Why immigrate to the US?

[tracy]

. One way or another tracy over one million people obtain a "green card" every year. I don't profess to know the details of immigration, but I know numbers.

According to your site:
Since 2000, 10.3 million immigrants have arrived — the highest seven-year period of immigration in U.S. history. More than half of post-2000 arrivals (5.6 million) are estimated to be illegal aliens.

So in the last 7 years, about 4.7 million people have immigrated here legally. It's a good number. It isn't huge though and it isn't over one million people a year unless I'm really bad at math.

 

[tracy]

This is one part of your link that really interests me:
The poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) is 17 percent, nearly 50 percent higher than the rate for natives and their children.

So, if my math is right, the US poverty rate would be around 12%. That 5% difference doesn't seem huge to me. I've been amazed at how people here can raise entire families on a lot less than I make as a single person. I can't even imagine how they budget for it considering the high cost of living here. They're willing to live with a lot less stuff than I am.

 

[no color]

I just don't see any reason to pretend we are still open like we were 60 years ago. I'm going through the process and there are basically 3 ways to get a greencard for me: 1. marry an American 2. Be a refugee 3. Be sponsored by my employer in a field that can't find enough American workers. 1 and 2 aren't too realistic for most people, so unless you have family that can sponsor you, you're pretty much left with #3 (unless you're from one of the "diversity countries" elligible for the lotto). #3 takes some form of education.

There are other ways to get a green card as well. You can immigrate to open up a business, can seek asylum, can immigrate as a Cuban citizen, can graduate from a US medical school (yes, this entitles you to a green card), are an athelete moving to the US from any country, someone working for the church, someone working as an actor or in the entertainment industry ...etc). This list goes on.

If you work for a company that exists in the US and Canada, you can also immigrate through company transfer. While living in the US I met a guy from Quebec who worked for AVIS rent-a-car (customer service) and had moved to the US simply by asking for a transfer.

The options that you have are also limited to your country of origin. For example, you cannot claim refugee status if you are from Canada. On the other hand, a good portion of the immigrants from Sudan either come as refugees or through the diversity lottery.

 

[Praxius]

Praxius,

Whether or not you are anti-American, it doesn't make a hell of a difference to me, but don't sit behind your keyboard and tell me you're spreading around CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Constructive criticism is analyzing a problem and providing an opinion on how to fix it, not comparing the "ills" of one country to the "success" of another in a condescending manner. You have done this repeatedly throughout your posts in this thread. You want constructive criticism? Offer a solution, because comparing ie. our health care "systems" when you rank just above ours is not exactly constructive.

Wow, I know.

How about next time you read some of my posts next time and see some of the solutions I either explain or imply. They're pretty obvious and if they're not, then that is not my problem.

And you're right, it shouldn't matter if I am anti-american or want to get you all up the arse due to some fetish..... so don't label me as such, esspecially when you haven't a clue as to my positions.

BTW, don't ever tell me to STFU, you have no such authority around here. If you don't want people telling what you're saying, then turn off the sarcasm and condescending tones.

Never claimed I had the authority.... once again, READ what is written and nothing more. You end up making things more, well like this. More then what it should be.

Perhaps you like confrontation or something, I don't know.

I asked you to STFU because I would much rather debate what the debate is about..... not get into this peddily tripe of personal acusations and you pointing the finger at me for something I am not. It is getting derailed as it continues.

Therefore I will not, and continue on the topic at hand.

 

[Praxius]

I have to correct myself...

But this was your direct quote when you were talking about that silly notion of the US invading Canada that seems to pop up in here every so often.

Here is your quote...

If the US did try to invade Canada, I sure wouldn't mind taking a sniper rifle to a few pig headed neo-nazi invaders. (oops there I go again with that rude Canadian attitude... I'm terribly sorry)

I added the blue font.

Ah yes thank you for quoting that.

As you can see, if you read directly what has been said and how:

IF - (If value is equal or greater >)

....The US attempted to invade Canada (For whatever reason, as I don't honestly accept invasions, only defense of a country.).....

Then - (Then the response would be the following >)

..... I sure wouldn't mind taking a sniper rifle to a few pig headed neo-nazi invaders.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now let's lay it all out:

If the US, the UK, Iceland, or any other country invaded my country, then I would give them the same attitude of them being neo-nazi invaders and I wouldn't shed a tear driving a bullet into their skulls. The topic was a war between the US and Canada, a thread which was supposed to be intended to be comical but also somewhat statistically true..... perhaps educational.

But someone in the thread took offense and got all pissy and personal and then the thread carried onto where you quoted above.

If you guys invaded Canada, you would be Pig headed Neo Nazis.... you haven't yet, therefore you are not pig headed neo-nazis.

And as you might have also noticed in the brackets, what was said was also on purpose due to Canadian Attitude being thrown into the topic of us being know it alls and what not.

I hope that explains things more clearly. Once again..... the argument in that thread was because someone didn't read the sentance properly...... something which I have mentioned previously in this thread too.

 

[tracy]

There are other ways to get a green card as well. You can immigrate to open up a business, can seek asylum, can immigrate as a Cuban citizen, can graduate from a US medical school (yes, this entitles you to a green card), are an athelete moving to the US from any country, someone working for the church, someone working as an actor or in the entertainment industry ...etc). This list goes on.

If you work for a company that exists in the US and Canada, you can also immigrate through company transfer. While living in the US I met a guy from Quebec who worked for AVIS rent-a-car (customer service) and had moved to the US simply by asking for a transfer.

The options that you have are also limited to your country of origin. For example, you cannot claim refugee status if you are from Canada. On the other hand, a good portion of the immigrants from Sudan either come as refugees or through the diversity lottery.

All of those other than Cubans, lotto winners and asylum seekers (or refugees) are employer based greencards like I have to apply for. It's not a whole new class of immigration, it's all covered in #3. It's still about what skill you can bring to the country. Fortunately for me, I have a skill that is in demand. I'm not upset that it's the reason I'm allowed to live here. I just find it odd that people seem to think the US would be eager to accept me if I was poor uneducated and wretched. They'll take me because I am educated and have work experience they need (and even then the process is not easy, cheap or fast).

 

[Westerner]

With all the anti-American posts on this forum it makes me wonder why the US is still the number one choice of most would-be immigrants around the world.

Well considering it has one of the highest standards of living in the world I could see why many people would want to live there. If it was easier to immigrate too I probably would try living there for a while myself. The reason why people do not move around too much is because it is a huge inconvenience. You are really having to start over which for some people that is what they want to do but for most it is more trouble than it is worth.

 

[I think not]

According to your site:
Since 2000, 10.3 million immigrants have arrived — the highest seven-year period of immigration in U.S. history. More than half of post-2000 arrivals (5.6 million) are estimated to be illegal aliens.

So in the last 7 years, about 4.7 million people have immigrated here legally. It's a good number. It isn't huge though and it isn't over one million people a year unless I'm really bad at math.

One million people a year tracy, one million. I'll say it again, one million people a year obtain a green card in the US. Many are in your situation, already here and recieve a chaange of status. That's one million tourists, workers, special visas and "off the boat" immigrants obtain a green card. There a currently around thirty seven million legal immigrants in the US, figure about another twenty million illegal.

This is one part of your link that really interests me:
The poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) is 17 percent, nearly 50 percent higher than the rate for natives and their children.

So, if my math is right, the US poverty rate would be around 12%. That 5% difference doesn't seem huge to me. I've been amazed at how people here can raise entire families on a lot less than I make as a single person. I can't even imagine how they budget for it considering the high cost of living here. They're willing to live with a lot less stuff than I am.

You're still thinking like a west coast gal. :smile:

Ever been to the midwest? Forget the midwest. Ever been to Buffalo, New York? You buy a single family house with 30,000. Go to the midwest, fifteen thousand for a single family.

The cost of living is reduced astronomically.

 

[tracy]

:lol:

One million people a year tracy, one million. I'll say it again, one million people a year obtain a green card in the US. Many are in your situation, already here and recieve a chaange of status. That's one million tourists, workers, special visas and "off the boat" immigrants obtain a green card. There a currently around thirty seven million legal immigrants in the US, figure about another twenty million illegal.



You're still thinking like a west coast gal. :smile:

Ever been to the midwest? Forget the midwest. Ever been to Buffalo, New York? You buy a single family house with 30,000. Go to the midwest, fifteen thousand for a single family.

The cost of living is reduced astronomically.

:lol: I have been to Buffalo actually. It's where I wrote my US nursing exam since it was the closest testing center to Toronto where I was living at the time.... I did it in February. Needless to say I believe it's worth the cost of living to be out here

 

[I think not]

:lol:

:lol: I have been to Buffalo actually. It's where I wrote my US nursing exam since it was the closest testing center to Toronto where I was living at the time.... I did it in February. Needless to say I believe it's worth the cost of living to be out here

Can't argue with that. :smile:

 

[Blackleaf]

With all the anti-American posts on this forum it makes me wonder why the US is still the number one choice of most would-be immigrants around the world. Are the put-down-the-US-at-all-costs and the everything-wrong-in-the-world-is-the-fault-of-the-US crowds right or are they missing something?

Absolute claptrap.

Canada is the number one destination for immigrants, per capita in the world. Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Luxembourg also receive more, per capita, than the United States.

Measuring immigration on a per capita basis is more accurate than measuring it in sheer numbers.

 

[Blackleaf]

The U.S. is just the biggest country out there accepting immigrants and possibly their standards are lower. Who knows?

Nope. China and India are the biggest countries accepting immigrants.

 

[no color]

All of those other than Cubans, lotto winners and asylum seekers (or refugees) are employer based greencards like I have to apply for. It's not a whole new class of immigration, it's all covered in #3. It's still about what skill you can bring to the country. Fortunately for me, I have a skill that is in demand. I'm not upset that it's the reason I'm allowed to live here. I just find it odd that people seem to think the US would be eager to accept me if I was poor uneducated and wretched. They'll take me because I am educated and have work experience they need (and even then the process is not easy, cheap or fast).

Interesting point. However for some employment based fields like the Mexican agricultural workers, no education is required. There are also programs in some cities like Phoenix, Tuscon, Nogales ...) that hire Mexican citizens for city work outdoors. These Mexican immigrants eventually obtain their green cards, many of whom have very little education. I would guess that most Mexican citizens who legally move to the US do so with little education. As a Canadian, you can also immigrate with little education. I knew an individual who moved south from Canada and opened up a company to install sprinkler systems.

So in a nutshell, if you have little education and if you really want to immigrate to the US, there is always a way if you put effort into the paperwork (and have a good lawyer).

p.s. I still think (just by observation) that when we look at all of the legal immigrants that enter the US every year including the asylum seekers and refugees, the uneducated immigrants surely number more than 1/3 of the total count.

 

[unclepercy]

Exactly

Here are the differences

- No universal medicare.
- No listening to Quebec complaining all the time
- No whining Premiers conferences
- No hockey as the lead on the sports networks
- The money is a different colour.
- Its warmer.

For day to day living, thats about it.

The day to day living experience in England is 10x greater for a Canadian than living in America, and the differences between England and Canada aren't particularly great.

Oops, Toro, you forgot they measure gas in liters. :roll: I mean - come on - Dr. Pepper comes in a 2 liter. What next? Gas by the eye dropper?

Uncle

 

[unclepercy]

Outlook is different if you are starving to death in a war zone or living in one of ther best countries in the world with universal healthcare and a friend to evryone foreign policy. The US looks great from a southern Sudan view. From southern Ontario it does not look as rosy. The US is dead last on my list of English speaking, European or even some Asian and African countries as a place to move too. Not different enough, not exicting enough, not liberal enough, too capitalistic for my personal tastes.

Awww, now, Rommy, you have hurt my feelings. :-(

But, looking at it from a positive viewpoint, we never wanted you in the first place. Aren't you a bit arrogant to assume that you would be accepted here? I mean our standards might well rule you out.

Uncle

 

[tracy]

Interesting point. However for some employment based fields like the Mexican agricultural workers, no education is required. There are also programs in some cities like Phoenix, Tuscon, Nogales ...) that hire Mexican citizens for city work outdoors. These Mexican immigrants eventually obtain their green cards, many of whom have very little education. I would guess that most Mexican citizens who legally move to the US do so with little education. As a Canadian, you can also immigrate with little education. I knew an individual who moved south from Canada and opened up a company to install sprinkler systems.

So in a nutshell, if you have little education and if you really want to immigrate to the US, there is always a way if you put effort into the paperwork (and have a good lawyer).

p.s. I still think (just by observation) that when we look at all of the legal immigrants that enter the US every year including the asylum seekers and refugees, the uneducated immigrants surely number more than 1/3 of the total count.

The vast majority of agricultural workers are not here legally. I don't understand how you can consider people who have come here against the law as representative of government policy.

A good lawyer is nice, but nothing takes the place of a skill that's in demand.

 

[no color]

The vast majority of agricultural workers are not here legally. I don't understand how you can consider people who have come here against the law as representative of government policy.

A good lawyer is nice, but nothing takes the place of a skill that's in demand.

I am 100% certain that there was (and probably still is) several programs for Mexicans to move and work in the US for numerous jobs. I am also 100% certain that outdoor related work was one of those programs sponsored by the government. As I recall we had about half a dozen programs for different types of jobs that consisted mainly of manual labor.

Here's a site I found ... http://www.usamex.org/

There are other programs as well ...

 

[karrie]

Awww, now, Rommy, you have hurt my feelings. :-(

But, looking at it from a positive viewpoint, we never wanted you in the first place. Aren't you a bit arrogant to assume that you would be accepted here? I mean our standards might well rule you out.

Uncle

Now why on earth would what Rom said hurt your feelings? He wouldn't want to move because, as a Canadian the US is "Not different enough, not exicting enough, not liberal enough, too capitalistic for my personal tastes."

From what I've seen americans pride themselves on being capitalists. They don't want to be as liberal as Canada. And that it's not different or exciting enough is just bound to happen when we share media systems and much of our culture.

Why on earth would it be worthy of a personal attack to hear that someone doesn't want to live in the US, especially when they qualified it with such terms as 'for my personal taste'?

 

[Praxius]

Now why on earth would what Rom said hurt your feelings? He wouldn't want to move because, as a Canadian the US is "Not different enough, not exicting enough, not liberal enough, too capitalistic for my personal tastes."

From what I've seen americans pride themselves on being capitalists. They don't want to be as liberal as Canada. And that it's not different or exciting enough is just bound to happen when we share media systems and much of our culture.

Why on earth would it be worthy of a personal attack to hear that someone doesn't want to live in the US, especially when they qualified it with such terms as 'for my personal taste'?

*shrugs*

I dunno... that's all I did originally and I got flacked myself. I just explained the differences I see, that I do not personally care for their health care system, that most seem to feel owning a firearm is a good thing and actually prevents crimes, that capitalism seems to overrule democracy, the appearance of their government as being untouchable and uncontrollable, where they seem to be able to do as they please regardless of the majority of public opinion opposing, and the government's continual dishing out of lies and contradictions all at the same time, hardly ever accepting or acknowleging any wrong doing on their part.... either that or it's always someone else's fault.

No matter how similar our music, our tv, movies, cars, driving on the right side of the road, whatever there is, there is a different mentality within each country that can not be ignored. If we were so identical, then we wouldn't be divided between two countries now would we?

 

[lone wolf]

TV culture is glossing over some of those differences - but on a gut level, there's just something about the "me" factor that keeps us apart.

Woof!