To wonder how many English folk move to USA successfully?

[BandOfOses]

It’s my dream, my obsession if you like ... how many English folk do you reckon emigrate successfully to America?

We went for a few years, for DH's job. We were only able to go because his employer sponsored him. It was a great experience but also came with many challenges (homesickness, culture shock, bureaucracy, health insurance woes and me having to sacrifice my career to make it work).

Apart from the legal considerations, you'd need to be going to a very well paid job to have a decent standard of living. Life in the US (in the larger cities, anyway) doesn't come cheap.

I went but I'm Welsh Lived there most of my adult life and now back in UK, It's a lot harder now than when I went. Unless you marry an American, or have a skilled shortage career, or a lot of money to invest in a business that will employ some US citizens, you are SOL.
Do you have grandparents who are Irish? You could get Irish passports and go with the green card lottery. British aren't eliglible for it, but other nationalities are.

Which part of America? How long have you been obsessed with the idea of this?

I’ve been obsessed with this since I can remember but more so past couple of years. I visit every year. Have my heart set on Arizona

I am in the US and I know several english familys who are emigrants to the US. Apparently it is one of the biggest national immigrant groups (which kind of surprised me). They all seem happy and fine.

I would start by asking yourself why you want to go to the US. It is a great place to live in many ways but it isn't like the movies (both good and bad bits) and it is very very different to the UK. Also different areas of the US are as unalike as Germany is from Ireland. Could you plan a really good dream road trip holiday there?

It’s our goal and the only way it will happen is to ‘buy’ the green card by investing in a business and employing staff. It really is part of our goals and we are working towards saving the $1m needed.

1 million pounds/dollars to emigrate to the US @Princessmushroom am I reading that correctly?

My son has lived in USA for 12 years and has young children. He loves his job and life style but he and his wife are condtantly worried about gun crime and school incidents.

I want to but I looked it up and we aren’t eligible.

My DB did it.

Learnt his trade in the British Army and then put his CV on t’internet. Was headhunted by a company in San Francisco, they sponsored him, sorted accommodation etc and a huge wage packet. He then moved to LA and now earns a six figure salary.

I would do it in a heartbeat if I was as clever etc as him.

The route we can take requires investing into a business and it’s $1m (dollars not pounds). I’m not looking to be employed again (we run our own business) and already married so this is our only option.

We have come to the US and live in a liberal state. Been here over a year and have another four to go as a work programme for my husband.

It is a massive change in culture. More so than we could ever imagine.

The cost of living is really high, REALLY high. A quick supermarket trip for some bread, milk and a couple of bits and pieces can easily cost $70.

The outlook on life is very different. It’s almost cultlike in the belief that all things American are superior and Americans can achieve anything they want. That’s interesting to be around. The support for military is brilliant but then you get people who want to sing Trump’s praises non stop.

The road laws have been confusing as are the insurance and medical cover.

We have found that people don’t try to help you out, for example you call to speak to someone but you get put through to the wrong. instead of offering to transfer you they will say that you have the wrong office and have a nice day then hang up. The bureaucracy is on another level. Nobody takes ownership of anything and you can speak to someone about something, call back an hour later and speak to the same person who will claim not to know anything about it.

Setting up bank accounts and getting TV licenses etc takes time and you don’t get a credit score for around 12 months and so you need to have access to cash to get yourself set up.

The gun culture is a massive shock. To see people in the play park with a handgun on open view on their hip really is breathtaking. People have them open carry in the supermarket etc. It’s scary but really makes you think about beeping the car horn at people!

There is so much we miss about the UK, we can’t wait to come home.

Our neighbors are lovely and we have made friends that way but it can be quite hard to meet people.

The houses are fabulous, so much more space and well designed, upstairs laundry rooms for example.

Transport is different, where we live there are no trains and the public busses are used by homeless people as a shelter. They are not a form of transport used commonly, everyone drives all the time.

It is a good thing to experience but it really is tough and I don’t think we would do it again if we knew what it would really be like.

Quizacabusi talking of gun culture I have a forum friend from Texas and for a while I was quite envious. Then one day she said "there were some strangers across the street yesterday so my husband got his gun out to point at them but it turned out they were only workmen."

I said, "You what?!"

We live on a quiet housing estate and don't often see people we don't know. But if we do my thoughts are

1. They are visiting some neighbours
2. They're off for a naice walk
3. They're workmen
4. They might need help.

At no point has my first thought ever been I might need to shoot them.

It really brought the American gun culture home to me.

Not trying to put you off, OP!

What's so great about AZ, OP?
How do you envision living there, what work would you do, what kind of home? Do you have kids -- what would their lives be like?

I live in Texas. We won’t be here forever and will be returning to the UK but know lots of British families who are permanently resident quite happily.

You need a very large salary though and great job security to make up for the lack of the NHS. We have really excellent company health insurance and it still costs money on top for every appointment as well as for any tests and prescriptions.

One friend’s D.C. needed an ambulance after an accident. It cost $4000 alone for the call out. That’s not including the cost of the treatment, xrays, overnight stay etc when she actually got to the hospital.

Another friend’s DC’s appendix op cost $50k. Their (very good) insurance only covered £40k of that.

Costs for food really surprised me when we first moved out supermarket shopping and eating out is a more expensive than the U.K. as are books and clothes.

We send our D.C. to local state schools and they are excellent but we pay about $200 each year for school supplies.

I love Texas, we are enjoy living here but wouldn’t choose to stay permanently. I certainly wouldn’t put my D.C. in an American high school.

Why Arizona particularly? There’s lots of beautiful scenery in parts but Phoenix is a big flat, hot bowl of nothingness filled with elderly Canadians. It’s interesting to visit but I wouldn’t think of living there...

Quizacabusi
I read your post and thought preach sister!
The culture shock is unreal.

I went out to NY for a short-midterm work assignment and it was a big wake up call/slap in the face, up until that point is been v keen to move there now I avoid making NY trips unless I really have to.

Also I’ve spent a lot of time in AZ of all the USA it wouldn’t be top of my pops but horses for courses...🤷‍♀️

People I know who have done it have quite niche jobs and have been sponsored by companies to work there.

I've dual nationality,OP, along with my son and d-in-l.and grandchild.
Our US home is in NC,.
Unfortunately, because of my degenerative health status and the lack of free health provisions equal to that here, I'm resigned to living the rest of my life here in England with no more trips/stays there.
Bad days,when I'm really NC homesick, I've got James Taylor's Carolina in my Mind playing on a loop- LOUD!
Gun culture - I can remember having a WTF moment when I first saw the 'It's illegal to carry concealed weapons' sign at our local Farmers Market.

Arizona is beautiful. I have taken my family to visit relatives in Phoenix twice. They were bowled over. It's the complete opposite of Britain.