A friend of a friend once won the lottery. The Green Card lottery. Suddenly, she was booking her flight, next stop the United States, where she was going to do something we'd all dreamed about since graduating from uni.
Only a lucky few (50,000 people worldwide each year) are given the chance to work in the US on a Green Card. Others compete for the 65,000 global H-1B working visas available every year. The rest of us take off on working holidays, possibly doing a summer camp stint in the US, or stopping in one of the 21 countries that issue working holiday visas (most popular are Britain and Canada) to fund the fun you have overseas.
But what good is that if you've put the past decade into your career? Shouldn't working overseas be the icing on the cake in terms of how you're perceived in the local labour market?
Well, now it can be, thanks to a significant change in US working visas. It's called the E-3 visa, and it came into effect in September 2005. The best part about this visa is that it's just for Australians, created as part of the Free Trade Agreement.
"The E-3 visa is intended to enhance and facilitate economic and trade ties between the two countries," says Suzanne Lawrence, country consular co-ordinator for the US Consulate-General in Sydney, "to build an economic bridge and create even more trade, investment and activity between the US and Australia."
There are 10,500 E-3 visas up for grabs each year. With this visa, you and your spouse can live and work in the US for up to two years, although once you have one, the E-3 visa can be renewed indefinitely in two-year blocks.
But there are some restrictions on who is eligible.
"The E-3 visa is for tertiary-qualified people who already have work experience; possibly at least three or four years since they graduated with their degree," says Simon Tobin, associate director of Michael Page Finance.
They must also qualify in a "specialty occupation" which, Lawrence says, "is a little hard to understand as there's no specific list". But it requires a theoretical and practical body of knowledge in a particular field, with tertiary education as a minimum for entry.
"The requirement is necessarily vague because every circumstance is unique and it's the consulate officer's job to match up the job, the qualifications and the person. This is to the applicant's advantage. The idea is to give people the opportunity to do something that is desirable to both countries."
And if you don't have a degree? You'd need a huge amount of experience in a particular field because in the eyes of the US , "a four-year degree equals 12 years' experience in one occupation. So you would need that, plus other experience in that field, and then it's still up to the consulate to make a judgement," Lawrence says.
Tobin is excited by the opportunities the E-3 visa gives Australians."It's a direct indication of US interest in Australian white-collar professionals," he says. "The US is starting to recognise [it has] a shortage of talent that other parts of the world can supplement."
If your company is US-based, you can organise work opportunities directly through your company. Other white-collar professionals should contact a recruitment firm to search on their behalf.
"There is strong demand for auditors, investment bankers, general finance professionals and lawyers," Tobin says.
THE LOWDOWN ON THE E-3 VISA
* For more information, see canberra.usembassy.gov/sydney and click on Visas to the US or phone the information lines, 1902941641 (24 hours, charges apply) or 1800687844 (9am-5pm, charges apply).
* Contact the Sydney office of the US Consulate-General on 93739200 and make an appointment to see them at Level 10, MLC Centre. 19-29 Martin Place.
* Take your labour certification, academic qualifications, a valid passport and a letter from your prospective employer. The application takes about two weeks to process.
* The fee for the visa is $US100 ($130), which can be paid at any post office.
* To qualify you must be an Australian citizen with a legitimate offer of employment in the US. The position must qualify as "specialty occupation employment".
