Emigrating to the USA

Are you thinking about emigrating to the USA? Emigration is a big step that requires a lot of effort and preparation, so make sure you do your research beforehand on the country itself and about living and working there. What can you expect to have to deal with when you emigrate to the USA? We will help you with your considerations and give you helpful tips.

The United States is known as the land of opportunity: from dishwasher to millionaire. Everything is possible in the USA. But is that all really true? Why should you emigrate to the USA?

A big advantage is the English language. As a world language, most people speak enough to get by in the USA. But be careful: a smattering of everyday English is usually not enough to get on well in a work environment in the USA. For this, you will need to acquire better working knowledge and subject-specific vocabulary.

The USA offers a wide range of opportunities, both in the job market and in private life. Regardless of what job you are looking for, you are likely to find it in the USA. Do you want to live at the coast? No problem! Or would you prefer to be in the mountains? In a big city? No problem either! Do you want warm temperatures all year round? This is also possible in the USA. You see, no matter what environment or climate you want, you are likely to find it in the USA.  

So, the options in the USA are truly countless, but you will still have to make it from dishwasher to millionaire under your own steam.

Are you now convinced of the advantages that the United States can offer you? Then it is important to be aware of the requirements you have to fulfil in order to be able to emigrate there.

• Visa
  For permanent residence in the USA, you need a Green Card. You can obtain this either via the well-known “Green Card Lottery”, i.e. a draw, or you might be entitled to a Green Card through your family, workplace, etc.
• Flawless police certificate
  You have to be able to present a flawless police certificate upon request.
• Financial stability
  Upon request, you must also be able to demonstrate that you have adequate financial resources for your life in the USA.
• Medical examination
  During the application process, you will need to undergo a medical examination.

As mentioned above, you will need a visa that entitles you to permanent residence: in the USA, this is the Green Card. The well-known “Green Card Lottery” is not the only way to obtain one; it is also possible to apply for a Green Card if you have a job in the USA.

• Green Card Lottery
  In addition to the above requirements, there is generally just one more that you need to fulfil for the Green Card Lottery: you need at least a secondary school diploma or two years of professional experience in the last five years. 55,000 Green Cards are allocated annually through this lottery.

• Green Card through a job in the USA
  Another option is to qualify for the “Green Card through employment”. This option targets persons with extraordinary ability in particular:
  Individuals with extraordinary abilities (EB-1A)
  • Outstanding professors and researchers, managers and executives (EB-1B)
  • Persons with advanced academic degrees and/or exceptional ability (EB-2)
  • Skilled workers, freelancers, other workers (EB-3)
  • Special immigrants and clergy (EB-4)
  • Investors (EB-5)

To find out more about the different Green Cards, it is best to take a look at the website of the US government.

If you want to emigrate to the United States, you should definitely know some key facts and information about the country and life there.  

The USA extends over 9.8 million square kilometres and thus also over four different time zones. There are 345 million people living in the United States, making it one of the largest countries in the world. In the USA, everything is simply bigger than in Europe – roads, cars, food packaging, etc.

The bus, train and air network in the USA is well developed. Some major cities also have underground rail systems. But the country is also known for its huge highways. If you want to drive in the USA, you should get an international driver's licence, as an EU driver's licence is tolerated by most states, but not by all. In the USA, you will drive on the right, but different traffic rules apply in different states. Find out exactly what rules apply in the state to which you want to emigrate.  

Tip: The Federal Foreign Office also recommends staying calm during traffic checks, putting your hands on the steering wheel and staying seated until the police officers are with you.

Compulsory schooling in the United States differs from state to state. It begins either at the age of five, six or seven and continues until at least the age of sixteen. In exceptional cases, parents are also allowed to teach their children at home in “homeschooling” if, for example, the way to school would be too far. Most children and young people travel to school with the well-known yellow school bus. All schools are all-day schools. Normal lessons take place in the mornings. This is followed by a longer lunch break, with elective subjects usually taught in the afternoons. There are both public and private schools in the USA. However, most children go to public schools, which are financed by taxpayers’ money, just like in Germany.

The school system in the USA is structured as follows:

• Nursery school
  Children from the age of three attend a nursery school (or day care, preschool). However, parents have to arrange this privately.
• Elementary school or primary school
  Elementary or primary school covers the first to the fourth, fifth, sixth or eighth grade and can be compared to the German primary school. The first grade is also called “kindergarten” in the USA.
• Junior high and middle school (6th-8th grade)
  After primary school, children can transfer to a junior high school or a middle school. Junior high school and middle school are similar to the model of a comprehensive school: all students attend the same classes, there are no different performance levels. In middle school, there is more focus on social skills, while in junior high school there is more focus on academic performance.
• High school (9th-12th grade)
  After the eighth grade, young people attend a high school. There, for the first time, they are divided into different performance levels. The difference to the German education system is that young people do not have to be at the same level in all subjects. They can attend some courses with a higher level of academic achievement and at the same time others at lower performance levels – depending on their strengths. In high school, students then also graduate and are thus released from compulsory schooling.
• College (from 18 years)
  Young people aiming for a university education then go on to attend a college. This prepares the young adults for university and is similar to the advanced courses in the German grammar school.

Not only the school system, but also the grading system differs from the German one. For example, grades do not range from one to six, but from A to F (but excluding E):

A = very good

B = good

C = satisfactory

D = sufficient

F = inadequate/failed

Fun fact: In the USA, ninth graders are referred to as “freshmen”, tenth graders as “sophomores”, eleventh graders as “juniors” and twelfth graders as “seniors”.

In the USA, you do not automatically have statutory health insurance like you do in Germany. And the cost of treatment is also relatively high compared to other countries. US citizens over the age of 65 receive support through Medicare and those below the poverty line receive support through Medicaid. Medical treatment, even in an emergency, must be paid for privately. However, a large part of the population is insured through their employers. Employers often offer private health insurance as a so-called benefit.  

Tip: You should definitely make sure that your employment contract includes health insurance as a benefit. The disadvantage is that your health insurance is therefore also tied to your employment contract.

Generally speaking, your working life in the USA will not be as regulated by law as it is in Germany. Employers are given more freedom in drafting contracts – not always to the advantage of employees.  

There is no legal entitlement to paid vacation or sick days. From a legal point of view, an employee would only be entitled to ten paid public holidays. Nor is there any statutory protection against dismissal like there is in Germany. There are no legal requirements as to how far in advance employers must inform their employees of a termination. However, in practice, it is usually the case that employees are informed in good time. One of the few things that is the same in the USA as it is in Germany is that a full-time working week comprises 40 hours.

Tip: Be particularly attentive when negotiating a contract and pay attention to the little details, because, for example, paid vacation and sick days are agreed individually, as are benefits such as health insurance. By the way, it is customary in the USA to take about ten paid vacation days.

Ultimately, of course, you will also have to look for accommodation in the United States. We also have some valuable information for you on this.

In a country as large as the United States, rental prices vary widely between states, regions, and cities. In general, it can be said that rents in cities like New York or San Francisco are more expensive than in rural areas. In the countryside, buying a house is often a good idea, as the prices for houses in the USA are often much cheaper than in Germany.  

If you are looking for a flat to rent, you should consider the following:  

• “1 bedroom” is a two-room flat
• “2 bedrooms” a three-room flat
• etc.

Many apartments are also rented fully or partially furnished. Ancillary costs are not included in most rents and if they are, they will be specified as “utilities”. When calculating the ancillary costs, you should always consider the climatic conditions. Even if you do not need heating, many flats in the USA have air conditioners, which can be extremely hard on electricity. You can rent accommodations “short-term”, for less than a month, or “long-term”, a year or longer. Some landlords also require you to take out “renters’ insurance”. This is similar to German liability insurance. If you want to rent a flat, you must be able to prove your “credit score”. Of course, this is a bit difficult if you have just arrived in the USA, so you will usually have to pay some rent in advance. However, some people who want to emigrate also get an American Express credit card about two years before they emigrate and can thus build up their credit score before emigrating.

To rent a flat, a residence permit and social security number, as well as proof of financial security and a job, are absolutely essential.

In the USA, anyone can buy real estate, regardless of whether you have a permanent residence permit or not. When buying a house or flat, it is common in the USA to go through a real estate agent.

You can find suitable properties here:

• zillow.com
• redfin.com
• mls.com
• trulia.com
• realtor.com

You now have all the information you need about the USA and want to prepare for your emigration? To this end, we have summarised all the important steps in a short checklist:  

• Check Green Card requirements
• Build financial reserves
• Prepare documents for visa
• Submit visa application

Got a Green Card? Congratulations!  

Now you can start getting prepared for the USA:  

• Search for a job in the USA
• Rent or buy a flat or house
• Apply for a tax number
• Prepare for the move