Australian wanting to obtain work permit for 6 months

[Luluwynn 0]

Hey everyone,

 

I have tried so hard to do my own research in regards to trying to get a work permit for the US but feel I am not getting anywhere! My boyfriend is American and we both work ski seasons over in Australia with each other. We have been together for nearly 1 year and I am hoping to join him at the end of the year over in Colorado to work a ski season for 6 months. 

 

Any advice on what we should do? I don't know if we can apply for a spouse sponsorship because we haven't lived together? Help!

Edited March 30, 2018 by Luluwynn

[Starkilla09 366]

You have to qualify for a work permit to work in the U.S. by having a visa that authorizes you to work such as an H1B working visa. You can’t just get a work permit to come work at a ski resort. Work visas rare quite a process and require advanced professional degrees in certain fields to qualify and also an employer willing to sponsor you. Other visas that allow employment authorization are those of athletes, religious workers, inter company transferees, people with extraordinary abilities etc. The easiest way will be through family reunification such as marriage. If you boyfriend is ready to pop the question he can sponsor you for a K1 fiancé or fiancée visa which will allow you to join him in the U.S. and marry within 90 days and also get work authorization and subsequent permanent residency. The main requirement for a K1 is you guys must be willing to marry and also must’ve met physically within the last 2 years before applying.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Starkilla09

[Marzena & Stephen 544]

20 minutes ago, Luluwynn said:

Hey everyone,

 

I have tried so hard to do my own research in regards to trying to get a work permit for the US but feel I am not getting anywhere! My boyfriend is American and we both work ski seasons over in Australia with each other. We have been together for nearly 1 year and I am hoping to join him at the end of the year over in Colorado to work a ski season for 6 months. 

 

Any advice on what we should do? I don't know if we can apply for a spouse sponsorship because we haven't lived together? Help!

This may help :

U.S. Temporary Non-Agricultural (H-2B) Visasare available for foreign workers in non-agricultural fields to work in the United States, given that there is an insufficient number of domestic laborers to fill the position. H-2B visas are generally used for jobs that are temporary, though not agricultural – for example, jobs at ski mountains, hotels, beach resorts, or amusement parks.

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

13 minutes ago, Starkilla09 said:

. You can’t just get a work permit to come work at a ski resort. 

Plenty of people do exactly that, I believe using the seasonal H2B visas mentioned by the previous poster. They are not long term work visas like H1s, Ls or Os.

if I understand correctly the process still works that the employer offers the job and sponsors the visa, so OP and boyfriend should probably apply directly to ski resorts.

Edited March 30, 2018 by SusieQQQ

[Marzena & Stephen 544]

28 minutes ago, Luluwynn said:

 have tried so hard to do my own research 

You can learn some more here :

https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/h-2b-temporary-non-agricultural-workers

[Coco8 1,042]

There are work and travel programs, and you might be able to use a J1. Or an H2B like it was mentioned above.

[Going through 5,671]

4 hours ago, Luluwynn said:

I don't know if we can apply for a spouse sponsorship because we haven't lived together?

You can only do a spouse visa (CR-1) if you two are actually married.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

4 hours ago, Coco8 said:

There are work and travel programs, and you might be able to use a J1. Or an H2B like it was mentioned above.

I was thinking the same thing because my niece is here on a J1 visa working.

[EmilyW 1,505]

Australians are eligible for an E3 visa: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/e-3-certain-specialty-occupation-professionals-australia

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

2 hours ago, EmilyW said:

Australians are eligible for an E3 visa: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/e-3-certain-specialty-occupation-professionals-australia

For working on a ski resort though?

[Boiler 45,898]

6 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

For working on a ski resort though?

No, lots of ski resorts where I am employ those from down under, but they are closing in a few weeks.

 

E3 is however a good option for Aussies in the round.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Boiler

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

No, lots of ski resorts where I am employ those from down under, but they are closing in a few weeks.

Of course, but she's talking about the next winter season, not now

 

16 hours ago, Luluwynn said:

I am hoping to join him at the end of the year over in Colorado to work a ski season

 

Edited March 30, 2018 by SusieQQQ

[dentsflogged 352]

21 hours ago, Luluwynn said:

Hey everyone,

 

I have tried so hard to do my own research in regards to trying to get a work permit for the US but feel I am not getting anywhere! My boyfriend is American and we both work ski seasons over in Australia with each other. We have been together for nearly 1 year and I am hoping to join him at the end of the year over in Colorado to work a ski season for 6 months. 

 

Any advice on what we should do? I don't know if we can apply for a spouse sponsorship because we haven't lived together? Help!

Just FYI there's no such thing as a de-facto spouse option in the US the way that there is in Australia - if you are going for a visa based on a relationship with your partner, you must be engaged and intend to marry within 90 days of entry, or already married.