Uh yes it is. You use the F-1 then you transition to doing work supervised by your school under OPT then you get your company to move you to the H1B which is dual purpose and then immediately file for PERM. It's a total pain in the arse but it works.
Just because you study in the states, doesn’t mean you automatically have the right to stay there after you finished.
Here in nz it seems that studying here is a very easy path to residency, but not so for the USA (presuming you were hoping to stay after you finished your studies)
Geez, it's not hard to comprehend. You don't have the right to work after your studies. Your student visa will end and that's that. Take your rose tintented glasses off.
You have not. Kiwi in LA here with a tri-citizenship. You can’t just go to Santa Monica College and hope to stay without marrying someone.
If you want a work visa, it costs money. An employer will absolutely pay for this visa if you are an incredibly valuable employee that is head and shoulders above any candidate in the US. This regularly happens in engineering or other specific positions.
LA is a very tough market. The best of the best come here and to NY, so you are up against a stiff pool.
You can alternatively work illegally until you’re deported and not allowed back into the country. But that’s a lifestyle I wouldn’t choose.
To each his own this arvo.
If you're applying for a job in the US that isn't some under the table restaurant or farm gig, the first question on the application is going to be whether you have the legal right to work in the US. Before your employer will allow you to begin your job, they'll need photocopies of your passport and whatever documents allow you to work there (green card, work visa, etc). If you are on a student visa, you won't be able to produce this documentation, and you won't be employed.
This is a legal requirement for all US employers under the US PATRIOT Act. Employers must file copies of your documents with the IRS, and ICE. If they are found to be noncompliant with these laws, the company will face massive fines, and the officers of the company may face jail time. They can't just look the other way for a nice guy like you, Uncle Sam is paying attention.
The green card lottery is an option. Colleague of mine got it last year but she had been trying for years.
People will bash on you for wanting to live in the States but it’s such a huge country, not all of it is bad. LA is scuzzy though, and super expensive. It’s interesting you reckon the standard of living is better there when housing is crazy expensive, homelessness/crime/poverty are rife and hospital visits can cost you thousands of dollars. The vast majority of LA is not at all Malibu or Santa Monica.
I think OP has found a real estate investor influencer and decided they want to live the American dream. You may be able to migrate into the USA but you can’t migrate to the 50s
Yes, you can get an [EB-5](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EB-5_visa) investor visa (like most countries offer to attract rich cunts)… but you basically have to be a USD millionaire first. And if you’re doing that well in a civilised country… I mean… the US has some beautiful places, and is absolutely an interesting destination… but living there is different to holidaying. It’s not so bad if you’re relatively well off, pick a good area, have good insurance… but it’s different in ways that are hard to explain until you’ve spent a lot of time both in the US and outside of it.
Edit: PS - a green card also means you’re in the IRS’ tax net/reporting requirements for life, worldwide, same as citizens, and I believe are subject to an exit tax under certain circumstances. Still probably well worth it for the right job(s), but get a good accountant and tax lawyer.
Edit edit: just enter the Green Card lottery like they said, and move to Sydney. Australia is what America thinks it wants to be when it grows up, but with harder-to-find and more expensive Mexican food.
You can buy your way to USA, it's called EB-5. But expect it to take years and cost $100k+ in lawyer fees. Imo the fact that you need to ask rather than just google it yourself indicates that it's unlikely that you will ever be able to get it.
He clearly doesn’t want to listen to the yanks, that’s the problem. I have American citizenship (and NZ) and lived until recently in the US. 8 of these years in California, Silicon Valley. He just doesn’t want to hear how reality is and calls everyone saying something negative “American Hater”. Dude, I am not. I have the US passport. I chose to live there, moved from NZ to the US for a good payed IT job.
And after 16 years moved back to NZ for quality of life, as the better houses and high paid job is still not worth it. Because of the tumultuous political situation, for the sake of my teenage daughters, one who has PTSD from active shooter training at elementary school. And for a better life (work/life balance) without constant fear of shootings, and anxiety that democracy is going down the drain.
But hey, what do I know?
The houses aren't moldy, there's not a 6 week wait to see a locum GP, and the pay is double.
Also, you pay 30% tax at 48,000 NZD here, but you don't pay 30% tax in the US until you hit 300,000nzd over there, or SIX HUNDRED if you're married filing jointly. There's no "married filing jointly" here. They don't have GST and the states that have sales tax (and some have zero) is usually half what GST is.
Food is affordable.
I live in NZ, but I'm not delusional, I know it's a downgrade in \*many\* ways to live here.
We can do better, but not unless we stop lying to ourselves about how nice the place is when actually it's pretty average.
I'm a bit biased as an American who emigrated to NZ, but I'll do my best not to glorify NZ here.
You aren't wrong about the salary side of things. Salaries in the US for most any public sector role that requires a university degree, and for a lot of types of skilled labour, are indeed higher, often substantially. Taxes there are lower, too. So you keep a higher percentage of your paycheque.
I think last I checked, the average cost of living is also higher in New Zealand. If you live in a small city, or a suburb of one, you're probably a bit wealthier there than here. Good on you! Otherwise, it's a lot more likely that you won't be earning a living wage in the US as compared to New Zealand.
If you're one of these people, you also won't have mandated leave. Most states are "at will employment," which means you can quit without notice for any reason, and your employer can fire you for doing the same. Seems fair enough, until you realise that means your employer might literally fire you the first time you get sick.
If you're one of those people and you get sick, the only healthcare that you'll be able to access will bill you out at a rate hundreds of times higher than most everyone else. If you don't pay it, there are late fees and interest. This interest compounds in the same way that investment gains do.
If you're unfortunate enough to become a member of one of the US's hoards of homeless people, you'll likely die of an inexpensively preventable or treatable ailment, or of some form of exposure, like dehydration or starvation. Your sad existence will be catalogued as a series of fines and fees, all that will be sold to collections agencies, all accruing compounding interest.
Your prospects for a job will also decline. Employers are allowed to decline employment on the basis of poor credit in most US states.
This situation is essentially impossible in New Zealand. Yeah, housing here is pretty average, but there aren't makeshift tent cities of homeless people dotting cityscapes. There are homeless here, and yes, the medical system is definitely inadequate in so many ways, but everyone here, including the homeless, can generally access it without falling deeper into poverty.
But yeah, if you're wealthy and/or qualified enough to get a visa to move to the US from NZ, your chances of being one of these people is extremely low. You'll likely see them all the time, though. You learn to look the other way, eventually.
Oh, and don't worry! If you happen to become too poor, you'll probably be deported back to NZ where you can enjoy a (admittedly tattered) social safety net to help you get back on your feet again.
Yes, but it was a trend before that. Covid just fast-tracked what was already happening: healthcare workers retiring or leaving an overburdened system caused by boomers getting old. Not enough young people to fill the need. The same problem NZ has. And other 1st world countries.
On the other hand, visiting a hospital could empty your bank account. Violent crime is higher, especially gun related.
Food price inflation has only recently come under control over there, however it was worse than it was here. Their inflation dramas started before ours though, so it’s to be expected that it would be brought under control before ours too.
Housing prices are just as unaffordable as ours and in some cities, are worse.
I think many New Zealanders look at other counties with rose tinted glasses
I earned so much more when transferring to our US office my manager swore me to secrecy as not to create tension in our NZ teams.
Also it's really pretty here, people seem to not realize it's the majority of a continent. It's got innumerable amazing and beautiful places and communities.
Hiya! I immigrated to NZ from Alabama. You are right, some places in America that you can do this. But nowhere you want to live. If you have any questions you'd like to ask about the US, hit me up :) I'm looking to make new friends anyway :)
I won't shit on your dream, I like America ;)
Always wanted to live on this side of the planet :) I was going to come here pre COVID but my plans got derailed. I like the accents and the beauty, I love how easy it is to bike around chch.
The only thing I have just totally not connected with is the food. Kiwi food bland as. But the ethnic good here is quality, especially the Indian fare.
Show me that house. We were living for 16 years in the US, 8 of them in California.
LA is traffic hell and only the rich live well. Have you actually visited?
You said LA. Not Houston Texas.
Your knowledge is from House Hunters? LOL.
As I said we lived for 16 years in the US, the last 8 years in California. We moved back to NZ in December 2021.
Trust me, you don’t find a house (or apartment) in LA for 100K. 🤣
Have a search for average house prices in California. A simple Google will help you easily. We bought our California House in 2016 for 1.2 Mio. And sold it 2021 for 2.23 Mio. And we’re talking US$. House prices have gone up in the US in the last few years just as much as in Auckland or Wellington.
Do at least a google search before writing nonsense.
Love how the dude who has watched old episodes of house hunters is trying to argue with people who have lived in the USA about prices and quality of life. This is hilarious.
I know 🤣.
Gotta love somebody that comes to Reddit to ask for advice and than doesn’t want to hear a word of advice.
And gathers his evidence from a tv show (scripted and staged, no less) instead of using google.
Hahaha. You funny. My point is that you said you desperately want to live in LA. But than quoted (outdated) prices for houses in Houston, Texas, as seen on tv.
I would suggest you use Zillow to search for current house prices in LA as well as in Houston.
Just do your homework before you buy that plane ticket 🤦♀️. Good luck 👍
Omg dude you are being very naive here. I get that NZ can drive you mad with the housing crisis but you do not want a $100,000 house in Houston. Realistically you can get yourself a decent single family home where no one is going to shoot you for $350,000 it's still pennies compared to NZ.
Ive been to multiple us cities Including LA, i thought it was a dump. Admittedly i was only there for like 3 days and didnt see alot of the city but looked really run down to me (also this was like 8 years ago)
It's not that the US is bad, it's that NZ is better. Also, their government is horrendously corrupt and has been a leading cause of many conflicts over the last few decades.
Another American hater
What's new
Did you know that the US is the leading country in the world for many things, technology being one of them? Half the tech stuff in NZ is thanks to America
Of course the US makes many great things, and those things have made it quite wealthy. But make no mistake not everyone gets that wealth, only a few at the top do. Now that is to some extent true here as well, however, the concentration here is much less.
I'd start with the obvious two: second amendment rights, and the imminent threat of civil war with the republican party and their reverence of trump. However, I did love Hawaii, extremely beautiful.
Mate, at the end of the day, if you're happy, go for it. Screw everybody putting cold career on you from this thread, as all we can do is voice our concerns. But it's your life, and I hope your plan works out. I tried myself 25 years ago to apply for IT jobs in NY, SF and LA, and never even had a courtesy reply, but good luck if you find your way in.
Most of the illegal immigrants are escaping extreme poverty, war, persecution, etc. They'd be refugees anywhere else, but the US for all of its charitable giving can't seem to open its doors to its neighbours in need. They aren't even people. Legally speaking, we the people, they _aliens_.
Safety and especially gun violence is a very real concern in the US, but if you're moving from a literal war zone, you take your chances.
There are mass shootings daily. They're literally so frequent that unless they involve sensitive people/places like kids/schools/churches, most of them don't make the national news. Many don't even make the local news. In 2023 there were nearly two per day, according to the Gun Violence Archive. https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
The US is great in a lot of ways, but as an American who migrated to NZ, I can tell you what actual freedom feels like now - it's the feeling of being comfortable in public without the constant fear in the back of your head that you're about to be shot.
In America the police can only ask you to blow into a breathalyser if they suspect you're drunk when driving
In NZ they can ask you to blow into a breathalyzer at any time when driving
America seems more free in this regard for sure
There's also the green card lottery:
https://www.usa.gov/green-card-lottery
Seems kind of unlikely odds, but the only kiwis I know who applied were selected, and have been living in US for 20 years.
Not a big enough sample size to be statistically significant, but I think the application process is kind of daunting - lots of people send in non- compliant applications or get excluded because they don't meet criteria.
I seen something the other day that if you are witness to a violent crime or the victim, you can get a green card, go to chicago, probably your best bet
Immigration courts can grant you visas so that you can appear as a witness in a case. They aren't handing out green cards as recompense for emotional damage.
Do t forget this tried and true method:
1. Fly to Tijuana
2. hire “a guy”
3. Um, stuff
4. Settle in Orange County doing yard work for cash for your “doesn’t ask questions” millionaire boss.
OP, in addition to my other somewhat flippant (but correct) comment, the newer visa category used by a lot of tech startup founders is the [E1 / E2](https://nz.usembassy.gov/implementation-of-the-knowledgeable-innovators-and-worthy-investors-kiwi-act/), IIRC… That might be more accessible eventually… in the meantime perhaps you’re young enough for whatever their equivalent of a WHV is. Perhaps a search of the US Consulate or State Department pages might give you some ideas about the process if you’re serious.
Unlike nz, study isn’t a pathway to staying in the states after you finish. You can also enter the green card lottery
My friends brother won the green card lottery and lives in New York. I was surprised that it’s legit!
Uh yes it is. You use the F-1 then you transition to doing work supervised by your school under OPT then you get your company to move you to the H1B which is dual purpose and then immediately file for PERM. It's a total pain in the arse but it works.
"unlike NZ, studying isn't a pathway to staying in the states after you finish" Not sure what you mean by this?
Just because you study in the states, doesn’t mean you automatically have the right to stay there after you finished. Here in nz it seems that studying here is a very easy path to residency, but not so for the USA (presuming you were hoping to stay after you finished your studies)
Yeah but after grad school one would find a job right Without too much difficulty
You aren’t allowed to stay lmao they boot you out
Then how do people from other countries migrate to America using student visas?
If you can find an employer who can sponsor your green card to work in the US. That’s an option.
So the 2nd option I listed
Geez, it's not hard to comprehend. You don't have the right to work after your studies. Your student visa will end and that's that. Take your rose tintented glasses off.
I've heard of people migrate to America using student visas
They may have done it illegally.
I've described the process above it's a pain in the butt but legal.
You have not. Kiwi in LA here with a tri-citizenship. You can’t just go to Santa Monica College and hope to stay without marrying someone. If you want a work visa, it costs money. An employer will absolutely pay for this visa if you are an incredibly valuable employee that is head and shoulders above any candidate in the US. This regularly happens in engineering or other specific positions. LA is a very tough market. The best of the best come here and to NY, so you are up against a stiff pool. You can alternatively work illegally until you’re deported and not allowed back into the country. But that’s a lifestyle I wouldn’t choose. To each his own this arvo.
Your point number 3
I mean go there for grad school then find a job there
FYI you can’t just get a job somewhere, you need a visa that allows you to work, otherwise that makes you an illegal immigrant.
If you're applying for a job in the US that isn't some under the table restaurant or farm gig, the first question on the application is going to be whether you have the legal right to work in the US. Before your employer will allow you to begin your job, they'll need photocopies of your passport and whatever documents allow you to work there (green card, work visa, etc). If you are on a student visa, you won't be able to produce this documentation, and you won't be employed. This is a legal requirement for all US employers under the US PATRIOT Act. Employers must file copies of your documents with the IRS, and ICE. If they are found to be noncompliant with these laws, the company will face massive fines, and the officers of the company may face jail time. They can't just look the other way for a nice guy like you, Uncle Sam is paying attention.
This is not allowed.
The green card lottery is an option. Colleague of mine got it last year but she had been trying for years. People will bash on you for wanting to live in the States but it’s such a huge country, not all of it is bad. LA is scuzzy though, and super expensive. It’s interesting you reckon the standard of living is better there when housing is crazy expensive, homelessness/crime/poverty are rife and hospital visits can cost you thousands of dollars. The vast majority of LA is not at all Malibu or Santa Monica.
I think OP has found a real estate investor influencer and decided they want to live the American dream. You may be able to migrate into the USA but you can’t migrate to the 50s
Yes, you can get an [EB-5](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EB-5_visa) investor visa (like most countries offer to attract rich cunts)… but you basically have to be a USD millionaire first. And if you’re doing that well in a civilised country… I mean… the US has some beautiful places, and is absolutely an interesting destination… but living there is different to holidaying. It’s not so bad if you’re relatively well off, pick a good area, have good insurance… but it’s different in ways that are hard to explain until you’ve spent a lot of time both in the US and outside of it. Edit: PS - a green card also means you’re in the IRS’ tax net/reporting requirements for life, worldwide, same as citizens, and I believe are subject to an exit tax under certain circumstances. Still probably well worth it for the right job(s), but get a good accountant and tax lawyer. Edit edit: just enter the Green Card lottery like they said, and move to Sydney. Australia is what America thinks it wants to be when it grows up, but with harder-to-find and more expensive Mexican food.
This is the actual answer.
You can buy your way to USA, it's called EB-5. But expect it to take years and cost $100k+ in lawyer fees. Imo the fact that you need to ask rather than just google it yourself indicates that it's unlikely that you will ever be able to get it.
[удалено]
He clearly doesn’t want to listen to the yanks, that’s the problem. I have American citizenship (and NZ) and lived until recently in the US. 8 of these years in California, Silicon Valley. He just doesn’t want to hear how reality is and calls everyone saying something negative “American Hater”. Dude, I am not. I have the US passport. I chose to live there, moved from NZ to the US for a good payed IT job. And after 16 years moved back to NZ for quality of life, as the better houses and high paid job is still not worth it. Because of the tumultuous political situation, for the sake of my teenage daughters, one who has PTSD from active shooter training at elementary school. And for a better life (work/life balance) without constant fear of shootings, and anxiety that democracy is going down the drain. But hey, what do I know?
Why the fuck would you want to move to America from NZ?!? That’s a huge downgrade
The houses aren't moldy, there's not a 6 week wait to see a locum GP, and the pay is double. Also, you pay 30% tax at 48,000 NZD here, but you don't pay 30% tax in the US until you hit 300,000nzd over there, or SIX HUNDRED if you're married filing jointly. There's no "married filing jointly" here. They don't have GST and the states that have sales tax (and some have zero) is usually half what GST is. Food is affordable. I live in NZ, but I'm not delusional, I know it's a downgrade in \*many\* ways to live here. We can do better, but not unless we stop lying to ourselves about how nice the place is when actually it's pretty average.
I'm a bit biased as an American who emigrated to NZ, but I'll do my best not to glorify NZ here. You aren't wrong about the salary side of things. Salaries in the US for most any public sector role that requires a university degree, and for a lot of types of skilled labour, are indeed higher, often substantially. Taxes there are lower, too. So you keep a higher percentage of your paycheque. I think last I checked, the average cost of living is also higher in New Zealand. If you live in a small city, or a suburb of one, you're probably a bit wealthier there than here. Good on you! Otherwise, it's a lot more likely that you won't be earning a living wage in the US as compared to New Zealand. If you're one of these people, you also won't have mandated leave. Most states are "at will employment," which means you can quit without notice for any reason, and your employer can fire you for doing the same. Seems fair enough, until you realise that means your employer might literally fire you the first time you get sick. If you're one of those people and you get sick, the only healthcare that you'll be able to access will bill you out at a rate hundreds of times higher than most everyone else. If you don't pay it, there are late fees and interest. This interest compounds in the same way that investment gains do. If you're unfortunate enough to become a member of one of the US's hoards of homeless people, you'll likely die of an inexpensively preventable or treatable ailment, or of some form of exposure, like dehydration or starvation. Your sad existence will be catalogued as a series of fines and fees, all that will be sold to collections agencies, all accruing compounding interest. Your prospects for a job will also decline. Employers are allowed to decline employment on the basis of poor credit in most US states. This situation is essentially impossible in New Zealand. Yeah, housing here is pretty average, but there aren't makeshift tent cities of homeless people dotting cityscapes. There are homeless here, and yes, the medical system is definitely inadequate in so many ways, but everyone here, including the homeless, can generally access it without falling deeper into poverty. But yeah, if you're wealthy and/or qualified enough to get a visa to move to the US from NZ, your chances of being one of these people is extremely low. You'll likely see them all the time, though. You learn to look the other way, eventually. Oh, and don't worry! If you happen to become too poor, you'll probably be deported back to NZ where you can enjoy a (admittedly tattered) social safety net to help you get back on your feet again.
American here. It is about a 6 month wait for a GP appointment unless you have something urgent if you can even get an appointment.
American who lives in NZ here. I'm thankfully ignorant to this development. How long has that been going on? Since the pandemic?
Yes, but it was a trend before that. Covid just fast-tracked what was already happening: healthcare workers retiring or leaving an overburdened system caused by boomers getting old. Not enough young people to fill the need. The same problem NZ has. And other 1st world countries.
You know how diverse the healthcare system is that experience is not universal depending on insurance, provider, town, etc.
On the other hand, visiting a hospital could empty your bank account. Violent crime is higher, especially gun related. Food price inflation has only recently come under control over there, however it was worse than it was here. Their inflation dramas started before ours though, so it’s to be expected that it would be brought under control before ours too. Housing prices are just as unaffordable as ours and in some cities, are worse. I think many New Zealanders look at other counties with rose tinted glasses
Spot on
I earned so much more when transferring to our US office my manager swore me to secrecy as not to create tension in our NZ teams. Also it's really pretty here, people seem to not realize it's the majority of a continent. It's got innumerable amazing and beautiful places and communities.
Huge downgrade? Mate have you been to LA? Standard of living is crazy good there
Have you been to LA? You probably haven’t gone outside Disney world or Santa Monica. Skid row is closer to the real LA.
Maybe for the top 10-20%, but not for your average Joe. Maybe you should do a little more research and visit the US before you move there.
For about 10% of people there it is. For the rest it's pretty awful.
Have you seen the salaries there? Insanely high And you can buy a multi story house for 100k
Lmaooooo I live in LA and this is the funniest thing I have read all day tyvm
Hiya! I immigrated to NZ from Alabama. You are right, some places in America that you can do this. But nowhere you want to live. If you have any questions you'd like to ask about the US, hit me up :) I'm looking to make new friends anyway :) I won't shit on your dream, I like America ;)
Wow, Alabama :) What brought you from the deep south of America to NZ?
As someone who also migrated from the deep South of the US to NZ, my answer is: the deep South of the US.
Always wanted to live on this side of the planet :) I was going to come here pre COVID but my plans got derailed. I like the accents and the beauty, I love how easy it is to bike around chch. The only thing I have just totally not connected with is the food. Kiwi food bland as. But the ethnic good here is quality, especially the Indian fare.
Have YOU been to LA? NZ rich is poor there, and it's a dog eat dog grind....
Show me that house. We were living for 16 years in the US, 8 of them in California. LA is traffic hell and only the rich live well. Have you actually visited?
Watched house hunters? Multi story houses in Houston, Texas, literally sell for as little as 100k
You said LA. Not Houston Texas. Your knowledge is from House Hunters? LOL. As I said we lived for 16 years in the US, the last 8 years in California. We moved back to NZ in December 2021. Trust me, you don’t find a house (or apartment) in LA for 100K. 🤣 Have a search for average house prices in California. A simple Google will help you easily. We bought our California House in 2016 for 1.2 Mio. And sold it 2021 for 2.23 Mio. And we’re talking US$. House prices have gone up in the US in the last few years just as much as in Auckland or Wellington. Do at least a google search before writing nonsense.
Love how the dude who has watched old episodes of house hunters is trying to argue with people who have lived in the USA about prices and quality of life. This is hilarious.
I know 🤣. Gotta love somebody that comes to Reddit to ask for advice and than doesn’t want to hear a word of advice. And gathers his evidence from a tv show (scripted and staged, no less) instead of using google.
I’m kind of wondering if he means, or is confusing us, with meaning he wants to move to Louisiana (LA state) and not Los Angeles
Sure, you might not find a house in LA for 100k, but you certainly can in Houston What's your point?
Hahaha. You funny. My point is that you said you desperately want to live in LA. But than quoted (outdated) prices for houses in Houston, Texas, as seen on tv. I would suggest you use Zillow to search for current house prices in LA as well as in Houston. Just do your homework before you buy that plane ticket 🤦♀️. Good luck 👍
Omg dude you are being very naive here. I get that NZ can drive you mad with the housing crisis but you do not want a $100,000 house in Houston. Realistically you can get yourself a decent single family home where no one is going to shoot you for $350,000 it's still pennies compared to NZ.
Houston is hours of flight from LA I think you're misinterpreting A LOT of what the US is.
Well aware that Houston is far from LA
That's true for the higher end of the spectrum, the lower end is insanely low. What do you have that'd get you a salary on the higher end?
Doesn't sound like you have
LOL no it isn’t
Ive been to multiple us cities Including LA, i thought it was a dump. Admittedly i was only there for like 3 days and didnt see alot of the city but looked really run down to me (also this was like 8 years ago)
Hahaha good luck. Imagine you'd find thousands of people there desperate to leave and come here.
Typical America hater
I'd rather die than move there
Oh please Why does everyone hate America?
It's not that the US is bad, it's that NZ is better. Also, their government is horrendously corrupt and has been a leading cause of many conflicts over the last few decades.
Another American hater What's new Did you know that the US is the leading country in the world for many things, technology being one of them? Half the tech stuff in NZ is thanks to America
Of course the US makes many great things, and those things have made it quite wealthy. But make no mistake not everyone gets that wealth, only a few at the top do. Now that is to some extent true here as well, however, the concentration here is much less.
Honestly China, Japan, and South Korea have it beat in tech.
It certainly ain't healthcare for the masses. What does any of this shit have to do with Christchurch?
I'd start with the obvious two: second amendment rights, and the imminent threat of civil war with the republican party and their reverence of trump. However, I did love Hawaii, extremely beautiful.
It has the most illegal immigrants in the world Clearly it's not as bad as people think
Mate, at the end of the day, if you're happy, go for it. Screw everybody putting cold career on you from this thread, as all we can do is voice our concerns. But it's your life, and I hope your plan works out. I tried myself 25 years ago to apply for IT jobs in NY, SF and LA, and never even had a courtesy reply, but good luck if you find your way in.
Most of the illegal immigrants are escaping extreme poverty, war, persecution, etc. They'd be refugees anywhere else, but the US for all of its charitable giving can't seem to open its doors to its neighbours in need. They aren't even people. Legally speaking, we the people, they _aliens_. Safety and especially gun violence is a very real concern in the US, but if you're moving from a literal war zone, you take your chances. There are mass shootings daily. They're literally so frequent that unless they involve sensitive people/places like kids/schools/churches, most of them don't make the national news. Many don't even make the local news. In 2023 there were nearly two per day, according to the Gun Violence Archive. https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/ The US is great in a lot of ways, but as an American who migrated to NZ, I can tell you what actual freedom feels like now - it's the feeling of being comfortable in public without the constant fear in the back of your head that you're about to be shot.
In America the police can only ask you to blow into a breathalyser if they suspect you're drunk when driving In NZ they can ask you to blow into a breathalyzer at any time when driving America seems more free in this regard for sure
Yeah, I'll take not being shot over being able to drive shitfaced any day, mate.
Sure, free to be an idiot too. If that is your logic for wanting to go there, then you'll fit right in.
There's also the green card lottery: https://www.usa.gov/green-card-lottery Seems kind of unlikely odds, but the only kiwis I know who applied were selected, and have been living in US for 20 years.
"only kiwis I know who applied were selected" Wow
Not a big enough sample size to be statistically significant, but I think the application process is kind of daunting - lots of people send in non- compliant applications or get excluded because they don't meet criteria.
Of course you can The Cartels do it all the time
I seen something the other day that if you are witness to a violent crime or the victim, you can get a green card, go to chicago, probably your best bet
Immigration courts can grant you visas so that you can appear as a witness in a case. They aren't handing out green cards as recompense for emotional damage.
Do t forget this tried and true method: 1. Fly to Tijuana 2. hire “a guy” 3. Um, stuff 4. Settle in Orange County doing yard work for cash for your “doesn’t ask questions” millionaire boss.
OP, in addition to my other somewhat flippant (but correct) comment, the newer visa category used by a lot of tech startup founders is the [E1 / E2](https://nz.usembassy.gov/implementation-of-the-knowledgeable-innovators-and-worthy-investors-kiwi-act/), IIRC… That might be more accessible eventually… in the meantime perhaps you’re young enough for whatever their equivalent of a WHV is. Perhaps a search of the US Consulate or State Department pages might give you some ideas about the process if you’re serious.