Helper wanting to move to the USA

Our helper is thinking of moving to the US and working there as child carer. Her aunt is there and married to a local so she suggested to fix her a job. As much as we would like her to stay with us I promised her to find as much information so she will have a better idea of what is over there. I would very much appreciate hearing about:

What is the basic / general salary for DH / child carer in NY (I understand it's 8 hours a day)

Assuming she will have to take care of her own accomodation, food, transportation etc. what is the life standard over there.

Will she be subjected to local tax? how much is it?

Any other tips or commnets will be appreciated.

Many thanks.

As cara says immigrating to the US is not that easy. You need someone to sponsor, and this might be tricky for a nanny. Check with the consulate.


Standard of living is good. In southwestern Connecticut, an hour from NY, a good nanny will make over US$40k per year before tax for a 8-10 hour day, 5 days a week. Of course unlike a DH, she would have to pay her own food and board.


She would definitely pay local tax, and would be paid local salary.


In the US you pay federal tax, state tax and local (city/county/parish) tax. How much, if any, these rates are depends entirely on income and location. For example Nevada has no income tax.


Also, in some locations there is sales tax. This is levied by many states and even some local authorities.

I found a couple of links which may help you, to look


http://www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/h1b.htm

which explains employment law guide for professional people, ie Doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, with provable qualifications So if she has a qualification as Nanny this might cover it.


www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

which demomstrates other ways of getting green card if you are a direct relative eg child under 21, or spouse of Us citizen. I don't think a neice would count.


I think those are probably the only legal ways of getting in


Apart from benefits she will not get 'free" like accomodation, food,the tax she'll have to pay, there is no NHS there yet, so add medical expanses and no free flights home at the end of a contract-- and it is a long way, a lot to consider.

Her aunt is probably trying to get her over there on a visitors visa, to find work, but in doing that she would have to resign any job here, she would have air fares to pay, and she may not get a job which is legal, getting her into all sorts of problems, and possible deportation.

She should only consider going if she can go in a legal way, properly applied for through the authorities, with a job working for genuine people, who will care for her interests, and she will not be any worse off than she would have been in Hong Kong.

Thank you very much for all your help and answers. As I know nothing about the life in the US I was wondering if you could tell me hwat precnetage of the salary would someone like our DH will need to put aside for the taxes, food, accomodation etc. I am aware this may differ depending on location like what expatguy mentioned but just an approximate will do.

I want her to be prepared and have as much knowledge before she starts the whole process because if she will decide to go for it then she will have to leave us and when we get a new DH then if things will not go well for her she will be left with no job anywhere.

Again, Many thanks.

There's really no way to approximate since the differences are so big between locations. Somewhere between 0% and 30% total tax burden I would say. Also, additional costs for transportation and living compared to HK.


In Nevada she would probably pay 0% state and local income tax, a few % federal and no sales tax. In CT she would probably pay over 20% income tax in total, property tax on a car (if any) and apartment/house, and (if memory serves) 6% sales tax.

Thank you all for the tips and advice.