US Job Search Tips. Work in America for Russians and Ukrainians

I believe that any person who decides to emigrate and start life from scratch is already a fighter and a hero. Photo from personal archive

How to find a job in the USA: the immigrant experience

I got the feeling that employers don't look at work experience outside the US at all. Photo from personal archive

The hardest thing is getting your first job

I got the feeling that employers don't look at work experience outside the US at all. For them, we are like aliens, our list of job responsibilities does not fall under any vacancy. A little of that, a little of that, but nothing one hundred percent.

Therefore, first you need to decide how the position here is called, which best matches your skills.

Let me give you an example from my profession. In Russia, all accountants are divided only into chief and non-chief. There is also a staff accountant, cost accountant, fixed asset accountant, payroll accountant, bookkeeper, all kinds of financial analysts, and there is also a division into Public and Corporate, there are different levels of certification (CPA, CFA, CMA, EA, CIA), you can still often see Accountant I, II or III, this is a division according to the level of qualification, duration of experience and the complexity of the tasks included in your job description.

You need to understand all this, learn the names and decide who you are. After that, start getting the missing certificates, specialized education, and so on .. There is no need to be afraid - if I figured it out at one time, then you will figure it out.

The delay of death is like

You need to leave for work as early as possible. Even if it's a low paying job. We received an offer - go anyway, because the most expensive thing is simple. Accounts are accumulating rapidly, savings are also rapidly dwindling. In half a year of looking for a job that would meet your financial needs, you can get into such debts that even a decent salary will not help pay them off.

R conversations on the topic “I’ll learn the language for now”, as much as I heard them. This is nothing more than an excuse, it is the fear of rejection.

There will still be many refusals, you can’t hide from them, and the language learns the fastest if you have to speak it at work. I thought that I spoke the language perfectly until they handed me a walkie-talkie ... I realized that I understand the interlocutor perfectly only if I see articulation, it’s already more difficult on the phone, but on the walkie-talkie .. a complete fiasco.

By the way, I got my first job in a store, such a large supermarket with rows of cash desks. I had the whole check-out area on: arranging goods, helping cashiers, removing and recounting cash registers, and an endless string of dissatisfied customers. I will not even announce the size of the salary, I will only say that it came out exactly 4 times LESS than I earned in Russia. But I had enough for bread without butter, plus there was something left from savings, and I pulled my tongue up to a really very good level in just six months.

I got my first job in a shop. Photo from personal archive

When you come to America, live in America

I do not recommend anyone to look for work in Russian shops and small firms. Not because I consider all of our swindlers, or I treat my compatriots with contempt - NO! You just have to pursue your interest, and that is to find a qualified job with good benefits and pay. The path to such work can be very long, you do not have time for steps that do not lead you to this goal. So even while working at Walmart, you at least learn the language, join the corporate American culture, study the standards of merchandising. Working in a Russian store, you don't learn anything - you skid on the spot.

Fight on all fronts

After you have decided on the position and compiled a resume, you need to start communicating with employers.

Looking for a job is the same job, eight and sometimes more hours a day.

So you need to prepare for the laborious process and sit down at the computer. There are several areas that can work in parallel.

ZipRecruiter , Monster , Indeed and other sites. Zip sends notifications - this is convenient, but there are more applications from job seekers and fewer chances to contact the employer directly. Indeed is more serious, recruiters look at it more often, I was found there by real people, and not just bots, from there there are good chances to get into the database of recruiters with solid clients. But Indeed asks you to write a cover letter for each application, so you have to master one more skill, which is very useful by the way.

It is better to create a profile on all resources - let it be, it may turn out that you are not looking for a job for the last time. Carefully work through the resume, ask for recommendations from everyone who can give you them, even if they are friends. Some sites allow you to choose the type of contact, this is a friend, colleague or boss. So feel free to ask for recommendations.

When sending out resumes, keep in mind that if a job is even slightly attractive, there will be not dozens, but hundreds of applications for it. I once received an invitation for an interview, despite the fact that the HR director received almost 700 applications for this vacancy. Most of them are advertisements for agencies, but there are also a lot of live people there. By sending out one hundred applications, you can receive one invitation to an interview. This is already progress!

Linkedin. Suitable for those who already have a strong profile there, preferably experience working for a brand recognizable in America. The recruiter should recognize the colored wrapper you were wrapped in. My colleague, for example, got a job at a Qatar-owned TV station because she had previously worked for Qatar Airways. It would seem, what a connection, the functionality is completely different! Nevertheless, it worked. The same color of the logo played on her, and she received an invitation to an interview.

Job fairs are often organized by businesses or retail chains when they open a new branch. Photo belmont.edu

Career Fairs (job fairs). Subscribe to notifications from the organizers of such events in your city. Often such fairs are arranged by enterprises or retail chains when they open a new branch. For them, the fair is a way to fill a large number of vacancies at the same time. There are fairs hosted by the National Career Fairs, they run in different states, check their website for when the next one is. Go and get acquainted, add contacts on LinkedIn. Smile to everyone and leave a resume. Make connections, keep in touch with new acquaintances. Networking is everything.

Labor exchange. This is where you will most likely be forced to stand up to receive unemployment benefits. Make the most of it - look at what employers are offering, you might just be asking too much. Our Florida Department of Economic Opportunity website has a very good tool for writing and evaluating resume quality. And this database is constantly viewed by recruiters and temporary employment agencies (more on them below), so there is a very good benefit from them.

Staffing Agencies– temporary employment agencies. This is not a labor exchange and not an agency for hiring unskilled labor. more about this.

These are quite serious companies that are looking for employees for a project, for a season, or temp-to-hire, or "start and see how it goes." Why shouldn't they be ignored? Firstly, they interview you and polish your resume again, and secondly, they really evaluate your skills and find you a job that matches them, because they are responsible to customers for the quality of staff. Yes, they're selling you for more than you're getting your hands on, but what's your problem, getting settled? They can solve it. And there, either you will be accepted on a permanent basis, or you will gain experience and recommendations, write this into your resume and your chances of getting a permanent job will still grow. So here, no matter how you look - some pluses.

Campus recruiting. If you can afford to start immigration with your studies, that's great. This will not only give you a profession and knowledge that is applicable here, but also bring you into contact with people who will become your network of contacts. The most selective employers come to campus recruiting events to pick students off the wheel.

The practice of hiring directly from college in America is so common that many companies can no longer be reached in any other way than through the university.

Discrimination, you say? She is the best, and PWC has already been sued for it. more. This is how extreme you had to go to get a lawsuit! But while the price waterhouse has not lost the court - take advantage of the situation. Make the most of being a student.

If you are studying at a good university, then most likely you will not read this article, you already know what to do. And if not yet, then maybe it makes sense to think in this direction.

Job search "acquaintance". If you have friends who can take you to a decent and promising job, you are not lucky. You deserve it because you most likely have already done all the above steps, were energetic and looked professional. If a friend accidentally calls you and asks if you are looking for a job, then one of the hundreds of connections that you have established has worked, and your work has almost paid off. Do not belittle the significance of such accidents, this is your merit. Go to the interview, speak confidently and show that this particular job is your cherished dream.

I believe that any person who decides to emigrate and start life from scratch is already a fighter and a hero. Photo from personal archive

your lucky break

In fact, there are very few positions in general that require unique skills.

What you can do, at least thousands more people can do, and tens of thousands more can do it if they really want to.

Therefore, in the end, everything is decided by chance. You accidentally saw an ad, it was accidentally opened by an HR manager, maybe one of the applicants was late, and therefore you went first. Maybe the boss has such a blockage that he has no time to interview people, and they will simply tell you - get started! I got my best job because the HR director didn’t show up for the interview at all (How did she get the job by the way?! =)) As a result, the CFO had to interview me personally, you can’t send a person home. Thus, I skipped one filter and got a huge advantage over other applicants. Happening!

Set the stage for your event and don't miss it. Do not despair, no matter how depressed the growing balance on a credit card is, you can’t stop. Do not scold yourself and do not demand the impossible from yourself. I believe that any person who decides to emigrate and start life from scratch is already a fighter and a hero.

The USA is an economically stable state. Many residents of the former Soviet republics dream of immigrating to the States for the purpose of employment. Work in this country attracts with wages and social guarantees. There is an opinion that everyone can easily find a job here. Is this really so? What jobs can immigrants in America apply for?

Ways to find work in the USA

There are several ways to find a job in the USA. The most reliable of them is through relatives, acquaintances, friends living in the States, because they know the basic rules for moving, the situation on the labor market in a particular state or locality.

The most convenient and easiest way is to search for a job on the Internet on job sites. Here are the most popular ones:

The most popular sites for finding remote work:

The most time-consuming way is to independently search for vacancies in shopping centers, catering establishments, hotels, salons. As a rule, ads are placed in a conspicuous place in the room, you need to contact the manager or administrator. If there are suitable vacancies, the applicant is given the contacts of the manager and an interview date is set.

In each state, there are national communities that help compatriots adapt to life in the States. In communities, you can get comprehensive information about the intricacies of employment.

In the US, there are many recruiting companies that are ready to help the applicant find a job on a paid basis. Such organizations must have a license to carry out their activities, they conclude a contract with the applicant for the provision of services. When choosing a company, you should focus on those whose services can be paid only upon receipt of work. If a recruiting agency is found to be dishonest and there is evidence of fraud in its work, the job seeker has the right to file a complaint with the State Consumer Protection Office.

Assistance is provided by the Department of Labor and employment services, which not only help immigrants find work in a particular state, but also offer vocational training.

Job advertisements can be found in periodicals under the headings "Employment". Various newspapers and magazines are also published by the local communities. So, in the newspapers "Russian Bazaar", "Courier", "Jewish World", "AiF. America" publishes announcements of Russian-speaking employers.

Video: US job search sites

Demanded professions and specialties

The most in-demand professions in 2018 in the US are:

Auto Mechanic,
computer systems analyst
information security analyst
auditor,
accountant,
Web developer,
truck driver,
industrial production engineer,
mechanical engineer,
logistician,
speech therapist,
medical secretary,
nurse,
marketing/sales manager,
medical services manager
catering manager,
occupational pathologist,
receptionist at a medical facility
software and application developer
realtor,
System Administrator,
supplier,
HR Specialist,
claims handling specialist
computer support specialist
insurer,
pharmacist,
physiotherapist,
Financial Manager.

Table: the most common vacancies and wages in the US

Name of professions	Average annual income	Number of employed	Expected job growth by 2022
Cleaning workers and janitors	25000$	2.1 million	8,4%
Administrative staff and secretaries	34000$	2.2 million	9,1%
Storekeepers in supermarkets and factories	27000$	2.3 million	7,7%
Call center operators	33000$	2.4 million	12,6%
Waiters	20000$	2.4 million	3,9%
nurses	69000$	2.7 million	13,3%
Office workers	30000$	2.8 million	4,3%
Fast food workers	19000$	3.0 million	9,9%
Cashiers	20000$	3.3 million	1,8%
Retailers	25000$	4.5 million	6,8%

Important features of legal work in America

In the US, the average wage is $4,260 per month ($5,112 per year). However, according to statistics, this figure also depends on the state. The highest salary of Americans is in New York ($60,000), Wyoming ($61,000), Mississippi ($68,000), the lowest is in Wisconsin ($44,000), Alaska ($42,000), Hawaii ($40,000). The average hourly wage is $25. The minimum wage is set at the federal level and is $7.25 per hour.

The working week in the US is about 40 hours (a 5-day week with two days off). A full-time job starts at 8-9 am and ends at 4-5 pm. Many also work on a flexible schedule, the terms of which are prescribed in the employment contract.

The amount of income tax directly depends on the solvency and social status of a citizen and ranges from 10 to 35%.

Employment in the USA is possible without knowledge of English. If an immigrant stays in the country legally, he can get a job in the company of his compatriots. In the absence of a work and residence permit, the applicant can only count on low-paid illegal work related to physical labor.

Official employment

In order to legally work in the United States, you must obtain a work visa and work permit.

The subtleties of obtaining a work visa

The right to legal employment and residence in the United States gives a work visa, which can be of several types.

The H1 visa is issued to applicants with higher or secondary vocational education in the field in which they plan to work. Preference is given to those candidates who have studied for more than 4 years, have many years of experience and can confirm their professionalism with awards, certificates, diplomas. H1 visa applicants are scientists, doctors, engineers, economists, architects, programmers, lawyers, teachers.

The advantage of the H1 visa is that its holder can subsequently receive a Green Card, which confirms the status of a permanent resident.

The H2 visa is issued to applicants whose activities are predominantly related to physical labor. H2-A is received by workers in the agricultural sector, H2-B - builders, installers, laborers in factories, business coaches, athletes, artists and show business. H2 does not qualify for a Green Card.

The H3 visa is required for applicants whose purpose of stay in the United States is to improve their qualifications. H3 is issued if:

the candidate participates in official educational programs,
there are no similar retraining programs in the immigrant's home country,
the candidate meets the requirements set by the organizers of the training course.

The visa holder is obliged to work for the employer declared when submitting documents, otherwise it is necessary to obtain a new visa. Both a legal entity and an individual can act as an employer. Family members of an applicant who has received a work visa receive the right to reside and enter the country, but without the right to work (H4 visa type).

Before applying, the applicant must find an employer. To obtain a work visa at the US Consulate, you must prepare the following documents:

letter of invitation from the organization
a DS-160 form completed in English,
form ETA-9035, filled out by the employer and previously sent to the Ministry of Labor (it indicates the working conditions of a foreign citizen),
permission of the employer for the employment of a foreign citizen (issued on the basis of a petition from the management of the organization in the form I-129),
copies of the diploma and work book (originals must be brought to the interview),
license to carry out professional activities (if necessary),
certificates, diplomas, other awards indicating the level of qualification,
a certificate from the employer indicating the average salary and position,
documents confirming the presence of movable and immovable property,
Marriage certificate,
international passport,
national passport and its copy,
photo 5×5 cm.

The application form is filled out on the website of the US Consulate. Before submitting it, you must pay a consular fee of $ 190. After that, you need to sign up for an interview using the link.

You can get a work visa only if you successfully pass it. You must have the above documents with you, as well as an invitation letter for an interview and a printout of the page confirming the application. The officer at the interview can ask questions both related to work and personal. Before the interview, the candidate may be required to present a business card.

The application is submitted 3 months before the expected date of employment. Entry into the United States is possible at least 10 days before the signing of the employment contract. Each package of documents is considered individually. Refusal may result in a permanent ban on entry into the country.

To extend a visa, you must contact the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and provide tax returns for the last 2 years (if any), a W-8 certificate confirming that the applicant is not a US resident, and a letter from the employer justifying the reasons for extending the visa. H-1 can be extended for up to 3 years, H-2 for a year. The maximum stay in the United States on an H-1 visa is no more than 6 years, and on an H-2 visa - 3 years. The next H-1 work visa can only be requested after a year of the applicant's stay outside the United States.

Video: how to get a US work visa

Work permit for foreigners

Every immigrant in the United States has a certain status, which does not always allow you to work legally. A work permit gives the right to formal employment, while the employer does not need to coordinate this issue with the authorities. The following categories of immigrants temporarily staying in the country can apply for a work permit:

Immigrants who have received asylum in the United States, as well as members of their families.
F-1 students.
Graduates of educational institutions who plan to do an internship after training.
Family members of exchange students.
Domestic servants and employees of a foreign employer (if there is evidence that the immigrant has been working for at least a year).
The servant of the employer from the United States (if there is evidence that during the absence of the employer in the country, the immigrant worked as a servant).
Spouses and children of immigrants with a work visa.
Immigrants who have applied for a Green Card.
Foreign citizens who were allowed into the United States due to the interest of the authorities.

Refugees do not need a work permit. Upon arrival in the US, they are given a Form I-94 to show to their employer.

To obtain a work permit, you must file an I-765 application with the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in person or by mail. Documents must be attached to it, the list of which is determined depending on the category of immigrant.

Documents must be translated into English and must be accompanied by a translator's certificate. Certified copies may be submitted. After reviewing the application, USCIS sends a letter scheduling an appointment to collect biometric data at the local branch of the support center. Turnout is mandatory.

Diploma nostrification

Not all employers in the United States recognize degrees from other countries. Therefore, for those who are going to live and work in the United States (Russians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs), publish articles in publications and participate in conferences, a diploma nostrification is necessary - confirmation of its authenticity.

Nostrification of diplomas is carried out by specialized agencies on a fee basis. To do this, you must submit an application and attach to it all the available documents on education. The application review process takes about a month.

As a result of this procedure, a special certificate containing a unique identification number will be issued. The expert commission checks and analyzes the submitted documents according to several criteria, including the list of disciplines studied, the number of academic hours, the list of scientific publications, the topic of the thesis or dissertation. After that, an American analogue of the existing diploma is created, the received scientific degree may decrease.

A potential employer should clarify what requirements are imposed on diplomas in his company, since they can differ significantly in different organizations.

Consequences of illegal employment

In recent decades, US immigration policy has been tightened due to the global financial crisis, the massive influx of illegal migrants, and for security reasons. The fight against illegal migration is carried out by the Department of Homeland Security.

Decisions on the expulsion and deportation of foreign citizens are made by the immigration authorities independently. In case of violation of the period of stay on a multiple-entry visa, even for 1 day, foreign citizens are deported. If an immigrant has been illegally in the United States for six months, entry into the country is prohibited for 3 years. If the fact of illegal stay for a year or more is established, entry is prohibited for 10 years. Periodically, the authorities give illegal immigrants the opportunity to acquire official status.

In 2013, the last wave of amnesties for illegal migrants took place. Under the new bill, migrants can obtain temporary registered status after paying a $500 fine. The validity of the status is 6 years, it can be extended if desired.

Illegal hiring of immigrant workers threatens employers with significant fines. For facilitating illegal migration and in particularly cruel cases of treatment of foreign workers, employers are also held criminally liable.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of working in the USA

Advantages	Flaws
High profit payment	Illegal labor migrants are expelled, they are prohibited from entering the country for 3-10 years
Compliance with the regime of work and rest by employers	Complicated admission process
Highly qualified workers receive decent wages	Professions related to physical labor are the lowest paid
Assistance in employment of immigrants is provided by local authorities	Big income tax
The possibility of obtaining a residence permit	Refusal to issue a visa threatens to impose a permanent ban on entry
A large number of vacancies	For highly qualified specialists, nostrification of the diploma of education is required

Opportunities for practice and internship programs

Students who have completed at least 3 courses of study (from 18 to 25 years old) and graduates of higher educational institutions (from 20 to 32 years old) have the opportunity to work in the United States under internship programs. Their advantages are not only in gaining invaluable work experience and acquiring professional skills, but also in improving English, getting to know the culture of the country. Also, trainees at the end of the internship can receive a letter of recommendation from the employer. You can only work in organizations officially registered in the United States.

Internship programs are not designed for specialists in the field of medicine, education, pedagogy, service, aviation, and the maritime sector.

You can take an internship in the United States in cooperation with sponsoring organizations (a complete list is available on the website of the State Department), whose offices and branches are located in all states. After choosing an organization, you need to contact it, fill out a questionnaire for participation in the program. The application is considered for at least 1 month. When the agency selects a suitable program, an invitation is sent to the trainee, which he must sign and send back. Then you need to fill out a series of forms, after which the contract will be concluded. With these documents, you can contact the US Consulate. Sponsor organizations provide their services only on a paid basis, you can search for programs yourself on the Internet.

The most popular programs are:

Internship (for students of 2-5 courses and graduates who graduated from the university no more than a year ago),
Career Training (for graduates with at least 1 year of work experience in their specialty),
Work&Travel (for students of 2-4 courses of full-time departments during the summer holidays),
Alien Physician Program (for medical students).

The duration of internships is, as a rule, 3-18 months, regardless of the season. The period of the program is determined by the employing company, you can participate in it only once in a lifetime. Interns are issued a work visa for a period of 3 months to 1 year. The cost of an internship is paid separately and ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 at average rates.

The salary of an intern is about $1000-1500 per month ($6-10 per hour). Processing is paid separately. Most employers provide accommodation for interns. However, there are situations when the trainee carries out the search and payment on his own. These issues must be resolved prior to travel.

Video: feedback on an internship in the USA

Business immigration as a way to move to the USA

There are several ways to immigrate to the United States on business programs:

Open a branch of an enterprise in the United States (an L-1 visa is issued for a year, after which it can be extended for 3 years, a request for a residence permit is possible).
Buy a ready-made American enterprise (a residence permit is issued for 3 years).
Investment in the economy of at least $ 500,000 (an EB-5 investor visa is issued, funds are invested in an American enterprise, it is necessary to confirm the legality of the imported money and submit a tax return).

The cost of opening a branch or buying a ready-made company will cost at least $ 200,000.

5 years after obtaining a residence permit (Green Card), you can obtain US citizenship.

Where to start looking for a suitable job? There are several methods aimed at selecting a different kind of activity. While still at home, you should turn to the Internet. A ready-made resume should be at hand, which should contain a complete list of your work experience. Also, if necessary, prepare a letter to the employer (Cover Letter). This is a written request that reveals an interest in the seeker's work.

Addressing a letter to a specific person must be without errors.
Information should be displayed concisely and should not take up more than one page.
The essence of the information should fully reflect the personality of the person, which is suitable for the chosen position.

An interested employer will definitely get feedback and schedule a virtual interview via the Internet or phone. Here it is important to read the information about the company in advance and prepare well-adjusted answers/questions.

Sometimes one conversation can replace thousands of letters and be decisive in the approval of a candidate. For personal calls to America, you should purchase a special phone card. Since this method is quite expensive, it is best to call companies that are looking for employees of your profile.

The main task of this step is the correct selection of the agency. It is necessary to take into account all the nuances of the chosen company, so as not to run into scammers. A good agency has a license confirming real contacts with the employer's company. You can verify the legality of the document through the migration service. Services of decent firms are paid only for their real performance. This is the collection of documents, visa processing, resolving issues of residence, etc.

The basic payment for services occurs after employment until the end of the probationary period. The required amount is 20-35% of the first earnings. Employment agencies are suitable for those people who do not want to independently search for work.

Independent job search

The first thing that comes to mind in the US is to use the local newspapers. The newspaper "Russian Advertising" in New York offers many vacancies for people from Russia. This is a convenient option for those who have not yet found a job, but are already in the United States. However, you should carefully sort the ads, as there is a high probability of falling into a fake employment agency.

Looking at American job search sites, you can select a few suitable ads and call job seekers. Monster.com is still the most popular online job site. Another worthy source of information is craigslist.com - a site that, in addition to work, contains ads for renting housing, selling furniture, etc.

Resumes should be sent to all vacancies of interest. Here is the scheme - the more mailings, the higher the chance to get a response to the request.

Americans are very businesslike people, so they prefer partnership to friendship. Immigrants from Russia have long established themselves as smart people. So, by acquiring useful contacts and exchanging contact information, there is a chance to get on a good track.

Work for illegal immigrants

You can find work in the Russian quarters of the city, where immigrants from Russia also settle. This is the famous Brighton Beach in New York, which is also called "Little Odessa". Or Geary Boulevard in San Francisco. But the largest part of the Russian-speaking population settled in New York City. 600 thousand immigrants from Russia live here. Chicago is considered the second largest Slavic diaspora - 300 thousand Russian inhabitants. In such quarters, even the streets are full of signs in Russian. If you walk around and ask around in national institutions, cafes and restaurants for vacancies, illegal immigrants can freely get a job even without knowing English.

Another proven way is to view ads on the Internet. For example, the Craigslist site is very popular in the US and is used by many employers. Often there are ads that do not require the provision of documents.

What specialties are in demand

The developed US economy has created a shortage of ordinary jobs, such as a maid, a salesman, a cashier or a loader. The fact is that the locals do not want to do such work, so employers are more likely to turn to visitors. You can even find housing offers.

Volunteering has gained great popularity among the masses. Oddly enough, getting such a job is quite difficult, given that the labor invested is carried out for free. However a record of volunteering in a work book can play a decisive role in an interview.

The most demanded specialists in America are doctors of any direction, medical personnel, biochemists. The second place is occupied by programmers in the IT field, civil engineers, and designers. It is easiest to get jobs for drivers, builders, welders, electricians.

Jobs for Russians

Women under 50 are more likely to be offered to clean American homes for an hourly rate of about $7. In the absence of bad habits, you can get a job as a nanny or housekeeper. In addition to payment, accommodation and meals are offered. It all depends on the employer. The average pay is $400 per week.

Healthy women after 50 can go to America to care for the elderly. Work is possible with accommodation. The cost of services is negotiated individually.

It is quite possible for men under 50 to get a job in supermarkets as a cleaner or loader. In most cases, night shifts fall out, as shops are open during the day. Accordingly, the rate for the night hour is higher. The salary reaches 2 thousand dollars a month. If physical health allows, you can go to a construction site and earn up to $ 17 per hour.

It is quite possible for young people with a pleasant appearance and knowledge of the English language to get a job as a waiter. An hourly rate of $7 plus tips is a good start to a career. The main flow of service personnel are students.

Men and women from Russia without special education are taken to work on the conveyor lines of factories and plants. The average salary is $8-13 per hour.

Ways to find work in the USA

The most convenient and easiest way is to search for a job on the Internet on job sites. Here are the most popular ones:

The most popular sites for finding remote work:

In each state, there are national communities that help compatriots adapt to life in the States. In communities, you can get comprehensive information about the intricacies of employment.

Assistance is provided by the Department of Labor and employment services, which not only help immigrants find work in a particular state, but also offer vocational training.

Video: US job search sites

Demanded professions and specialties

The most in-demand professions in 2018 in the US are:

Auto Mechanic,
computer systems analyst
information security analyst
auditor,
accountant,
Web developer,
truck driver,
industrial production engineer,
mechanical engineer,
logistician,
speech therapist,
medical secretary,
nurse,
marketing/sales manager,
medical services manager
catering manager,
occupational pathologist,
receptionist at a medical facility
software and application developer
realtor,
System Administrator,
supplier,
HR Specialist,
claims handling specialist
computer support specialist
insurer,
pharmacist,
physiotherapist,
Financial Manager.

Table: the most common vacancies and wages in the US

Name of professions	Average annual income	Number of employed	Expected job growth by 2022
Cleaning workers and janitors	25000$	2.1 million	8,4%
Administrative staff and secretaries	34000$	2.2 million	9,1%
Storekeepers in supermarkets and factories	27000$	2.3 million	7,7%
Call center operators	33000$	2.4 million	12,6%
Waiters	20000$	2.4 million	3,9%
nurses	69000$	2.7 million	13,3%
Office workers	30000$	2.8 million	4,3%
Fast food workers	19000$	3.0 million	9,9%
Cashiers	20000$	3.3 million	1,8%
Retailers	25000$	4.5 million	6,8%

Important features of legal work in America

The amount of income tax directly depends on the solvency and social status of a citizen and ranges from 10 to 35%.

Official employment

In order to legally work in the United States, you must obtain a work visa and work permit.

The subtleties of obtaining a work visa

The right to legal employment and residence in the United States gives a work visa, which can be of several types.

The advantage of the H1 visa is that its holder can subsequently receive a Green Card, which confirms the status of a permanent resident.

The H3 visa is required for applicants whose purpose of stay in the United States is to improve their qualifications. H3 is issued if:

the candidate participates in official educational programs,
there are no similar retraining programs in the immigrant's home country,
the candidate meets the requirements set by the organizers of the training course.

Before applying, the applicant must find an employer. To obtain a work visa at the US Consulate, you must prepare the following documents:

letter of invitation from the organization
a DS-160 form completed in English,
form ETA-9035, filled out by the employer and previously sent to the Ministry of Labor (it indicates the working conditions of a foreign citizen),
permission of the employer for the employment of a foreign citizen (issued on the basis of a petition from the management of the organization in the form I-129),
copies of the diploma and work book (originals must be brought to the interview),
license to carry out professional activities (if necessary),
certificates, diplomas, other awards indicating the level of qualification,
a certificate from the employer indicating the average salary and position,
documents confirming the presence of movable and immovable property,
Marriage certificate,
international passport,
national passport and its copy,
photo 5×5 cm.

The application form is filled out on the website of the US Consulate. Before submitting it, you must pay a consular fee of $ 190. After that, you need to sign up for an interview using the link.

Video: how to get a US work visa

Work permit for foreigners

Immigrants who have received asylum in the United States, as well as members of their families.
F-1 students.
Graduates of educational institutions who plan to do an internship after training.
Family members of exchange students.
Domestic servants and employees of a foreign employer (if there is evidence that the immigrant has been working for at least a year).
The servant of the employer from the United States (if there is evidence that during the absence of the employer in the country, the immigrant worked as a servant).
Spouses and children of immigrants with a work visa.
Immigrants who have applied for a Green Card.
Foreign citizens who were allowed into the United States due to the interest of the authorities.

Refugees do not need a work permit. Upon arrival in the US, they are given a Form I-94 to show to their employer.

Diploma nostrification

Nostrification of diplomas is carried out by specialized agencies on a fee basis. To do this, you must submit an application and attach to it all the available documents on education. The application review process takes about a month.

A potential employer should clarify what requirements are imposed on diplomas in his company, since they can differ significantly in different organizations.

Consequences of illegal employment

In 2013, the last wave of amnesties for illegal migrants took place. Under the new bill, migrants can obtain temporary registered status after paying a $500 fine. The validity of the status is 6 years, it can be extended if desired.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of working in the USA

Advantages	Flaws
High profit payment	Illegal labor migrants are expelled, they are prohibited from entering the country for 3-10 years
Compliance with the regime of work and rest by employers	Complicated admission process
Highly qualified workers receive decent wages	Professions related to physical labor are the lowest paid
Assistance in employment of immigrants is provided by local authorities	Big income tax
The possibility of obtaining a residence permit	Refusal to issue a visa threatens to impose a permanent ban on entry
A large number of vacancies	For highly qualified specialists, nostrification of the diploma of education is required

Opportunities for practice and internship programs

Internship programs are not designed for specialists in the field of medicine, education, pedagogy, service, aviation, and the maritime sector.

The most popular programs are:

Internship (for students of 2-5 courses and graduates who graduated from the university no more than a year ago),
Career Training (for graduates with at least 1 year of work experience in their specialty),
Work&Travel (for students of 2-4 courses of full-time departments during the summer holidays),
Alien Physician Program (for medical students).

Video: feedback on an internship in the USA

Business immigration as a way to move to the USA

There are several ways to immigrate to the United States on business programs:

Open a branch of an enterprise in the United States (an L-1 visa is issued for a year, after which it can be extended for 3 years, a request for a residence permit is possible).
Buy a ready-made American enterprise (a residence permit is issued for 3 years).
Investment in the economy of at least $ 500,000 (an EB-5 investor visa is issued, funds are invested in an American enterprise, it is necessary to confirm the legality of the imported money and submit a tax return).

The cost of opening a branch or buying a ready-made company will cost at least $ 200,000.

5 years after obtaining a residence permit (Green Card), you can obtain US citizenship.

The United States has long attracted foreigners from all over the world who want to find a job in the territory of an economically developed country. But to do this is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Therefore, many residents of the states of the former CIS are interested in how to find work for Russians in the United States, and so that it is absolutely legal.

Having made a decision about employment in the United States, it is advisable to find out in advance about the features and pitfalls. You can do this on the Internet, having studied the numerous reviews and advice from compatriots on how to get a job in the United States, weighing the pros and cons.

Analyzing the available data, a number of conclusions can be drawn:

1) It is better to look for vacancies not in megacities, but in small towns. Due to the lower and friendliness of employers and the local population.

2) You can look for work in the USA in various ways:

with the help of Russian-speaking compatriots, acquaintances and relatives;
through recruitment agencies;
posting your resume and contact information on municipal websites;
regularly send resumes directly to companies and enterprises.

3) Consider the mentality of American employers and understand them correctly. For example, they almost never openly talk about refusal, trying in every possible way to disguise it. Therefore, experienced compatriots advise that if the questions are not significant at the interview, then it makes no sense to rely on this place and it is better not to waste time waiting for an answer, but to continue the search.

4) Retraining is an effective way to increase the chances of employment. This can be done in one of the educational centers.

Those who are attracted to work in America must adhere to certain rules and recommendations:

prepare a competent CV or, more simply, a detailed autobiography with a photo (mandatory condition);
in order to significantly increase the chances of a successful solution of the issue, it is advisable to write a motivation letter;
you can search for a vacancy not only while in the United States, but also from Russia, Ukraine or another country of actual residence;
the interview can be conducted directly at the company's office or via the Internet (Skype, Viber, etc.);
if the interview is successful, the company will send an official invitation, on the basis of which it will be possible to obtain a work visa;
significantly increases the chances of finding an employer by contacting a specialized recruitment agency, where, after a short interview, a list of firms and enterprises that need a workforce of the appropriate profile is issued;
when contacting a recruitment agency, the preparation and execution of documentation is handled by an intermediary.

The right to work for foreign citizens

It is important to know that not all foreigners are officially employed in the state. In particular, persons who arrived on a tourist or are here illegally do not have the right to work officially.

The following categories of foreign citizens are legally employed in the country:

temporary employees;
permanent workers;
students;
fiancé or fiancé of a US citizen.

Each of the above categories has its own requirements. Temporary employees must initially obtain a work visa from the consulate. The period of their stay in the territory of the state is clearly established. They have the right to work only in the field for which they have a permit.

Permanent workers have the right to permanently reside in this power and apply for any vacancies, without issuing any permits.

In order to find a vacancy, a student must have the appropriate visa and obtain permission from their university or college. It is issued by an authorized person who is entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring progress, so that because of his activities, study does not fade into the background. Today, in America there are a lot of students who successfully study and work.

The groom or bride of an American (American), before looking for a suitable position, must have a K1 visa and receive a social card. The last one is valid for 3 months. During this time, it is necessary to legitimize your relationship (officially marry) and apply for a Green Card.

The "Green Card" is an identity document. It is a confirmation of a person's residence in the territory of the state for a long time and the presence of a residence permit. The holder of the Green Card can enjoy all the rights and benefits on an equal basis with the Americans, with the exception of the right to vote.

By the way, for many employers, the presence of this document is fundamental. The issuance is handled by the local immigration service, and the process itself is quite lengthy, besides, not all foreign citizens have the right to receive a Green Card.

After the expiration of the work visa, it can be extended directly in America. But it is recommended to do it in advance.

Programmers in America

Considering how to find a job in the USA, you need to really weigh your knowledge, abilities and opportunities. Among the most prestigious professions here are programmers. But it should immediately be borne in mind that without knowledge of the language and higher education, it makes no sense to apply for such a vacancy.

The famous Silicon Valley - IT professionals from all over the world find themselves here

The scheme of employment as a programmer is as follows:

1) Decide who you plan to work in America:

network engineer;
programmer;
system administrator and others.

2) On specialized sites, leave a detailed resume with contact information. Be sure to indicate programs and systems that are well versed.

3) If the candidate is of interest to the employer, then he is invited for an interview or conducted via the Internet in real time. It is very important here to give clear and specific answers, as well as describe your advantages over other applicants.

4) In the US, it is customary to test a new employee for professional suitability. This is usually done within a few days. If the employer is satisfied with the employee's abilities, then he is officially accepted into the company or enterprise and formalized.

Foreign doctors

Going to the United States to work, it is necessary to clearly understand what are the main vacancies in America for Russians in priority. For example, it is very prestigious to be a doctor here, but in order to get a job in such a profile, you must have an appropriate diploma, which must be valid in a particular state. An important role is played by the educational institution that issued the diploma.

All relevant information is available on the ECFMG website. The same commission issues certificates that confirm the validity of the diploma. To obtain such a certificate, an applicant for a doctor's vacancy is required to pass 2 exams - the first on theoretical knowledge, the second - practice. They are divided into 2 levels. The next step is to apply for a license. This document gives the right to practice medicine in the state. It is issued by the residency. After the license is obtained, you can proceed directly to the search for a suitable position, especially since this will not be a particular problem. Here, it is most difficult for a Russian to pass exams and complete the necessary paperwork. But with proper preparation and a decent level of knowledge and experience, this is quite possible to achieve. According to statistics, for 2019, 25% of the medical staff in the state are foreigners.

Farm employment

Another attractive sector of the local labor market is farming. But legally only Green Card holders can be employed here. For example, it is unlikely that you will be able to come from Kazakhstan without permission and get a job on a farm. Nevertheless, employment on a farm has a number of advantages:

favorable climate, plus a rural atmosphere;
usually farmers provide housing and food;
wages are paid in cash;
enough vacancies.

True, you should know that farmers rarely advertise for helpers via the Internet. You can find a job as soon as possible personally by going around the farms. And if there is a sign “Help Wanted” in front of it, then it means that working hands are needed here.

Truck drivers

There is a constant shortage of qualified truck drivers in the country. Therefore, any foreigner can get a job. The owners of some carrier companies themselves pay for the training of their employees. True, while in Russia, it will not work to apply for a trucker vacancy in absentia, since Russian rights are invalid here. Therefore, in America it will be necessary to take the driving test again. After that, study at the school of truckers (duration 2 days, cost - about $ 900). After graduation, another exam is taken.

A truck driver is a fairly well-paid profession, but the work is not easy.

By the way, here it is not taken into account at all, the driver understands the device of the car and whether he can subdue it on his own. This is explained by the fact that this is the work of auto mechanics, and everyone has to do their job.

Having understood how to find a job in the USA, you can start planning to obtain a residence permit and permanent residence. As practice shows, most foreign citizens, having worked in America for a year or two, try to stay here as long as possible, and then forever.

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