Tag Archives: benefits

How to Get A Job on the E-3 Visa?

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If you read through my many posts on the E3 visa, you will realize I have already covered most of this information already in other parts in depth. However I thought I would a quick step by step guide of how a person can get a job on the E-3 visa in the US.

For reference previous posts include;
What is the E-3 Visa?
How much does it cost to get your E-3 Visa?

Do I need a Lawyer for my E-3 visa process?
Creating a US-style resume for E-3 visa job applications

Are their E-3 Visa jobs available for Australians right now?
E-3 visa terms and definitions

E-3 Visa Jobs
Extending, Renewing or Changing Employers on your E-3 Visa

E-3 Visas and Green Cards
How to explain the E-3 Visa to a prospective employer

E-3 Visa and the F-1 Student Visa
Laid off on an E-3 Visa

The E-3D Partner and Dependent Visa
E-3 Visa Job Interviews

So as you can see there is a really comprehensive list of resources and information we already have to help you land your E-3 Visa position and also informaiton in many other posts that is useful as well even though documented for other US visas.

In the E-3 visa jobs link above we mention some of the best tips like;
– sites to visit
– having a US phone number if you are overseas
– setting up job interviews
– using other visas as a stepping stone like the J-1 Internship visa and F-1 student visa
– looking at smaller companies beyond the well known brands

So I don’t want to re-hash directly information you can easily read in other article. However we will try to provide some new and different ideas as well as to how you can get your E-3 visa.

An interesting thing that I know from reading others experiences is that those on the E-3 visa who took a chance and went to many interviews found that once they were in the door they were looked upon favorably initially. Although it was more difficult to get that first interview and then sustain the enthusiastic interest right to the end of the process and a job offer.

More often than not you will either be directly competing with a local US candidate or the image in the head of the recruiter/employer of the ideal US candidate. So you kind of have to show qualities that said US candidate is unlikely to or does not process.
Unlike Australians, the US are much more global in their business thinking (i.e. think to the fact and mindset they call the champions of the US NBA and Major League Baseball “world champions) so the fact that you already are a global person is something you should emphasize in interview answers while ensuring you have complete grasp of US concepts.
So for example if a question is asked about your experience in said field and your thoughts on the current market, give answers from both a US perspective and a foreign/global perspective.

You will obviously be assessed on your ability to fit in an organization and this is where you do have an advantage. The general and relaxed nature and demeanor of an Aussie versus an American comes across naturally if you just remain personable in your usual way. Of course ensure the fact you have strong desires and work ethic is coming across too while keeping that demeanor.

In the US as I state a lot they are a lot more upfront about salary and bonus requirements and it may be one of the earliest questions you get asked in an initial phone interview. This is something I learned over time that being firm in your response (which is unnatural to many Australians when talking about money) of what you are worth will convey to the interviewer many of the above qualities as well as an understanding of the industry. Of course if your demand is way way off the said industries general scales you may also be discounted at that point too.

If you are within the US, and you are applying in other cities and locales, often the prospective employer will pay for you travel expenses to get to an interview so do not be shy to ask. Also take it as a good sign that they do accept as at this stage you know at least they are pretty serious about your candidacy.

Finally ensure that you talk about benefits in your interview chats. Of course in Australia, Health Insurance is not really a topic of comversation with employers and Time off and Sick Leave is often assumed to be industry standards of 4 weeks and 2 weeks respectively. In the US, you should ensure your employer is covering your medical, dental and optical insurance and probably a life insurance package along with a 401(k) plan which is their non-mandatory equivalent of superannuation in Australia.

As for time off if you are getting 3 weeks annually you are doing well for an initial start and remember most companies allow you to take unpaid leave as well should you need more. Sick leave is weird in the US in that some companies don’t even have it all and it just approved based on your circumstances. Generally a good workplace will let you be an adult with this but abuse of it tends to be looked upon unfavorably come bonus, promotion and these days lay-off times.

Good Luck 🙂

CJ

Are you on a H-1B Visa or E-3 Visa and now Laid Off?

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I wrote earlier in February about this very issue and the main ideas I had to help you find new employment so the posts I recommend reading are;

– Laid Off on an E-3 or H-1B Visa where I talk about the situation and idea where you can get your current employer to help and also an option in Canada
– Extending, Renewing or Changing Employers on your E-3 Visa this is also  helpul to H-1B holders or applicants as the process is very similar
– Information about the Top 100 Companies that sponsored H-1B visas last year where we discuss how this may help you and the genesis of the list which we made FREE for you
– The Top 200 List of US Visa Employers Last Year is a raw list of the companies that is beneficial to E-3 visa applicants as much as H-1B and even J-1.

Now I have received a lot of emails in recent times about;
How long people have?
How can they extend their time to look for a job?
Is the transfer process easy and not too costly?
Can you transfer to B1/B2 status to allow you more time to find a position?
Do I have access to any unemployment benefits since I pay Social Security/Payroll/FICA Taxes?
Can I work while the transfer process is underway?

I will try and document the answers to these questions briefly on one page, although a lot of these answers are in more detail elsewhere in the blog in other posts and you can go the All Posts List which documents all entries and visa information by title.

1. How long do I have?
Technically you only have 10 days to find a new employer once your current employer notifies USCIS of your termination date. We explain in the above post more fully how you can ask you employer to delay this notification to give you more time.
NB: Over time through guidance and enforcement changes, and post the financial crisis, the e-3 visa rules continued to more resemble the h-1b visa rules. So the 10 days have become more like 60 days. However always be cautious as you never know what might be enforced especially in the post 2016-era of US immigration.

2. How can you extend your time to find a job?
Will this really follows on from question 1, so the delay in notification is one option. Leaving and re-entering the US on the visa-waiver program is another option. Transferring to a B1/B2 visa or even another category (although you have to meet their individual requirements) can also potentially extend your time.

3. Is the transfer process easy and not too costly?
It certainly could be easier, I mention in the above linked post the entire process and forms involved. Eassentially it involves getting a new LCA form and a filing form for transfer of employer to USCIS which I think costs around $300 although this constantly changes. It can be relatively straightforward in what you do but it can be a long process.
Of course if travel is involed if you plan to get a new visa outside the country this of course will amplify costs.

4. Can you transfer to B1/B2 status to allow you more time to find an employer?
You certainly can trasnfer to B1/B2 if you do this application to USCIS. Visapro states USCIS officers have been allowed to exercise their discretion to grant you another nonimmigrant status, if you apply for change of status within 10 days after you are laid off.

5. Do you have access to any unemployment benefits as you pay Social Security taxes?
No you don’t in any shape or form if you are on any non-immigrant visa. Yes this is completely unfair given you are forced to pay these taxes just like a US worker but you have no claim to any benefits.

6. Can I work while the transfer process is underway?
For H-1B visa holders you can given the application has been filed and you have your approved LCA from the Department of Labor. However your transfer application could still be denied potentially by the USCIS.

For E-3 visa holders the answer is a little more strange as it is largely undocumented. So some USCIS officers will say the rules are the same as H-1B as they are for most other things when not fully documented as seems to be the general direction of the visa. However other officers say this is not the case and you have to wait for your transfer. This combined with the transfer visa application cost has caused many of E-3 to just go to Canada and apply for a new visa with their new employer instead.

Good luck if this is your predicament…I wish you all the best 🙂

CJ

**look I should say again I am not a lawyer but I answer these questions to the best of my ability having gone through the visa process many times and having shared experiences with many others so I want to save you guys as much money as I can with potential legal costs. Some of the policies change a lot and I try to keep us as much as I can but I do miss a few changes.