Studying for a Work Visa
polycounter lvl 18
Oh, look it's another "duh... should I go to tertiary school" thread. But wait, before you sigh and move on, this one is a little bit different to the norm.
We all know that university degrees are of very little value in getting a job in the industry. Acquiring a visa to work in another country is another story though. The general consensus is that you need either a degree (or masters in some cases) or ten years experience in your chosen field before they'll consider you for a working visa. That's how I understand it anyway.
Now me, I have two thirds of the most worthless multimedia design degree imaginable. I have a diploma from a generally well respected games development college. I have about six years games development experience. I'm at a point where, with the local industry in a shambles and likely to get worse as the price of the Australian dollar keeps on creeping further ahead of the US dollar, it makes sense to at least consider going back to school get the necessary qualifications to work in Europe or the US. I'd imagine I'd be able to skip a year or two with my previous education and industry experiences.
I'd like to get some opinions on any of this. You're not by any means the only folks I'm consulting about this, but I'm sure many of you are likely to have some useful thoughts. Good idea? Bad Idea? Personal experiences trying to work abroad? Or going back to school?
Cheers guys.
We all know that university degrees are of very little value in getting a job in the industry. Acquiring a visa to work in another country is another story though. The general consensus is that you need either a degree (or masters in some cases) or ten years experience in your chosen field before they'll consider you for a working visa. That's how I understand it anyway.
Now me, I have two thirds of the most worthless multimedia design degree imaginable. I have a diploma from a generally well respected games development college. I have about six years games development experience. I'm at a point where, with the local industry in a shambles and likely to get worse as the price of the Australian dollar keeps on creeping further ahead of the US dollar, it makes sense to at least consider going back to school get the necessary qualifications to work in Europe or the US. I'd imagine I'd be able to skip a year or two with my previous education and industry experiences.
I'd like to get some opinions on any of this. You're not by any means the only folks I'm consulting about this, but I'm sure many of you are likely to have some useful thoughts. Good idea? Bad Idea? Personal experiences trying to work abroad? Or going back to school?
Cheers guys.
Replies
One person who may be able to help you out with this is Catstyle, he's a UK resident who just got a job over in California and is therefore presumably quite familiar with the visa process.
I'm currently studying a degree in Architectural Design, about 3 quarters into it. The primary reason I'm doing that is for the possibility to work in the US later if I ever need/want to... and to have a possible fall back should the game art thing not work out.
I've looked into the visa thing on the embassy websites, for the US at least and I'm never sure what to think. It seems incredibly strict, and my understanding from reading the visa requirements is that you need a degree, an offer of work, and a viable reason as to why the company employing you should offer that job to you and not a US Citizen (if there's a shortage of that type of job candidate for example).
Alternatively, you could invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into a US company, or have family over there.
However, I know a couple of people, and there's been a few on here, who seem to get a job in the US, and quite happily move over there at short notice without any problems... so maybe the whole 'why should this job go to a non-US citizen' is slightly less relevant.
With regards to going back to school... I'll prewarn you, it's not easy. I was 22 when I started my degree and I do it part-time. The biggest problem of course is drop in salary and even less free time. If you're used to a full time salary, and especially if you have commitments like rent / family / cars, things can get a little difficult sometimes.
If I was you, I'd see if you could set up a meeting with the embassy and talk about your chances of getting a visa. You have a fair bit of industry experience, and some qualifications, I would've thought if you can secure a job offer beforehand, you'll stand a good chance.
Though i have finished a 4 year study, it is not considered a bacholar.
But from what i heard, if you finish a study in the US, it is a bacholar anyway.
But when i look at my options, for me personaly, I do not want to go back yet.
The schooling here is pethatic, and i do not wish to spend another 4 years with teachers that know little more, or even less in what they teach.
Like creation said, those information pages have a lot of information that sometimes can be confusing. What about truckdrivers and carpenters, i read sometime ago that those were needed and could get a work visa hop hop. They have a bacholar?
I've been drumming up a new portfolio and will apply in a few weeks, test the waters, cause there is a lot of asuming, and I want to know for sure i will get shot down, and not suddenly get that visa because i have a good offer.
A company will probably have some people walking around that have a good idea if I qualify, or they will not set forth a procedure.
And there is Canada, they work with a point system.
With education they should count the amount of years spend in school, so if that is finished/unfinished. You will score less here, but there are lots of points to be made up for. Specialy with 6 years of exp, you will score well.
Even my silly ass should be good on points already, so give that a look.
If not by trying to apply, school is the only option to get of that rock, i would consider it yeah. Do ask the local embassy for some clearafication before committing to a long term school program.
While for me in the UK there should be no problem finding work, most companies Im interested are outside the EU which makes it pretty hard for me to even hear anything back.
But going back to school for me is no option, as spending huge amounts of money on that just for adegree where I will probably learn nothing from isn't worth it.
1 year of univ equals 3 years of professional experience. (Which is pretty fucking stupid, it should be the other way around)
If you have incomplete univ time and some professional experience, you should be alright.
There's always a O1 though, even though those are pretty rare. A O1 is a work visa given to those with extraordinary talent if you prove you're valuable and it's hard to find someone like you inside the US. You've given interviews, publications, awards, talks, etc, etc.
Obviously, a good attorney pays a very important role on this. Big studios in the US always have good attorneys to help them bring talent from overseas.
Wow, I didn't know that; that is rather stupid.
By that logic I have 11 years professional experience, meaning I started working when I was 15... when in reality I have none!