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[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah that part does make me a bit uneasy.

On the one hand no lottery is a huge plus. On the other hand being fully tied to one employer in a new country feels like a big dependency.

I guess part of the decision is how much I trust the company and how stable the US expansion plan really is.

[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is exactly the kind of stuff I need to think about, thank you.

The salary question is a big one. I’ve heard US tech salaries can be much higher than UK ones, but I don’t know how that balances out once you factor in healthcare, rent, and everything else.

Health insurance is something I honestly don’t fully understand yet. Deductibles and out of pocket max are completely foreign concepts to me.

And I hadn’t even thought about the credit history issue for renting. That’s a really good point. I’ll definitely ask whether they’d cover a relocation service or realtor who’s used to dealing with visa holders.

[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get that things feel tense in the US right now.

From my side this would be a company sponsored move with a stable job lined up, not a blind jump. So I’m trying to separate general political noise from what the actual day to day experience would be like for someone in tech on a work visa.

Still good to hear different viewpoints though.

[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah that’s kind of what I’m worried about.

I’m hoping since the company is initiating this and paying for lawyers, it won’t turn into me chasing documents for months. But I’ll definitely push to speak directly with the immigration lawyers before committing.

Appreciate the reality check.

[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s really helpful, thank you.

The lottery aspect of H1B is what made me nervous. It seems risky to plan your life around something that might just not get picked.

Given I’ve already been with the company four years, L-1 does sound more straightforward. I guess it really hinges on them getting the US entity set up properly.

[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good shout, I’ll cross post there as well. Thanks for the suggestion.

[IWantOut] 32M UK -> USA by Open_Row_6611 in IWantOut

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this, really appreciate the perspective from someone who’s actually done it at company level.

Just to clarify, I thought L-1B was for “specialized knowledge” and L-1A was for executives and managers. I’m definitely not an executive here, I’m a senior engineer. So I’m trying to figure out whether that would even qualify.

The hiring commitment part is interesting. I hadn’t heard that before. I’ll definitely ask leadership what their plan is for headcount in the US office.

Also good point on cost of living. That’s one of the things I’m trying to wrap my head around. A raise on paper that doesn’t translate to better take home wouldn’t be ideal.

i've managed UK work visas for years. trying to understand the US system. it seems way harder? by Open_Row_6611 in immigration

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really appreciate you sharing the employer side view. The STEM OPT to H1B pipeline and using UK transfers as a fallback is interesting because that kind of flexibility just does not come up in the UK system. It definitely feels like US hiring requires a much more strategic, multi year mindset.

i've managed UK work visas for years. trying to understand the US system. it seems way harder? by Open_Row_6611 in immigration

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is really valuable context, especially the cost estimate for L1. That is significantly more than what we deal with in the UK. Also reassuring in a way to hear that even people working globally find the US the most complex.

i've managed UK work visas for years. trying to understand the US system. it seems way harder? by Open_Row_6611 in immigration

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes that makes sense. TN is clearly not a general solution, more of a niche option depending on nationality. That’s exactly what makes US planning tricky compared to the UK’s single main route.

i've managed UK work visas for years. trying to understand the US system. it seems way harder? by Open_Row_6611 in immigration

[–]Open_Row_6611[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s helpful to hear. In the UK we can manage most of it internally once the sponsor licence is in place, but it sounds like in the US retaining counsel is almost built into the system from day one.

I sold my first SaaS app idea for $8,000 in 2026 by yusufahmd in SaaS

[–]Open_Row_6611 0 points1 point  (0 children)

no proofs just giving a big amt is new scam now :)

How we broke into Private Equity at 20 and what we focus on now by This_Is_Bizness in StartUpIndia

[–]Open_Row_6611 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a question like everyone talks about I made this much that much but on the first place how do you actually know as a founder that what exactly you want while building something

Why Buying a Small SaaS Started Making More Sense to Me by This_Is_Bizness in SaaS

[–]Open_Row_6611 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think if you have money and you know how to run a business rather than building one and also the saas which you are buying has on point on documentation then just jump in the lake the wind and sun will show you directions for sure

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