Moving to US 'Package'
Discussion
All, appreciative of some words of guidance:
I'm a medium grade Project Manager having migrated from an unrelated field as a consequence of the downturn.
I've been offered a position by my current employer in the US, I would be representing a UK company to it's biggest client, the post would last for a year or more. It would represent a big a challenge both professionally (especially given this is a field I'm relatively inexperienced in) and personally.
The package is broadly:
Car, rent, utilities, insurance, 20% pay increase, expenses while travelling, one flight home per year, US holidays. Notice to leave UK - 6wks, Notice period - 6mths, Potential 'small' daily allowance...
Areas of Uncertainty:
UK tax liability - UK paid and taxes deducted via UK payroll. Companies aim to keep me within UK NI system. What does this mean...?
I'd like to go back and ask a few questions, I'm happy with the job but have some reservations about the location and the handover process. It all feels a little rushed, and a bit... well... cheap?
View it as good experience (I'm knocking on 30), a chance to establish myself in an unfamiliar field? Why am I so reserved having finally received the particulars?
Thanks
I'm a medium grade Project Manager having migrated from an unrelated field as a consequence of the downturn.
I've been offered a position by my current employer in the US, I would be representing a UK company to it's biggest client, the post would last for a year or more. It would represent a big a challenge both professionally (especially given this is a field I'm relatively inexperienced in) and personally.
The package is broadly:
Car, rent, utilities, insurance, 20% pay increase, expenses while travelling, one flight home per year, US holidays. Notice to leave UK - 6wks, Notice period - 6mths, Potential 'small' daily allowance...
Areas of Uncertainty:
UK tax liability - UK paid and taxes deducted via UK payroll. Companies aim to keep me within UK NI system. What does this mean...?
I'd like to go back and ask a few questions, I'm happy with the job but have some reservations about the location and the handover process. It all feels a little rushed, and a bit... well... cheap?
View it as good experience (I'm knocking on 30), a chance to establish myself in an unfamiliar field? Why am I so reserved having finally received the particulars?
Thanks
Get tax advice from someone qualified in dual taxation and task for a tax equalisation service as part of your package.
Ask for TV, hifi (and any white goods eg washer, dryer if you are renting unfurnished) as your UK electrics won't work there and you'll need to replace. Should be part of your relo package.
Get a half container (if just you) or full container (if a family) paid for both ways, including packing services and customs clearance.
Make sure they provide a furnished rental place for the 2-3 months it will take for your possessions to arrive by sea. And a rental car for the same period.
Make sure you keep your UK holiday allowance - 10 days is normal in the US.
Make sure you're on a proper visa; from what you've said sounds like an L1-A should be possible. If keeping you on UK payroll is a dodge to get you to work on a visa waiver, you could get into serious trouble and a ban from the US. I've known people refused reentry with an apartment full of possessions and a car in the US.
Edited to add: 6 weeks is the very minimum to get a working visa, 8-12 weeks more usual. Whatever you do, don't travel out and start work there on a visa waiver while your work visa is awaiting approval.
Ask for TV, hifi (and any white goods eg washer, dryer if you are renting unfurnished) as your UK electrics won't work there and you'll need to replace. Should be part of your relo package.
Get a half container (if just you) or full container (if a family) paid for both ways, including packing services and customs clearance.
Make sure they provide a furnished rental place for the 2-3 months it will take for your possessions to arrive by sea. And a rental car for the same period.
Make sure you keep your UK holiday allowance - 10 days is normal in the US.
Make sure you're on a proper visa; from what you've said sounds like an L1-A should be possible. If keeping you on UK payroll is a dodge to get you to work on a visa waiver, you could get into serious trouble and a ban from the US. I've known people refused reentry with an apartment full of possessions and a car in the US.
Edited to add: 6 weeks is the very minimum to get a working visa, 8-12 weeks more usual. Whatever you do, don't travel out and start work there on a visa waiver while your work visa is awaiting approval.
Edited by mikef on Sunday 22 July 23:11
An experienced project manager in finance should be earning $100k just as an example. My million dollar bet is that their offer is no where near that and that's just part of the reason they want to keep paying you from the UK. DependIng on how long you are coming to the US I would push for a US salary and you pay your rent.
As already pointed to - what visa is being petitioned? How long have you worked for the UK company?
Being paid from the UK sets alarm bells ringing, as you can see from others in this thread.
Half-assing work assignments like this ALWAYS ends-up going bad, so make sure this is being done legitimately.
Is there an immigration attorney involved? Have you consulted the attorney? Remember - if appointed by your employer, he's acting in their best interests, not yours.
The visa is EVERYTHING.
Being paid from the UK sets alarm bells ringing, as you can see from others in this thread.
Half-assing work assignments like this ALWAYS ends-up going bad, so make sure this is being done legitimately.
Is there an immigration attorney involved? Have you consulted the attorney? Remember - if appointed by your employer, he's acting in their best interests, not yours.
The visa is EVERYTHING.
I think that your negotiating position is enormously influenced by who's driving the idea. Clearly, you are in a much stronger position to call the shots if you employer states that they want to relocate you. If, on the other hand, the employee has asked to be relocated, that changes the dynamic somewhat.
I'm all for aiming high, but unless the employee is absolutely pivotal in the business, demanding vehicles, fuel, multiple international flights, holiday entitlement beyond the norm, responsibility for personal leases etc., is a bit of a stretch.
Company cars are the exception, not the norm - holiday entitlement is quite miserable compared to UK/Europe and the whole (corporate) work ethic is somewhat different here.
I think the key questions remain... what visa (if any) is being petitioned. The length of service with the employer has influence on the visa categories available to the petitioner.
Keeping an employee out of the US company's payroll is not advantageous to the employer OR the employee - and raises the question, "Is there an established US subsidiary?" Paying from the UK could be interpreted as, "We don't have a US company - we're just going to send you over, as our representative there". That is an entirely different, and more complex proposition that could (not would) land the employee in a world of hurt.
I'm all for aiming high, but unless the employee is absolutely pivotal in the business, demanding vehicles, fuel, multiple international flights, holiday entitlement beyond the norm, responsibility for personal leases etc., is a bit of a stretch.
Company cars are the exception, not the norm - holiday entitlement is quite miserable compared to UK/Europe and the whole (corporate) work ethic is somewhat different here.
I think the key questions remain... what visa (if any) is being petitioned. The length of service with the employer has influence on the visa categories available to the petitioner.
Keeping an employee out of the US company's payroll is not advantageous to the employer OR the employee - and raises the question, "Is there an established US subsidiary?" Paying from the UK could be interpreted as, "We don't have a US company - we're just going to send you over, as our representative there". That is an entirely different, and more complex proposition that could (not would) land the employee in a world of hurt.
Well, we haven't heard back from the original poster
Before worrying about advice on package, can you tell us
1) when you say "my current employer in the US", does your employer actually have an office in the US? With approximately how many employees?
2) what US visa scheme have they told you that you will be working on?
Before worrying about advice on package, can you tell us
1) when you say "my current employer in the US", does your employer actually have an office in the US? With approximately how many employees?
2) what US visa scheme have they told you that you will be working on?
Visa is vital - they must put that up without any input (other than the necessary info to fill it in) from you. Medical insurance should at the bare minimum be covered through a reciprocal agreement with UK (i.e. forms would get filled in for cost to be taken by Governments) but if not, they should provide it.
The rest of the package seems ok to me. They are going to give you an increase AND expenses. Therefore, you'll largely have a much bigger take home, regardless of what your US peers may earn. To be honest, US salaries are not massive from what I understand - currently I'm in Canada and for any given job at my company we are reported to earn more than the US version across the border.
To me, this should be seen as an opportunity to get something that your UK peers are likely not to have - overseas experience. It may even lead onto something else more interesting, because you were in the 'right place at the right time'. I'd always grab this opportunity with a big stick, and have many times.
The rest of the package seems ok to me. They are going to give you an increase AND expenses. Therefore, you'll largely have a much bigger take home, regardless of what your US peers may earn. To be honest, US salaries are not massive from what I understand - currently I'm in Canada and for any given job at my company we are reported to earn more than the US version across the border.
To me, this should be seen as an opportunity to get something that your UK peers are likely not to have - overseas experience. It may even lead onto something else more interesting, because you were in the 'right place at the right time'. I'd always grab this opportunity with a big stick, and have many times.
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