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On June 15, 2023, I spoke at The Developers Conference (TDC) Innovation—the Florianópolis edition—in the International Career track, presenting a talk titled “Careers in the U.S. in a Post-COVID World.” Watch the recording and view the slides here.
Thank you so much for joining us!!
And here I answer questions from the event:
1. What’s the most important lesson you learned only after moving to the U.S. that you wish you’d known before moving?
You’re very dependent on a green card. The H-1B work visa is valid for 6 years. After that, you need a permanent residency document—known as a green card—or you’ll have to leave the country. When you’ve had your visa for about 5 years, no company wants to hire you or sponsor your green card because the green card process takes about 2 years, so there wouldn’t be enough time. In addition, many companies don’t hire people with H-1B work visas due to legal restrictions, so the job market is already somewhat limited. Another point is that if you’re laid off from a company while on a work visa, you have only 60 days to find a new job; if you’re unable to do so, your options are: to switch your work visa to a visitor visa—which limits your stay in the country to 6 months per year—OR to leave the country. And one final point is that if your visa expires during those 6 years, you’ll need to return to Brazil to renew it. During the pandemic, the consulate was closed and my visa had expired; I was unable to leave the U.S. for 6 months because I wouldn’t have been able to return (since my visa had expired), and this can also be a problem if you have an emergency and need to leave the country.
For those arriving in the U.S., I strongly recommend prioritizing the green card process. The EB-2 NIW is a green card that professionals can apply for without being sponsored by an employer, and it typically takes less time than a green card applied for through an employer. If I had known this when I moved here, I definitely would have invested in this process, and today I would have much more freedom, independence, and less uncertainty.
2. Regarding the cost of living, what is the minimum amount needed to support a family of two adults and a 10-year-old child?
It depends a lot on where you live (and that also affects how much you earn, even if you work remotely).
Currently, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle are the most expensive cities and the ones that pay the highest salaries.
I live in a region called the Bay Area. It’s like the “San Francisco metropolitan area” and encompasses several cities (the cities there are quite small and often don’t even have neighborhoods).
Rent will be the biggest expense; here are some examples from the region where I live:
| Location – Type – People | Rent | Utilities (water, electricity, trash, internet) |
| Pleasanton 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment 2 adults, 1 child | $3,090.00 | $400.00 |
| Santa Clara 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment; 2 adults | $2,800.00 | $200.00 |
| Foster City House: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms , 2 adults | $3,500.00 | $400.00 |
Then there’s transportation, which will depend on whether you have an electric car or a gas-powered one (gas averages $5.00 per gallon —1 gallon is 3.785 liters—the Jeep gets about 20 miles per gallon), food (I spend about $400.00 a month), and leisure (I think at least $100 a month).
Here are some links that might be helpful:
- Article with my complete cost of living breakdown: https://testingwithrenata.com/blog/lifestlyle/meu-custo-de-vida-na-bay-area-califa/
- Houses/apartments for rent: https://www.zillow.com/
- California homebuyer incentive program: https://www.calhfa.ca.gov/homebuyer/programs/index.htm
- Cost of living comparison between two locations: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp
- Where to research salaries: https://www.levels.fyi/
3. Are there remote job opportunities in the region where you live for people living in the U.S.?
Yes. Remote work is available throughout the United States. Some companies can only hire from certain states due to legal restrictions (for example, I interviewed for a California-based company that hired people from California and five other states; people from Illinois were not eligible). But most companies hire nationwide. To be eligible, professionals must have a work visa or a green card.
4. Did you encounter any difficulties with how the team abroad received Brazilians?
No, I didn’t. But in my case, when I moved, I came through a consulting firm I had already worked for in Brazil, so I knew not only the people at that firm but also some members of the client’s team. I’d also been there several times before and knew the area very well. That helped me a bit, since it wasn’t all that new in terms of the physical location or the people I interacted with most in the beginning. There were many Brazilians at the company, and I think that was really good for my overall experience.
Here are some links that might be helpful:
- My visa process: https://testingwithrenata.com/blog/lifestlyle/my-visa-process/
- “Testando na Gringa” Spotify podcast: https://bit.ly/testando-na-gringa-15-renata-2023
- Interview with Rafaela Azevedo: https://azevedorafaela.com/2023/07/19/brazilian-qas-around-the-world-series-renata-andrade/
5. I’m Angolan, a PHP backend developer, and in September I’m moving to Brazil. From there, can I apply for the EB2-NIW?
Yes! When applying for the EB2-NIW, you need to choose whether to apply from within the U.S. or outside the U.S.—the process is slightly different for each option (with different costs and forms). But once you decide to apply from outside the U.S., you can apply from anywhere and move without any problems.
Here’s a more detailed post about the process: https://testingwithrenata.com/blog/career/como-mudar-para-os-estados-unidos-sem-depender-de-empresa-conheca-o-green-card-eb2-niw/
6. Do you want to live in another part of the U.S.? Or another country?
Yes and no, hahahahah. I LOVE San Francisco, and living there was a choice. I like the city’s nerdy vibe; I like the climate (even though it’s a little too cold for me); I like being close to nature, the desert, and the snow. The adjustment process was really tough for me—finding a doctor I trust, a grocery store, and brands of products I like, a gym, friends, and things to do—and I think I’m still adjusting. Even though I love experiencing other cultures and places, I think a real move won’t happen for many years (about 5 or more), because I’m not ready to expend all that energy again, you know. I want to enjoy where I am right now a little longer.
7. Are there job openings for Java Spring Boot?
This is a question I don’t have enough knowledge to answer. I’ve been working a lot with front-end and other back-end technologies. A common opinion among outsiders is that Java is still a very established technology; surveys generally mention Java as a language on the rise. So I believe the answer is yes. But it’s best to check with Java groups and people who actually work more closely with this technology.
On another note, I’ve noticed that Python has been growing a lot, especially with the development of Artificial Intelligence. But I don’t work directly with this technology either.
Here’s some content that might help with this question: https://bit.ly/notion-adplist-renata-andrade (in the “Resources – Career & Job Search” section)
8. Which website can we use to start the EB-2-NIW process? Or does it have to be requested through U.S. embassies?
The official website is that of USCIS. It contains all the guidelines, but since the process is very subjective, if you’re planning to apply on your own, it’s important to research the process a bit more.
In a nutshell, you need to have experience in the field (it doesn’t have to be limited to IT) and demonstrate “exceptional abilities,” which can include certifications, a high-impact project, and various other factors (a master’s degree also counts). This is really quite subjective, so it’s a good idea to read accounts from people who’ve already gone through the process or hire a consultant with experience in this type of green card.
Here’s a more detailed post about the process: https://testingwithrenata.com/blog/career/como-mudar-para-os-estados-unidos-sem-depender-de-empresa-conheca-o-green-card-eb2-niw/
That’s it, everyone! If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out.
The link to the recording is here: https://testingwithrenata.com/portfolio/tdc-innovation-carreira-internacional-2023/
