Jobs after arriving US

[2ndMessiah 184]

FYI

The United States of America DOES NOT have an official language.

http://answers.usa.gov/system/templates/selfservice/USAGov/#!portal/1012/article/3206/Official-Language-of-the-US

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I think you have to be careful with the "indentured slavery" wording.

That comment was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I didn't mean they are literally indentured slaves. I was referring to the fact that the two most common jobs for VN girls who don't speak English very well are working in a nail salon, and working as a babysitter for a VN family. In both cases they usually work from early in the morning until late in the evening, leaving very little personal time. What's worse, they're usually not paid for all of that time. Babysitters are usually paid a fixed monthly salary, and manicurists are usually paid commission. The net pay per hour usually ends up being a lot less than minimum wage. My wife has done it. Her sister has done it. Several of her cousins have done it. Not having strong English skills doesn't leave them many options, and the few options they do have are comparable to slavery in terms of hours and pay.

@skyking02 - You having an argument with yourself?

FYI

The United States of America DOES NOT have an official language.

True, but English is still necessary to function outside of a community of immigrants. In addition, a mastery of English is required in order to become a naturalized US citizen.

Personally, I don't mind that we don't have an official language. I kind of like the fact that businesses and government can cater to their target audience in their native language. I don't mind seeing Chinese billboards in China Town, or Spanish billboards in east L.A., or Vietnamese billboards in Little Saigon. I think it's cool that you can go to the DMV in California and take the written drivers license test in any one of 32 languages.

What I would really hate is for the US to become like Canada with official bilingualism, and everything has to be in both English and French. It may have sounded like a good idea when the country was almost exclusively English and French, but at their current rate of immigration they may someday end up with a province where both English and French are minority languages, and some other language like Hindi, Arabic, or even Spanish is the majority language. What will they do then?

[verysadguy 170]

That comment was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I didn't mean they are literally indentured slaves. I was referring to the fact that the two most common jobs for VN girls who don't speak English very well are working in a nail salon, and working as a babysitter for a VN family. In both cases they usually work from early in the morning until late in the evening, leaving very little personal time. What's worse, they're usually not paid for all of that time. Babysitters are usually paid a fixed monthly salary, and manicurists are usually paid commission. The net pay per hour usually ends up being a lot less than minimum wage. My wife has done it. Her sister has done it. Several of her cousins have done it. Not having strong English skills doesn't leave them many options, and the few options they do have are comparable to slavery in terms of hours and pay.

That is very true. I have many VN friends working in nail salons or own nail salons. They make about $3000/month, much of it "under the table" and doesn't get reported for tax purposes. Gaming the system.

My ex had the nerve to put in her court papers her 6 month income was $4000. Her monthly tips were $85 and her monthly bus fare was $95. That makes her more poor by comparison then when she lived in Vietnam. And who would work a job where you make less in tips than your bus fare? She also conveniently told the judge she didn't have any deposit slips from her bank or cashed checks from her employer.

[skyking02 11]

@skyking02 - You having an argument with yourself?

yes, i have dual personality hihihi

[luckytxn 2,264]

Apologize. When we get rid of a troll we delete their postings too. It still leaves the replies one has made to them. If you want you can hit the report button on each post you made and ask it to be deleted.

yes, i have dual personality hihihi

[skyking02 11]

Apologize. When we get rid of a troll we delete their postings too. It still leaves the replies one has made to them. If you want you can hit the report button on each post you made and ask it to be deleted.

don't need to delete it, just keep it.

[hope2018 25]

Hi Vietnamese people who are going to gather your family in US and who are living in US!

Attending a college in America will take a long time to earn good money and it is not easy to go to school again while you need to concern about your family. So can you share with us your experience? We'd like to know which jobs Vietnamese can get in as soon as arriving US?

Thanks

It was hard when I first came to the US in 2008. The language, lifestyle, culture, and everything were new to me. I tried to find a job, but not very many options was available for a new immigrant with limited English. The situation seemed hopeless. I did part-time cleaning job on the weekend for a short period of time. That job gave me a strong motivation to obtain an education. With the assistance from my in laws, I was able to find a new summer job at a private school. After the summer was over, I found another job at a Vietnamese-owned store. I took ESL classes and passed the TOEFL test. I was accepted into a local university. I enrolled in 3 classes each semester for the first 2 years and became a full-time student after that. I studied at work whenever I could. It took me 5 years to get a Bachelor's degree, but it's worth it.

[skyking02 11]

It was hard when I first came to the US in 2008. The language, lifestyle, culture, and everything were new to me. I tried to find a job, but not very many options was available for a new immigrant with limited English. The situation seemed hopeless. I did part-time cleaning job on the weekend for a short period of time. That job gave me a strong motivation to obtain an education. With the assistance from my in laws, I was able to find a new summer job at a private school. After the summer was over, I found another job at a Vietnamese-owned store. I took ESL classes and passed the TOEFL test. I was accepted into a local university. I enrolled in 3 classes each semester for the first 2 years and became a full-time student after that. I studied at work whenever I could. It took me 5 years to get a Bachelor's degree, but it's worth it.

what's TOEFL test for?

nice story!

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi All,

Jim's assessment is dead on.

I'm a Vietnamese American living in southern California.

Most Vietnamese immigrants will come here lacking the ability to communicate in English in most situations outside the home.

Because of the lack of English skills, they will end up working for other Vietnamese in menial jobs.

These Vietnamese will exploit them by paying under the table or for less than minimum wage. These people are stuck because their English skills will not get them a job with English speaking Americans.

Nothing disparaging about Vietnamese people. This is just the plain truth.

Edited June 19, 2014 by aaron2020

[lil2be 11]

VNese love cash-paid jobs is because they WANT to dodge paying taxes (cheating is in their blood).

I don't think it applies to everyone. You can't be stereotype or discriminate people like that. Americans, Vietnameses, Laotians, Thais, Mexicans and more... I've seen it all. It depends on individuals. Cash is instant. That is why some prefer it over a paid check.

[verysadguy 170]

I don't think it applies to everyone. You can't be stereotype or discriminate people like that. Americans, Vietnameses, Laotians, Thais, Mexicans and more... I've seen it all. It depends on individuals. Cash is instant. That is why some prefer it over a paid check.

Cash also doesn't get paid in taxes and this is a well known and all too common "cheat" of the system. Welcome to America! We are giving away cash for free!

[skyking02 11]

Cash also doesn't get paid in taxes and this is a well known and all too common "cheat" of the system. Welcome to America! We are giving away cash for free!

taxes are a bunch of BS. i'm ok with paying 10% of my income but they are taking at least 30%! too much!

[lil2be 11]

Cash also doesn't get paid in taxes and this is a well known and all too common "cheat" of the system. Welcome to America! We are giving away cash for free!

Not necessary true. Good cash receivers can claim taxes as well such as tip earn, etc.

After 10 years in the U.S., you are the second person who told me "welcome to American."

Corruption and cheating have been occurring daily everywhere in the world for so many years.

Edited June 20, 2014 by lil2be

[verysadguy 170]

taxes are a bunch of BS. i'm ok with paying 10% of my income but they are taking at least 30%! too much!

funny, but you'd better be paying your almost 30% like the rest of us. How else are we going to pay for bombs and illegals?

[skyking02 11]

funny, but you'd better be paying your almost 30% like the rest of us. How else are we going to pay for bombs and illegals?

the govt can print unlimited amount of dollar, it's like this since the 1920's.