Famous Russian sound engineer Artem Nuzhin, who worked on the largest TV projects in Russia and opened his production in Los Angeles, talks about the life of a Russian family in the United States and career opportunities for Russians in America.

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Before realizing that these professions are within your power and you don't need to learn some complicated programming language, think about the documents. The most important are Social Security Number and Work Permit. Perhaps the most important distinguishing feature is the attitude to work in America and Russia. In the United States, any profession is respected, so ordinary Americans have been working as waiters or salesmen in a local supermarket for decades.

Taxi driver

Taxi jobs are suitable for young people under 25-30 who love cars and are willing to spend some time studying cities and laws in the United States. To become a taxi driver, you need: SSN, Work Permit and American license.

1) This is a very lengthy process that will take a lot of time and effort. I recommend to go to the DMV (US Department of Motor Vehicles) and take a book about traffic rules in America in Russian, the book is given out free of charge. You will need to study it in detail, because the traffic rules in the United States are fundamentally different from the rules in Russia.

2) You should make an appointment in advance for the submission of documents, because if you come after the fact, you can lose 3-5 hours in the queue, which is not very pleasant.

There are two options for working as a taxi driver. Classical- officially get a job in a taxi company and be one of the drivers of those yellow cars that we all remember from the TV series. But in Los Angeles there are less and less of them, which I cannot say about New York. Modern an option is to work with the help of applications that almost everyone has nowadays. Unlike many countries in the world, Uber is hugely popular in the United States, it is highly developed and performs better than in other countries. Only drivers with 1 year or more driving experience in the USA can register in it.

Working as a taxi driver, you can earn about 3000 $ per month, if you rent an apartment with someone and economically spend the remaining money, then it is quite possible to live on this amount.

Actor

In the United States, the film industry is incredibly developed, almost every day in downtown Los Angeles or in the surrounding area you can see a movie being shot.

The leading agency that allows you to sign up for extras is Central Casting. But again, remember item 1 - documents are above all. First, you need to go to their website to look at the working hours and the day of receipt of documents. Arrive at 4 in the morning on the specified day, defend a huge queue of applicants, of which about 100-120 people will eventually be admitted, since from the moment of opening the selection of applicants takes about 2-3 hours.

If you managed to slip through at this time, then you got into their base, if not, then come another day. All the necessary data are entered into the database, including your mobile phone and free dates. Then you just wait for a message with a job offer, which will come the evening before the day of shooting. The message will contain instructions on when and where you should be.

Extras are divided into 2 types: union and non-union... Non-union is the first stage of work in the crowd, where you can get about 2000 $ per month but the schedule will be very tight. Please note that wages in Russia and in the United States are different: in America they pay in hours, not days.

Union gets a double rate, but in order to get there, you need to work at least 3 times with a non-union group. After you have done this, you will receive a letter with the question "Do you want to continue working in the crowd scene as a union actor?" If you refuse, then such a letter is unlikely to come to you again. The advantage is that when you work as a union, you double your rate per hour.

There are a huge number of castings. If you want to get a role with text, then keep in mind that your accent drastically reduces the chances of it. However, they often look for exactly Russian-speaking people to shoot a scene of some Russian party or Russian heroes. Then your accent will become a distinctive feature and a big plus!

Lawyer

Undoubtedly, the profession of a lawyer is one of the most widespread in the United States and the highest paid. Indeed, in the States, absolutely everyone, even the smallest company, as well as every family has a personal lawyer.

In America, from school, they are taught to know and read the laws, however, due to the large number of migrants, divorce proceedings and the generally significant number of the population (as of 2017, 325 million people live in the United States) there is enough work for all lawyers.

In addition, a huge number of Russian-speaking population lives in America who do not speak English, so if your professional English is at a good level, there is every chance of making excellent money in the USA. In this case, you can count on the minimum wage in 4000 $ per month.

Doctor

Unfortunately, after studying to be a doctor in Russia, you will not be able to move to the United States and get a job. In order to become a highly qualified specialist, you need to undergo training in the United States, which lasts at least 7-10 years (it all depends on the specialization).

Due to such a long and laborious training process, the salaries of doctors in the United States are high. Even a novice nurse with little work experience can receive 7000 $ per month, not to mention surgeons, obstetricians, gynecologists, their salaries can reach $ 50,000.

Surely everyone has heard that medicine in the United States is really an expensive pleasure. You can easily feel this on yourself when you come to the district hospital without documents, and you will be asked for $ 250 for the most common appointment. An ultrasound scan will cost $ 350.

A completely separate area is dentistry. To have beautiful and healthy teeth, you need to earn $ 10,000 or more. I usually say that it will be much cheaper to fly to Russia, pay for room and board, visit a qualified dentist in Moscow or St. Petersburg, than to do it in the States.

The United States is a highly developed and economically strong state, and given the current dollar rate, it is also attractive for our labor migrants. What are the most in-demand professions in the USA? How to go to work there? How to obtain a work permit? Many of us have had thoughts about employment in the United States at least once.

Given the high standard of living in the United States and comfortable working conditions, every year the number of citizens who want to go there for the purpose of employment is growing steadily. And this is not surprising, because practically all spheres of activity are developing in the USA, therefore the demand for professionals in America remains at a fairly high level.

There are many people who want to find a job in the United States in our country. People are attracted by a wide range of vacancies and decent wages. Today, the most in-demand jobs in the United States are:

  • medical workers: therapists, ophthalmologists, diagnosticians, dentists and other specialists. It should be understood here that it will be difficult for an ordinary doctor from a city hospital to get to the United States for a similar highly paid position. The thing is that the local authorities need a specialist who is lacking among the domestic personnel. And naturally, with equal skills and knowledge, preference will be given to the local rather than the foreign worker. And only when the Labor Department considers it necessary to attract a particular professional, employers will have the opportunity to apply for recruiting him from other countries. The average level of income per year is about $ 100 thousand;
  • IT Professionals: Average annual income in the United States - $ 95 thousand;
  • managers-economists, marketers, analysts, financiers. The salary is 80-90 thousand dollars per year;
  • representatives of the service sector: nannies, nurses, service personnel. These jobs have average wages ranging from $ 1,000 to $ 2,000 per month. By the way, it is these vacancies that are most popular among migrant workers who find themselves in the States illegally.

What documentation is required in order to leave for the States to work? There are several options according to which citizens of other states, including Russia, can go to the United States for the purpose of further employment:

  • Work and Travel programs, Camp America and so on. Participation in them is provided exclusively for students. Their essence is as follows: if you are able to speak English at a sufficient level, you have the opportunity to go with the purpose of part-time work, for example, for the entire summer period. However, there are several important nuances here. So, before the trip, you should pay for participation in the program, travel expenses. Today it can cost about 3 thousand dollars;
  • work and business visa;
  • O-1 visa for talented people;
  • internship for the proposed position;
  • student visa (study in the USA). Naturally, not everyone can afford to pay a tidy sum of tuition fees. However, there is an alternative: start attending language courses in America. So, a few days a week you will go to courses, and the rest of the time you will work.

Attention! When choosing the option of crossing the border, you need to take into account that American law is very strict in relation to citizens who illegally visited the territory of their country.

Therefore, before you travel to the United States, be sure to make sure that the documents are correctly drawn up, the official registration. Otherwise, you will be sanctioned, up to and including deportation.

Popular specialties in America

The most popular professions among migrant workers are professions that do not require high qualifications. After all, if your English does not even reach the intermediate level, it is unlikely that someone will offer you a high-paying job. However, even without deep knowledge of the English language or the necessary skills or knowledge, even a foreigner can find a job if he wants to.

So, you can always keep yourself busy in one of the many cafes, shops or fast foods. US Department statistics show that 33% of indigenous and most labor migrants choose jobs with low skill levels.

Advice. Modern technologies do not stand still, which means that the labor market is regularly replenished with new vacancies. The best option is to make a choice of profession at the time of entering the university. If your direction of work is promising, the chances that you will be able to leave for the United States or other developed countries for a high-paying job will increase significantly.

In the USA, the following are most in demand:

  1. Sellers, consultants in retail stores. The most popular vacancies in the United States, where the candidate does not require special knowledge and skills. Average salary per year up to $ 25 thousand
  2. Fast food workers, waiters. A great opportunity for students to earn extra money. Special education and a diploma are not needed, it is suitable for everyone. Average salary per year - $ 20 thousand.
  3. Office clerks, secretaries. Jobs that allow you to receive an average income by the standards of the state, which varies in the range of $ 30-45 thousand, a diploma is not required.
  4. Nurses, nurses. The growing demand for such jobs is directly related to the fact that the average age of citizens in America is growing steadily. Some documents are required (bachelor's degree or training in special courses). The average annual salary of such specialists is $ 65,000.
  5. Call center employees. A position that does not require special education. Average salary per year - 35-40 thousand dollars.
Such vacancies in the state are the most demanded. All of the above professions cannot be classified as highly paid, but both students and people without special education can work for them.

The procedure for obtaining a work permit in the United States

For citizens of the Russian Federation, travel to the United States is possible only if they have a visa. However, not all of them provide employment opportunities, so first you need to get the appropriate permit. There are several options for which you can get the necessary documentation.

  1. If you want to go to the United States for employment and have already found a company that would like to invite you to your chosen position, you should first choose the appropriate type of visa. It can be H, L, O or R - depending on the field of activity where you intend to find a job.
  2. The best option for students is to study in the States, which will allow them to earn extra money, but only on a part-time basis.
  3. Special visas are provided for spouses of US citizens.
  4. There is an option for students to participate in the Work and Travel program. With its help, you can simultaneously study the language and work in the States. But keep in mind that after a year you will have to leave the country and return home.
  5. The Green Card drawing is a unique way to obtain a permit, which this country provides, to participate in the drawing of a permanent residence permit in America. You can register for the lottery exclusively on the official website of the US government. It should be noted that since this is a lottery, no one can guarantee you will receive the card.

Important! A prerequisite for employment. Migrant workers in the United States on arrival will need to first of all deal with obtaining a Social Security Number - a 9-digit number.

This card is used in the country for the purpose of collecting taxes from all employees. Without it, job search will be impossible.

Conclusion

Also, take care of preparing a resume in advance, it is better to do this even before leaving your country for the United States.

1. Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineers develop medical equipment and devices, from artificial hearts to drug delivery systems. According to the US government, it will be the fastest growing profession in American history, thanks to the latest advances in technology and the medical needs of an aging population.

Requirements for a candidate: a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical or chemical engineering combined with basic biology, or a degree in biomedical engineering.

Average salary: $76,000

2. Telecommunications Network Engineer

A specialist who plans, designs, troubleshoots, and oversees the construction and operation of telecommunications networks used for data, voice and video communications.

Average salary: $87,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 53%

3. Physician Assistant

The physician assistant performs daily patient examinations, tests, consultations and even prescribes medications under the supervision of a physician. Due to the shortage of doctors, the baby boomer generation now in retirement and health care reforms, the number of patients is growing all the time, creating a huge need for doctors' assistants.

Requirements for a candidate: Complete an RA accredited program (average duration about 26 months). The typical candidate has a bachelor's degree and 4 years of experience in healthcare.

Average salary: $92,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 39%


4. Software Architect (software architect).

Just like architects who design buildings, software architects create projects that are followed by a software engineer and also work in programming. Architects often work with clients and product managers and serve as a liaison between the technology department and the business department in a company. Therefore, this profession is considered more diverse than the profession of a programmer.

Requirements for a candidate: Bachelor's and Master's degrees, or significant work experience demonstrating the ability to develop software and work in a team.

Average salary: $119,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 34%

5. Environmental Engineer

Environmental engineers use engineering skills to protect the environment - addressing air pollution, water treatment, waste management, alternative energy and energy supplies, working in both the private and public sectors.

Requirements for a candidate: a bachelor's degree in any engineering specialty and a master's degree in environmental engineering.

Average salary: $81,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 31%

6. Physical Therapist

The main tasks of a physiotherapist are assessment and improvement / correction of the patient's functional abilities, as well as restoration or preservation of his impaired motor ability, assistance in postoperative rehabilitation. Longer lifespans and a wave of aging baby boomers have already created a shortage of physical therapists.

Requirements for a candidate: Master's or doctoral degree and state license.

Average salary: $75,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 30%

7. Optometrist (optometrist)

A specialist who diagnoses and treats eye diseases.

Average salary: $108,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 30%

8. Employment Recruiter

The recruiting specialist places advertisements for the search for a candidate for an open position, studies and interviews candidates, advises managers and employees on personnel policy issues.

Average salary: $60,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 28%

9. Environmental Health & Safety Specialist

Environmental safety professionals conduct research to identify, mitigate or eliminate sources of pollution that affect the environment or public health.

Average salary: $71,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 28%

10. Occupational Therapist

A specialist who helps to use labor processes for medical purposes.

Average salary: $72,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 26%

11. Construction Estimator

Median Base Salary: $ 68,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 25%

12. Project Engineer

Median Base Salary: $ 100,000

Job growth over the next ten years: 24%

13. Civil Engineer (civil engineer)

Median Base Salary: $ 80,000

Los Angeles is the place of residence of many people from Russia and the CIS countries who have immigrated there for a long time. It abounds in Russian retail outlets, restaurants, newspapers and magazines published in Russian. Accordingly, it is possible for a Russian citizen to find a job in 2019.

Panoramic view of downtown Los Angeles

Many former compatriots started their own businesses and achieved success in California. Such people, following nostalgic impulses, prefer to hire citizens who have come from Russia. That allows you to find earnings even with minimal knowledge of the English language. But with all this, the available vacancies cannot be called highly paid. Excellent English proficiency guarantees higher earnings.

In 2019, there are a number of professions available for emigrants from Russia:

  • In this city, baby sitters and nannies speaking Russian are always in demand for the children of former Russian citizens.
    As a rule, this job is hired by intelligent women with pedagogical education and relevant experience;
  • There is a need for people caring for the sick or the elderly. In this case, preference is given to applicants who have graduated from honey. institution and having certain experience;
  • The catering system offers seasonal and permanent work in restaurants, cafes and bistros. But she is more suitable for young and strong people because of her tension;
  • For men with a license and sufficient driving experience, a driver's vacancy is suitable, and there are also offers to work as forwarders and taxi drivers;
  • Expats in California can get jobs in car repair shops and service centers, construction and repair industries. There is always a need for painters, plasterers, joiners, carpenters and parquet flooring.
    Experienced electricians, plumbers, ventilators and service specialists (air conditioners and other climatic equipment) are always needed;
  • Holders of a medical diploma can after some time get a job as an assistant to a doctor in a hospital. The same goes for lawyers, architects, accountants and newspaper and magazine editors;
  • The vacancies of sales consultants are always open. Having got a job like this in 2019, it will be possible to live and look for something more worthy at the same time;
  • To get into a beauty salon, you need to go through training. Cosmetologists and manicure specialists are very popular in America. This can be done at home;
  • Labor activity in the film industry is quite competitive. And this applies not only to the acting profession, but also to make-up, screenwriting and any other related to the production of films;
  • The most demanded and highly paid profession in Los Angeles is considered to be the profession of a programmer. Moreover, Russians are employed in the labor force very well, thanks to their excellent level of education. The presence of a diploma does not play a role here - it is the skills and abilities that are of interest.

When applying for a suitable vacancy, you must be fluent in English. If there are no such skills, then you cannot do without the help of friends or acquaintances. Or look for a Russian-speaking employer. Without this, the doors will only be open in clearing companies, the work of an assistant in the kitchen, walking pets and everything like that.

Table comparing salaries in the USA with some European countries

Where and how to look for work in Los Angeles

The main ways to search for vacancies are:


When asking for help from recruiting agencies, you should definitely pay attention to the presence of a license that allows you to provide such services to the public in the state of California. Usually it hangs on the wall, where everyone can clearly see it. It is imperative to sign an agreement with all the conditions and receive a check after payment is made.

Typically, your first interview will be a telephone conversation. Do not immediately say that there is no corresponding permission. This will have to be said when a question on this topic follows. without a permit is not a basis for deportation. But in this case, tax laws are violated.

You need to agree to work only if the salary is not less than the subsistence level, which is $ 7.25 per hour.

This does not apply to waiters - the profession is paid in the amount of $ 2, since the main income for such workers is tips. Exceeding the 8-hour working day is paid additionally - the hour of payment is multiplied by 1.5. And going out on holidays for 2.

Visas to work in Los Angeles

In order to be able to legally work in America, you need to apply for an appropriate visa in 2019.

It looks like an American visa H1B

In total, there are several types of visa stamps:

  1. ... It is also possible to travel along it for short-term business purposes.
  2. At the time of receiving education is issued.
  3. For travel with the purpose of employment - an H1B visa.

Qualified specialists issue the last of the listed permits. To do this, you need to have a university diploma with work experience in the specialty, confirmed by the American government. Back to the table of contents

Procedure

The second step in obtaining a visa will be filling out an application form. This is done online in English only. This will take about 20 minutes. Here you need to attach a photo with dimensions from 600 * 600 to 1200 * 1200 pixels. All of this is sent electronically to the US office. A document confirming the acceptance of the application with a bar code is sent to the applicant's address. It must be attached to the main package of documents.

Biometrics will be taken there. If there are any cuts, calluses or other injuries at the time of the visit, you will have to come another day when your hands are in order.

Fingerprint procedure for obtaining a visa

After that, an interview is conducted with a visa officer. The task of the candidate is to convince the employee that he has no intention of staying in the country for permanent residence. Any property, wife / husband and children remaining in the homeland can serve as evidence. Supporting documents can be submitted in Russian.

Consider the job search process for our compatriots in Los Angeles. What is Work and Travel program for work and travel. What vacancies can Ukrainians and Russians count on without knowing English in 2019?
For many people, the United States of America remains the promised land. The year 2018 was not easy for the Russian economy, so our compatriots, hoping for the best, set off to look for themselves on foreign shores. Many Russians willingly choose the East Coast for themselves. California is renowned for its beautiful weather, beaches and one of the most extensive entertainment industries in the world.

Evening panorama of Los Angeles

It looks so tempting that according to statistics, about 30% of all Russian immigrants come to Los Angeles and its suburbs.

Finding a place to live and work is becoming the two most basic tasks when moving to the United States. There are no problems with a place of residence in Los Angeles. There are many relatively inexpensive hostels, the ability to rent an apartment or a room, and when the main flow of tourists subsides, you can even find a room in a hotel at quite reasonable prices. Those who want to save on housing and who know how to drive a car can always find a place to live in nearby cities. There will be no problems with the solution of this problem, but with the work it will be more difficult.

Most often, people of creative professions come to Los Angeles. This is not a mystery. Many film studios, galleries, performance venues, dance and theater schools are scattered throughout the City of Angels.

Avenue of Stars in Los Angeles

It is possible to find yourself in this field, but it is difficult, and for a long time, and you need money right away. If you came here with a classical education, then things are different. But more on that below.

Trips under the Work and Travel program in 2018 often ended in failure, and no one will provide you with the promised job. Then there are only two logical options left: go home or look for work yourself.

More often people choose the latter, because it is a pity for the money spent, and America promises mountains of gold to those who conquer it. Plus, people who came under this program have a work permit, and in principle they can contact any recruiting company, fill out applications and resume, and then wait. And, of course, pay. For non-residents, such services are paid.


You will have to wait a long time, because in accordance with the laws of the States, a newcomer gets a job if no suitable candidates with American citizenship, residence permit or Green Card were found within 3 months. The chances of luck are slim here.

Most likely, you will get a not very well-paid, hard or dirty job, which the locals refuse. But that's better than nothing.

If you are looking for a job without documents confirming your right to work in the United States, things are more difficult, but there is a way out here too. Job advertisements can often be found on the very popular craigslist.com site. The websites of Russian communities and organizations also periodically publish available vacancies on their Internet portals and facebook pages. On the same craigslist there are ads for seasonal work, part-time jobs and part-time jobs.

Example of a work visa for travel to Los Angeles and other cities in the United States

In the warmest season in Los Angeles, you can get a job as an assistant to a wedding photographer, and there are a lot of them in the city. Also, the fashion for offsite registrations has swept the metropolis so much that places on the coasts and nearby restaurants are occupied for years to come. Therefore, you can always find a part-time job during the wedding season.

Professional workers

If you are a master of any kind of art - painting, singing, sewing or making compositions from dried flowers, you can find yourself a small income selling your work. To do this, you can register at etsy.com. If you truly do better than others, you will be quickly noticed.


Exclusive and unique items are very popular in Los Angeles and other states.

Difficulty finding a job

For Russians who came to America, there are three situations: when they know English well, when they know English at a basic level, and when they can say only a couple of sentences in it, and even then with a translator and dictionary. It's good that now there are many mobile applications that can communicate on everyday topics, but when applying for a job, this is unlikely to help.

How to find a job with a low level of English proficiency

Perhaps one of the most pressing issues for those who have arrived is the search for a job with a low level of knowledge of the language. If you have at least a small supply of money, and your intentions for the USA are serious, then it is better to be like a language course. They won't ask what you are doing in the country, so this is a safe way to learn at least the basics of English.

You can also try looking for free courses. They visit churches, charities and night schools. You can always find addresses and phone numbers on the Internet or in local directories. For example, LAUSD Adult Schools offers such courses.

Usually, without knowing the language, you can find a job as a loader, cleaner or dishwasher. For waiters, they recruit those who can at least competently take the order.


For such work, the calculation takes place once a week, you can also agree on daily payments in accordance with the number of hours worked. The main thing is to cope well with your duties, then a stable salary is guaranteed to you.

Read also

Affordable work in the USA on a tourist visa

How to find a job with a high level of English proficiency

Very often Russians who come here with knowledge of English are sure that America will fall at their feet. Usually this illusion disappears after a couple of days. The Californian dialect, especially in everyday communication, differs from New York or that which is studied in language courses, at school, university.

There are many Hispanics in Los Angeles who speak the unknown language spanglish, which is somewhere between English and Spanish. In addition, here you can hear:

  • Mexican English
  • "Language of the streets";
  • Afroinglish;
  • and many other languages ​​for which self-study guides are not sold.

One lesson from a self-study guide in English

All of these features will make any certified linguist just a silent listener. The plus is that they adapt faster, and within a week they will be able to find a job with a higher pay. Although you shouldn't expect to find the job of your dreams right away.

You can search for it in the same way as people with a low level of English: through websites, recruiting agencies, ads. But unlike them, you can still walk through cafes, restaurants and shops, talk to sellers and owners, maybe they will like you and they will hire you. In the process of looking for a job, the main thing is to be realistic or lucky, but more about them.

Successful profession

Cooks, hairdressers, nurses and nurses - all these professions will always be in demand, especially in a city like Los Angeles. People here live in a fairly fast pace.

Dine in a cafe is faster and sometimes cheaper, so the number of catering places in the city is more than one thousand. In a city where everyone wants to be a media person, professions from the field of beauty are in demand: makeup artists, stylists, fitness coaches, nutritionists, image makers and others who somehow fall into this list.

It will not be your diploma that will be tested here, but your skills. For many professions, even the coolest Russian certificate here will mean nothing. You still have to obtain all sanitary and other work permits on the spot.