really useful Matt and Jimx3.
Some of the points you raise are really important in relation to my move so will be building on this.
I've reviewed the relocation policy and it all looks as good as it could be but I'm no clear on they type of visa so will speak to the global relocation team internally and am negotiating the holiday piece. I'm under no illusion my holiday entitlement will be cut significantly from the current 25 days but I'm aiming to get in the low double figures. a colleague who went over last year to another site (Texas) took all 25 days with him!! I on the other hand can see some political pitfalls in that approach!
Edit - oh, and car:
...I wish! who knows what I'll end up with but I'll worry about that later and I will be getting support for this as part of the relocation package.
Some of the points you raise are really important in relation to my move so will be building on this.
I've reviewed the relocation policy and it all looks as good as it could be but I'm no clear on they type of visa so will speak to the global relocation team internally and am negotiating the holiday piece. I'm under no illusion my holiday entitlement will be cut significantly from the current 25 days but I'm aiming to get in the low double figures. a colleague who went over last year to another site (Texas) took all 25 days with him!! I on the other hand can see some political pitfalls in that approach!
Edit - oh, and car:
...I wish! who knows what I'll end up with but I'll worry about that later and I will be getting support for this as part of the relocation package.
Edited by Potatoes on Monday 16th July 20:15
Find out about tax equalisation services, relocation allowance, and anything else they can tell you as well.
The fact that your company is large enough to have a global relocation team strongly implies that there will be a blanket L-1 approval in place, and that it's likely you'll be going over on that. So you'll be spared some of the fun Graham had.
Are you going to be managing people or not?
See types here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-1_visa
The fact that your company is large enough to have a global relocation team strongly implies that there will be a blanket L-1 approval in place, and that it's likely you'll be going over on that. So you'll be spared some of the fun Graham had.
Are you going to be managing people or not?
See types here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-1_visa
Means you have to do PERM/job certification and thus takes longer to get residency/green card.
PERM is a pain in the colon. Not only does it take an age, but there's a butt ton of paperwork.
Not insurmountable, but it's where the lawyers earn their keep.
It does mean that if you're lucky, your priority date may be current by the time it's done, so there won't be an enormous delay after PERM.
PERM is a pain in the colon. Not only does it take an age, but there's a butt ton of paperwork.
Not insurmountable, but it's where the lawyers earn their keep.
It does mean that if you're lucky, your priority date may be current by the time it's done, so there won't be an enormous delay after PERM.
With regard to the original question as to whether $1,500 disposable income will be ok.
My cable/internet bill (Comcast) is $100+
Electric...Varies between $150 and 375 /month
Water $50 to $100/month
Gas around $130/month (equalised budget plan)
Real Estate Taxes $700/month (paid quarterly)
This is for a modest house in the sticks.
Eating out... Seattle, I believe, is one of the more costly Cities, but should still be cheaper than UK.
Car lease $200 - $400 month if you want to lease, I don't !
Hopefully umbrellas will be cheaper than UK
'Cos you will need one in each car, one at the office and a couple at home
Good Luck.
My cable/internet bill (Comcast) is $100+
Electric...Varies between $150 and 375 /month
Water $50 to $100/month
Gas around $130/month (equalised budget plan)
Real Estate Taxes $700/month (paid quarterly)
This is for a modest house in the sticks.
Eating out... Seattle, I believe, is one of the more costly Cities, but should still be cheaper than UK.
Car lease $200 - $400 month if you want to lease, I don't !
Hopefully umbrellas will be cheaper than UK
'Cos you will need one in each car, one at the office and a couple at home
Good Luck.
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