Life can get complicated for people who live in America as non-citizens. When you aren’t a legal citizen, everything from getting married to finding insurance and securing a job can include a little bit of extra work. If you are living in America as a legal immigrant with a green card, you might wonder how to go about getting a job. You may have questions about legal matters or opportunities. Read on to learn more about finding a job as a green card holder.
Your Battle is Half Won
While you may feel like finding a job is hard as a green card holder, you’re actually situated very nicely. The US government does make it hard for non-citizens to get jobs, but that mostly applies to people living outside of the country. It takes years for non-Americans to find employers who will sponsor them to move to America. If you are already living in America and have a green card in your hand, your battle is halfway over.
If you are an illegal immigrant living in America, you may be getting by with meager under-the-table pay. As a hard-working person, you want your time to be valued higher. One way to do this is to get a legal green card. Speak with an immigration lawyer like Joshua Goldstein about the legal process so you can land better jobs.
It’s Best to Get Educated
Everybody knows that most job opportunities multiply 100-fold when you have a good education. Whether you’re an immigrant or a citizen, having a degree opens doors for your career like nothing else can. As a green card holder, you have the right to attend college and benefit from certain programs. You can apply for government-sponsored financial aid, and even qualify for “in-state” or “resident” tuition. This makes it cheaper, and therefore easier, to get your degree.
You Can Start a Business
Once you have an education, you might feel inclined to start a business instead of get hired by an employer. But are you allowed to as a green card holder? In fact, you are. Legal immigrants enjoy most of the freedoms of legal citizens, besides the right to vote. So go ahead and make your own work opportunities!
Understand Work Licenses
Even though you can get educated and start a business to land a great job, there are some restrictions when it comes to work licenses. If you work in a field that requires a specific license, like realty or insurance. If you don’t have a green card, you won’t be able to get the licensing you need to find your dream job, so be aware of that.
Use the information above to make informed decisions before and during a job search.
