First Jobs in the US for MENA SOs

[childress_london 3]

The problem is my husband is a medical school graduate. It will take a couple years to get through the exams and start residency so for now he must find some other work. We had hoped to keep him in the medical field with a lower job. I even sent him through Nursing Assistant school and he got the certification for that. He has applied through two health care systems, but no call back. The hospital recruiter at one really wants to help him, but the managers keep saying my husband is over qualified. It is really frustrating. He even took the hospital tests for both Nursing Assistant and Medical Assistant (though he didn't go to Medical assistant school) and he passed both tests. We tried the nursing homes, but they want him to switch his license to the state we moved to and that takes time, though we will do it. For now, the nursing homes will not even look at his application.

If there are any medical research facilities where you live, he could apply for a job as a researcher. Those jobs usually require a medical degree, so he won't have the over-qualified problem. I think looking at any laboratory work that requires upper level degrees would be a good start. Look at the forensics labs at police departments too.

[Staashi 371]

Yeah, that GC plan totally would not work.

Now that you are a permenant resident

Maintaining Permanent Residence

Maintaining Permanent Residence You may lose your permanent residence status if you commit an act that makes you removable from the United States under the law in section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If you commit such an act, you may be brought before the immigration courts to determine your right to remain a Permanent Resident.

You may be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status if you:

• Move to another country intending to live there permanently.
• Remain outside of the US for more than one year without obtaining a reentry permit or returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.
• Remain outside of the US for more than two years after issuance of a reentry permit without obtaining a returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.
• Fail to file income tax returns while living outside of the US for any period.
• Declare yourself a “nonimmigrant” on your tax returns.

The immigration people aren't stupid. They'd look at his travel record and conclude that he's living outside the country.

The green card part doesn't make any sense to me because I can't see how much more valuable an American green card is to an Egyptian in the Gulf, but I don't get everything there is to get in the world to begin with

This I do understand, I think. Non gulf arabs are treated as second class citizens, south asians and south east asians as third class citizens (or slaves), and americans and western europeans as first class citizens. Maybe with the GC, he's be a 1 1/2 class citizen? If that's really his plan, it would make more sense to wait and become a citizen.

Sure, Immigration looks at travel records, however it's an Egyptian passport they're travelling on. What these people do, and I know this for a FACT, is go to Egyptian Immigration, claim their passport was accidently ruined (washed in the laundry, etc.) and get a new one. Poof! The travel records are all gone and they get to keep their residency. A girl I know went back to America in April, after being in Egypt for TWO SOLID YEARS, for the sole purpose of keeping her green card. She'll be back here, in Egypt, to live, later this month.

But they don't just pass their passport through the scanner - they swipe the greencard as well...ya know the little magnetic strip has their data on it.

[Ihavequestions 419]

But they don't just pass their passport through the scanner - they swipe the greencard as well...ya know the little magnetic strip has their data on it.

I don't understand this part. I really don't. My husband doesn't have his green card and I've never even seen one, so I really don't know.

How are they doing it because, like I said, I know for a FACT they do it.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Even if they get a new passport, wouldn't their name pop up in the system? A new passport doesn't create a new record in the american immigration system.

Ugh, people gaming the system bother me to no end. Hopefully what goes around, comes around.

[Ahmed N Tina 2]

He's exactly thinking of the "moved to the Gulf for work" scenario... and can't IMAGINE why I would be upset... He thinks it's perfectly normal! He's tried to find work here for 2-3 months and it hasn't been easy and this is. He'll live with family, be surrounded by Egyptians, work in their store, and come see me every month or two...

We're going through this right now, only in a different way.

My husband's bright idea (via his "friends" of course) is to get his green card, then we'll both go to one of the Gulf nations, together, to work because my smiling white face and western education are are worth a small fortune and he could get work that he wouldn't otherwise without an American green card. We'll, of course, save our money to rennovate this flat and buy brand spanking new furnishings and appliances, and we'll start a good business here in Egypt. Not to be one to miss out on a good thing, he'll enter the US once a year for a month in order to keep his resident status. The green card part doesn't make any sense to me because I can't see how much more valuable an American green card is to an Egyptian in the Gulf, but I don't get everything there is to get in the world to begin with and I don't have the same bevy of "friends" whispering in my ear that he does. Those same friends have been hideously destructive when it comes to our relationship and our marriage, and why he continues to listen to their stupida$$ suggestions is beyond me.

I feel for ya, sweetie. I really do.

I'm soo glad Usama has no friends here to speak of. I know that's kind of mean but even he says that he doesn't want to have a friendship with anyone from Egypt, etc. He does have one friend from Algiers but he's on the same page as Usama so that's good.

I think to stay a permanent resident he'd have to be physically in the US for x number of months continuously like 6 months or something? I don't know all of the details but I remember looking into that at one point when we talked about retiring in Alexandria because I didn't want him after all that time to lose his status. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will fill in the blanks.

Mine too, I just don't get that? He says it will make him miss Egypt more and that he can't make friends until he has a job. WTH? I just don't understand. If I was in Egypt, I'd be searching out other Americans (obviously women).

Ahmed has had his SSN for a month now and is upset that he doesn't have a job yet. I keep telling him it takes time, but he wants one now. The interviews are starting to come in, but no offers yet. Other than the one that wanted him to go door to door selling knives. Can you imagine?! An Arab goes up to an old german (for example) woman's home to sell her knives!?!

He says he's not going to give up yet after waiting for so long to get here. But he has thought about us moving there to get his old job back. I pray it doesn't come to that.

(((((((KH)))))))) I'm praying for you guys!

[Ihavequestions 419]

Ihavequestions - make sure your husband learns from you the American, not the brilliantly idiotic Egyptian friends who have no clue as to how this works. A trained IO will see his passport and greencard upon entry and they could actually pull it and deny him entry if he is permanently residing elsewhere. Have him become a USC - he can live anywhere he wants to once he has his US passport.

Oh, you wouldn't believe the $hit his friends have put me through.

A brief recap:

Hide the marriage. This was his friend's idea and, because it was his friend's idea, it was a good one. Why hide the marriage? People get jealous (that's why I asked about this on another thread) and might ruin his life. It doesn't matter that it's as un-Islamic as it comes, what people think and jealousy are much more important - to his friends. Nor does it matter how that made ME feel because the advice of his friends is much more valuable.

Don't let his mother think he lives with me. His mother was dying and, as a good Egyptian son, he couldn't hurt his mother's feelings by getting married and living with his new wife, so he pretended to live at home right up until the day she died. His nights spent away? Well, that was extra long shifts at work. Who's good idea was this? His friend's. As soon as she died and the hullabaloo was overwith, he moved me into his flat. Just today one of the neighbors came over to use our veranda to hang her rugs outside to dry and he told her he was married. She asked why we didn't have a wedding party and he told her he couldn't because his mother died. WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR A YEAR.

I'm lying and I don't want to get him a green card. Getting the papers together, specifically the tax papers, has been horrible. My physical records were ruined in the mid-west flooding last year (along with everythiing else I have, as I've just learned this past couple of weeks). Even though he had the completed request for tax transcripts IN HIS HAND, I was lying and didn't want to get him a green card. Why? Because that's what his friend told him. As for my things being ruined? I was lying my sister was lying (she went through the ruined boxes, trying to find something salvageable) and it took youtube videos of the flooding on my street in America to convince him otherwise. Of course I was also lying about not being able to do 2008 taxes without the ITIN request, because his friend said so, right up until I SHOWED him what a 1040 looked like.

Nope. I'm not Egyptian. I'm not Muslim. I'm a woman. Why on earth would he listen to me over his friends?

[Nagishkaw 510]

Nope. I'm not Egyptian. I'm not Muslim. I'm a woman. Why on earth would he listen to me over his friends?

Because you are an infidel as well as a woman and he will take the word of his male friend(s) over yours hands down every time. How f##ked up is that, yet oh so true.

[childress_london 3]

from what I have heard, most translator jobs are either directly or contractually related to the military and often to overseas activities. Pay is good, but my husband spent several years in the moroccan military and didnt feel like 'doing more time'

I agree with you. My husband has seen many of these jobs and I know people who worked for these companies. They are 90 percent of the time for jobs overseas, usually to Iraq. The few jobs for translators here are difficult to get because many of the experienced and educated translators compete for them. There are temp jobs you could get for military training exercises here in the US, but it still requires travel, usually to California.

If you live near an International airport, they may need people with language skills to manage welcome booths or other areas. I know they hire them in Houston (I used to work at the airport). Also, perhaps he could look for a job with one of the airlines that may have a counter in your airport that is from a middle eastern country. We have Emirates airline here.

If your husband speaks Arabic or another language that is popular now and is good at teaching, he could either offer to tutor or teach his own classes. If he has a graduate degree, possibly he could look for work at one of the Universities. I know there are Mosques and Islamic Education Centers that offer language classes too. If you live in a small town, however, these options may not be open for you.

[sandinista! 1,816]

sometimes community colleges have programs specifically aimed at immigrants, that go beyond esl. we didn't end up going this route, but one option we discussed before my husband left morocco was a program one of the community colleges here offered just for immigrants that was a high tech training program that offered job placement at intel and everything after the training was complete. they're doing another one now that offers training to work for a solar energy plant. it might be worth checking out.

[doodlebugg 10]

He's exactly thinking of the "moved to the Gulf for work" scenario... and can't IMAGINE why I would be upset... He thinks it's perfectly normal! He's tried to find work here for 2-3 months and it hasn't been easy and this is. He'll live with family, be surrounded by Egyptians, work in their store, and come see me every month or two...

We're going through this right now, only in a different way.

My husband's bright idea (via his "friends" of course) is to get his green card, then we'll both go to one of the Gulf nations, together, to work because my smiling white face and western education are are worth a small fortune and he could get work that he wouldn't otherwise without an American green card. We'll, of course, save our money to rennovate this flat and buy brand spanking new furnishings and appliances, and we'll start a good business here in Egypt. Not to be one to miss out on a good thing, he'll enter the US once a year for a month in order to keep his resident status. The green card part doesn't make any sense to me because I can't see how much more valuable an American green card is to an Egyptian in the Gulf, but I don't get everything there is to get in the world to begin with and I don't have the same bevy of "friends" whispering in my ear that he does. Those same friends have been hideously destructive when it comes to our relationship and our marriage, and why he continues to listen to their stupida$$ suggestions is beyond me.

I feel for ya, sweetie. I really do.

I'm soo glad Usama has no friends here to speak of. I know that's kind of mean but even he says that he doesn't want to have a friendship with anyone from Egypt, etc. He does have one friend from Algiers but he's on the same page as Usama so that's good.

I think to stay a permanent resident he'd have to be physically in the US for x number of months continuously like 6 months or something? I don't know all of the details but I remember looking into that at one point when we talked about retiring in Alexandria because I didn't want him after all that time to lose his status. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will fill in the blanks.

Mine too, I just don't get that? He says it will make him miss Egypt more and that he can't make friends until he has a job. WTH? I just don't understand. If I was in Egypt, I'd be searching out other Americans (obviously women).

Ahmed has had his SSN for a month now and is upset that he doesn't have a job yet. I keep telling him it takes time, but he wants one now. The interviews are starting to come in, but no offers yet. Other than the one that wanted him to go door to door selling knives. Can you imagine?! An Arab goes up to an old german (for example) woman's home to sell her knives!?!

He says he's not going to give up yet after waiting for so long to get here. But he has thought about us moving there to get his old job back. I pray it doesn't come to that.

(((((((KH)))))))) I'm praying for you guys!

Oh for Usama it has nothing to do with missing Egypt. Each day he talks to his sisters he misses Egypt. For him, he doesn't want to have Egyptian friends here in the US because he thinks they'll screw him over. Apparently his friend that lives in Canada put this in his head and I've heard it on these boards a few times as well. They know he's the new kid on the block so he'll underpay him and he won't have a clue because he doesn't know about things like minimum wage, etc., they'll try to borrow money but never pay it back, etc. etc. etc. Trust is a big thing with him and very few earn it.

I asked him if he was interested in starting a forum for mena men who have come here to be with their wives.

me: "it'd be good for you to share your experiences and you might help people and they could help you"

him: "what if I don't like them"

me: "you don't have to like everyone but I'm sure you'd click with a few of the men"

him: "what if I click and they write something I don't like? I can't be nice if I don't like what they say. I say what I feel and that's it, they have to deal with it."

me: "maybe it's not such a good idea"

[childress_london 3]

He's exactly thinking of the "moved to the Gulf for work" scenario... and can't IMAGINE why I would be upset... He thinks it's perfectly normal! He's tried to find work here for 2-3 months and it hasn't been easy and this is. He'll live with family, be surrounded by Egyptians, work in their store, and come see me every month or two...

We're going through this right now, only in a different way.

My husband's bright idea (via his "friends" of course) is to get his green card, then we'll both go to one of the Gulf nations, together, to work because my smiling white face and western education are are worth a small fortune and he could get work that he wouldn't otherwise without an American green card. We'll, of course, save our money to rennovate this flat and buy brand spanking new furnishings and appliances, and we'll start a good business here in Egypt. Not to be one to miss out on a good thing, he'll enter the US once a year for a month in order to keep his resident status. The green card part doesn't make any sense to me because I can't see how much more valuable an American green card is to an Egyptian in the Gulf, but I don't get everything there is to get in the world to begin with and I don't have the same bevy of "friends" whispering in my ear that he does. Those same friends have been hideously destructive when it comes to our relationship and our marriage, and why he continues to listen to their stupida$$ suggestions is beyond me.

I feel for ya, sweetie. I really do.

I'm soo glad Usama has no friends here to speak of. I know that's kind of mean but even he says that he doesn't want to have a friendship with anyone from Egypt, etc. He does have one friend from Algiers but he's on the same page as Usama so that's good.

I think to stay a permanent resident he'd have to be physically in the US for x number of months continuously like 6 months or something? I don't know all of the details but I remember looking into that at one point when we talked about retiring in Alexandria because I didn't want him after all that time to lose his status. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will fill in the blanks.

Mine too, I just don't get that? He says it will make him miss Egypt more and that he can't make friends until he has a job. WTH? I just don't understand. If I was in Egypt, I'd be searching out other Americans (obviously women).

Ahmed has had his SSN for a month now and is upset that he doesn't have a job yet. I keep telling him it takes time, but he wants one now. The interviews are starting to come in, but no offers yet. Other than the one that wanted him to go door to door selling knives. Can you imagine?! An Arab goes up to an old german (for example) woman's home to sell her knives!?!

He says he's not going to give up yet after waiting for so long to get here. But he has thought about us moving there to get his old job back. I pray it doesn't come to that.

(((((((KH)))))))) I'm praying for you guys!

Oh for Usama it has nothing to do with missing Egypt. Each day he talks to his sisters he misses Egypt. For him, he doesn't want to have Egyptian friends here in the US because he thinks they'll screw him over. Apparently his friend that lives in Canada put this in his head and I've heard it on these boards a few times as well. They know he's the new kid on the block so he'll underpay him and he won't have a clue because he doesn't know about things like minimum wage, etc., they'll try to borrow money but never pay it back, etc. etc. etc. Trust is a big thing with him and very few earn it.

I asked him if he was interested in starting a forum for mena men who have come here to be with their wives.

me: "it'd be good for you to share your experiences and you might help people and they could help you"

him: "what if I don't like them"

me: "you don't have to like everyone but I'm sure you'd click with a few of the men"

him: "what if I click and they write something I don't like? I can't be nice if I don't like what they say. I say what I feel and that's it, they have to deal with it."

me: "maybe it's not such a good idea"

Well most men are not like women. They don't huddle in a group and give each other emotional support. So I'm not surprised this did not go over well with your husband. My husband does not want to associate with other Iranians as well. He doesn't trust them either! What is up with all of that?

[Laveau 67]

He's exactly thinking of the "moved to the Gulf for work" scenario... and can't IMAGINE why I would be upset... He thinks it's perfectly normal! He's tried to find work here for 2-3 months and it hasn't been easy and this is. He'll live with family, be surrounded by Egyptians, work in their store, and come see me every month or two...

We're going through this right now, only in a different way.

My husband's bright idea (via his "friends" of course) is to get his green card, then we'll both go to one of the Gulf nations, together, to work because my smiling white face and western education are are worth a small fortune and he could get work that he wouldn't otherwise without an American green card. We'll, of course, save our money to rennovate this flat and buy brand spanking new furnishings and appliances, and we'll start a good business here in Egypt. Not to be one to miss out on a good thing, he'll enter the US once a year for a month in order to keep his resident status. The green card part doesn't make any sense to me because I can't see how much more valuable an American green card is to an Egyptian in the Gulf, but I don't get everything there is to get in the world to begin with and I don't have the same bevy of "friends" whispering in my ear that he does. Those same friends have been hideously destructive when it comes to our relationship and our marriage, and why he continues to listen to their stupida$$ suggestions is beyond me.

I feel for ya, sweetie. I really do.

I'm soo glad Usama has no friends here to speak of. I know that's kind of mean but even he says that he doesn't want to have a friendship with anyone from Egypt, etc. He does have one friend from Algiers but he's on the same page as Usama so that's good.

I think to stay a permanent resident he'd have to be physically in the US for x number of months continuously like 6 months or something? I don't know all of the details but I remember looking into that at one point when we talked about retiring in Alexandria because I didn't want him after all that time to lose his status. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will fill in the blanks.

Mine too, I just don't get that? He says it will make him miss Egypt more and that he can't make friends until he has a job. WTH? I just don't understand. If I was in Egypt, I'd be searching out other Americans (obviously women).

Ahmed has had his SSN for a month now and is upset that he doesn't have a job yet. I keep telling him it takes time, but he wants one now. The interviews are starting to come in, but no offers yet. Other than the one that wanted him to go door to door selling knives. Can you imagine?! An Arab goes up to an old german (for example) woman's home to sell her knives!?!

He says he's not going to give up yet after waiting for so long to get here. But he has thought about us moving there to get his old job back. I pray it doesn't come to that.

(((((((KH)))))))) I'm praying for you guys!

Oh for Usama it has nothing to do with missing Egypt. Each day he talks to his sisters he misses Egypt. For him, he doesn't want to have Egyptian friends here in the US because he thinks they'll screw him over. Apparently his friend that lives in Canada put this in his head and I've heard it on these boards a few times as well. They know he's the new kid on the block so he'll underpay him and he won't have a clue because he doesn't know about things like minimum wage, etc., they'll try to borrow money but never pay it back, etc. etc. etc. Trust is a big thing with him and very few earn it.

I asked him if he was interested in starting a forum for mena men who have come here to be with their wives.

me: "it'd be good for you to share your experiences and you might help people and they could help you"

him: "what if I don't like them"

me: "you don't have to like everyone but I'm sure you'd click with a few of the men"

him: "what if I click and they write something I don't like? I can't be nice if I don't like what they say. I say what I feel and that's it, they have to deal with it."

me: "maybe it's not such a good idea"

Kamran is the same way. He steers clear of associating with the Paki community in general. That's fine by me.

But back on topic: his very first job here was at Nordstrom then he took on a 2nd gig as a bellhop and valet in the hotel that was connected to the mall where Nordstrom is. He did security at an office building after that. He's now a hotel supervisor. He likes the hotel/hospitality industry and should be done with his associate degree in hospitality in Dec. Background: he had little post secondary education under his belt when he got here, worked at the Marriott in Islamabad for some time than as a flight attendant.

[tmma 467]

Apologies in advance for diving in on this thread-but did someone say that their hubby has a degree in Math? If so- please, please please ask him to consider teaching mathematics.

I teach college level mathematics occasionally and I can tell you right now that this entire country is short of good math and science teachers....So much so that people like me with a math based degree are being pulled in to help.

Some states will sponsor the teacher certification courses and alot of the colleges ( here anyway) do the certification courses p/t.

Just a thought.

Best of luck to all !

Michele.

Edited June 12, 2009 by tmma

[Zee Bee 61]

He's exactly thinking of the "moved to the Gulf for work" scenario... and can't IMAGINE why I would be upset... He thinks it's perfectly normal! He's tried to find work here for 2-3 months and it hasn't been easy and this is. He'll live with family, be surrounded by Egyptians, work in their store, and come see me every month or two...

We're going through this right now, only in a different way.

My husband's bright idea (via his "friends" of course) is to get his green card, then we'll both go to one of the Gulf nations, together, to work because my smiling white face and western education are are worth a small fortune and he could get work that he wouldn't otherwise without an American green card. We'll, of course, save our money to rennovate this flat and buy brand spanking new furnishings and appliances, and we'll start a good business here in Egypt. Not to be one to miss out on a good thing, he'll enter the US once a year for a month in order to keep his resident status. The green card part doesn't make any sense to me because I can't see how much more valuable an American green card is to an Egyptian in the Gulf, but I don't get everything there is to get in the world to begin with and I don't have the same bevy of "friends" whispering in my ear that he does. Those same friends have been hideously destructive when it comes to our relationship and our marriage, and why he continues to listen to their stupida$$ suggestions is beyond me.

I feel for ya, sweetie. I really do.

I'm soo glad Usama has no friends here to speak of. I know that's kind of mean but even he says that he doesn't want to have a friendship with anyone from Egypt, etc. He does have one friend from Algiers but he's on the same page as Usama so that's good.

I think to stay a permanent resident he'd have to be physically in the US for x number of months continuously like 6 months or something? I don't know all of the details but I remember looking into that at one point when we talked about retiring in Alexandria because I didn't want him after all that time to lose his status. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will fill in the blanks.

Mine too, I just don't get that? He says it will make him miss Egypt more and that he can't make friends until he has a job. WTH? I just don't understand. If I was in Egypt, I'd be searching out other Americans (obviously women).

Ahmed has had his SSN for a month now and is upset that he doesn't have a job yet. I keep telling him it takes time, but he wants one now. The interviews are starting to come in, but no offers yet. Other than the one that wanted him to go door to door selling knives. Can you imagine?! An Arab goes up to an old german (for example) woman's home to sell her knives!?!

He says he's not going to give up yet after waiting for so long to get here. But he has thought about us moving there to get his old job back. I pray it doesn't come to that.

(((((((KH)))))))) I'm praying for you guys!

Oh for Usama it has nothing to do with missing Egypt. Each day he talks to his sisters he misses Egypt. For him, he doesn't want to have Egyptian friends here in the US because he thinks they'll screw him over. Apparently his friend that lives in Canada put this in his head and I've heard it on these boards a few times as well. They know he's the new kid on the block so he'll underpay him and he won't have a clue because he doesn't know about things like minimum wage, etc., they'll try to borrow money but never pay it back, etc. etc. etc. Trust is a big thing with him and very few earn it.

I asked him if he was interested in starting a forum for mena men who have come here to be with their wives.

me: "it'd be good for you to share your experiences and you might help people and they could help you"

him: "what if I don't like them"

me: "you don't have to like everyone but I'm sure you'd click with a few of the men"

him: "what if I click and they write something I don't like? I can't be nice if I don't like what they say. I say what I feel and that's it, they have to deal with it."

me: "maybe it's not such a good idea"

Well most men are not like women. They don't huddle in a group and give each other emotional support. So I'm not surprised this did not go over well with your husband. My husband does not want to associate with other Iranians as well. He doesn't trust them either! What is up with all of that?

My husband is the same way. The only other Ghanaians we know (besides family) are my friends who have been here for some time and they live far far away. I feel the same way about seeking out Ghanaian friends though. We have experienced what it is like from visiting my BIL in VA, and we want none of it

We are happy here with our little corner of Philly

[Zee Bee 61]

I may as well address the topic of this post

My husband started work about 6 weeks after he got here as a salesman. It was with a company that was contracted to sell several products to businesses and indivduals. Luckily, the office manager was an immigrant (from Greece) and he tended to hire only immigrants (I think he had people from 10 different countries working for him). It was a good job, but it was solely commisiioned based and it was going door-to-door selling products. It helped him learn a little about the area, got to interact with people and he was not at home moping. It was also a management training program and I think he got promoted 2 or 3 times in 6-7 months.

He got that job from looking on monster.com

Now he works for another company in a management training program but now he has regular hours (before he was working 10am-10pm) and he gets a regular paycheck. Also, he had to change jobs so that he would be able to go to school.