Want to move from Scotland to Florida - Help!!!

(angiemark) · (angiemark) **Join Date: Oct 2008** 10-01-2008, 2:12 PM

We are now coming to the end of the wakeboarding season here in Scotland and it sucks. Even the Summer weather sucks for boarding here, 3mm wetsuit required at all times for the cold water.

My wife and i really enjoy the wakeboarding scene but would like to move to a warmer country as we love the outdoors more. We are thinking either Perth - Oz or Florida. There seems to be more fresh water riding in Florida which would appeal more to me.

Can anyone give advice on the best place to start looking, would love to live on a lake so boat could be on the water and ready to go at any time. My other problem is finding a job, I work in an Oil Refinery as a Mechanical Supervisor & would be looking to work with rotating machinery - Is there anywhere local to Orlando with this kind of Job????

Mark

(stephan) · (stephan) **Join Date: Nov 2002** 10-01-2008, 2:15 PM

You might need to look to Texas as a large part of our oil industry is located on the gulf coast. Texas has a great riding scene too. Not O-town status but as close as you can get.

(sidekicknicholas)

check out winter haven, fl - close to orlando (capital of wakeboarding) TONS OF LAKES, near lakeland with lots of jobs and stuff

(steezyshots) · (steezyshots) **Join Date: Feb 2008** 10-01-2008, 3:20 PM

www.craigslist.com

Look in the Orlando area

(phantom5815) · (phantom5815) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 10-01-2008, 3:47 PM

Areas around Houston, TX have the most jobs related to oil refinery. Hit up www.gcwa.com
They have a few members that work with the local refineries.

Orlando does nothing with oil refinery work unless you want to oil all the rides at Disney, Universal studios or Sea World.

(bmartin) · (bmartin) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 10-01-2008, 4:05 PM

Texas and Louisiana have mild winters and are throwing up gas wells these days.

(knarbar) · (knarbar) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 10-01-2008, 5:01 PM

Dude WINTER HAVEN is the $h**! Last time I was out there we went riding and theres like 6 lakes all connected to each other. (maybe 4 i dont know but you get the point) I also saw a road sign on the way to the lake that said "Homes starting at $199,000!" Dude you cant get a decent house where I live at the price especially last summer. (Maybe now with the housing market the way it is) Just check it out that place is paradise

(dreevs) · (dreevs) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 10-02-2008, 5:44 AM

Houston has the same climate as Orlando, the price of living is way cheaper and there is a riding scene as well as plenty of offshore oil rigs. Water around Houston is dirty though. Last time I rode the San Jac, there was a refrigerator floating alongside the boat. Riding and people are top notch though.
If your heart is set on Florida - There is a lot of Oceaneering vessels in the Port of Tampa - leads me to believe there is some type of oil industry here - just further offshore than places like Houston. So, if your looking to stay in your industry and you want to live on fresh water, then I have to say Winter Haven is a good choice for you with its close proximity to the Port of Tampa.

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 10-02-2008, 6:12 AM

Every major oil company has plants in or around houston. Finding a job should be easy ( assuming you are a citizen of the US, or legal to work here)if not, getting a work visa for that type of work may be nearly impossible.

(chihuahua_chick)

Mark

I just emigrated from the UK to the US (orlando) 2 months ago. Its not just a case of wanting to move and then going and doing it when it comes to the US. There are 2 ways you can do it:

1. You will either have to get a work visa - this means you need a sponsor company here in the US and they cap these visas to 65,000 a year from the UK. All have been taken until April next year. Process time - between 1 and 2 years!

2. Investors visa - this means you have $500,000 to invest in a US company. This will grant you a green card within about 8 months of applying. But who has £250,000!!!!

Getting into the US is hard - very hard! Especially if you are educated as you will not want to work for peanuts! The last 2 years for me was immigration, so trust me on this one. You need to first go to the USCIS website or the London (or Edinburgh) US embassy website to read more.

OZ is EASY!!!

The UK, Canada, NZ and Aus are all part of the commonwealth. Getting a work visa to go live down under is a 6 week turn around that costs £150! You can then just get your flight and go...simple as! There are also some coastal oil works out there that you might get a job with.

What i would suggest is that you go to the country for a period of time first. In the US, a UK citizen can come to the US for 90 days legally before having to leave. So maybe come here and see if you want to go down the visa route (check out www.visajourney.com for this too) - or go to Aus and stay there for a bit to see what you think and look for jobs....

Good luck!

(chihuahua_chick)

By the way - the two ways i mention about getting into the US....these aren't the only 2 ways, but the only 2 ways that i think apply to you.

(wakebdr2002) · (wakebdr2002) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 10-02-2008, 2:45 PM

You may want to check out Louisiana also. Plenty of oilfield jobs here and tons of great riding spots (much more than Houston but probably not as clean as FL) and a good wakeboard scene. Check out http://www.rigzone.com for jobs. I moved here from PA (which has similar climate as Scotland) and wouldn't consider moving back to the cold weather.

(the_love_muscle)

US Immigration is no joke (unless your from a third world country, seriously, then you're considered a refugee and get right in) My wife is British and even though we are married it has not been easy. They have made her jump through hoops and pay loads of money. Like people have said come for a visit first.

(otown_dave) · (otown_dave) **Join Date: Dec 2007** 10-03-2008, 5:07 AM

Come in from Mexico! They just walk in.

(04gravitygames)

Mark,
Rotating equipment is not hard to find here in Texas. I live near the plant capitol Deer Park Texas. Plnats for mile and miles. The riding here is good, real good. We might not have the pretty blue water but we have warm water year round. For you it would be nothing in 55 degree water in winter for about a month or 2. Now to work on any channel now you have to have a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC™) card. Most of the time the employer will pick the cost up but if not they are $165.00. Got to www.GCWA.com
im on there as 04gravitygames
I can help you with job leeds and try to answer any questions you may have. I work for a LARGE chemical/refinery plant here. Been in the businness for 17 years. Hope this helps

(gobigorgohome) · (gobigorgohome) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 10-03-2008, 7:25 AM

I agree with what has been said about visas being your biggest challenge.
A Calabrese said:
2. Investors visa - this means you have $500,000 to invest in a US company. This will grant you a green card within about 8 months of applying. But who has £250,000!!!!
Or there is the E2 Visa that says you can set up a business yourself in the US. You have to invest the required amount of capital (that depends on your chosen trade, in the oil industry it will be a LOAD of money) in the premises/equipment etc to run that business properly. And then apply for the visa based upon the investment. Under an E2 you are here based upon that only, so you need to keep the business running - as soon as it closes, you return to your homeland.

Probably your best bet will be getting sponsorship - but it's a lot of work for the sponsoring company and they have to prove that there is no one in the US that can do that job. Does your current employer have an operation over here? If so an inter-company transfer may be a possibility.

You need to be very committed and very patient to move to the US.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-03-2008, 1:37 PM

Go to Texas ! We don't need no dude in a skirt round here !!

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-03-2008, 1:47 PM

Ahh just kidding. Winter Haven is great and its 14 lakes that are connected not 4. As long as you dont mind a few gators and amoebas going up your nose its a great place to live and ride. Hell one of your Limey neighbors lives here already, Ms. Will Christian (dreevs dream girl).
Get in touch with me if you make it here, I have a couple connections around town. Holy Crap a Scottish person in WH thats worse than 2 guys from Wisconsin for sure.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-03-2008, 1:59 PM

Do you have any kids? There are a couple of houses on my street and lake (Winterset) for sale.

(dreevs) · (dreevs) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 10-06-2008, 6:14 AM

Will. nuff said.

(angiemark) · (angiemark) **Join Date: Oct 2008** 10-06-2008, 6:29 AM

No Kids yet.

How much are the houses going for? Any Pics?
What are Maintenance Job Opportunities like? (oil & Gas)

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-06-2008, 10:26 AM

The one next to me is 475k
Oil? dunno maybe the fry machine at Mcdonalds?

J/K

No pics of the house, but heres the view you would be looking at every morning, their dock is the one on the left.
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(angiemark) · (angiemark) **Join Date: Oct 2008** 10-06-2008, 1:52 PM

That is what I am looking for, looks sweet as!!

Winterset it is then!!! Just need to look into Visa & Jobs then.

No need to worry about the skirt, I am from South Africa and would not wear a kilt!! LOL

This is gonna be a long process but if that is what is at the other end, I am there!!!

(sidekicknicholas)

I'll speak on behalf of the said house and lift -- its nice...held our 210 snug for a few months....neighbors are a little bit of a problem but besides that Winterhaven is the place to be

(sidekicknicholas)

Here our some pics of the dock/lift and a corner of the house - i'll look for more too

The lift
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the lift -- billy's is on the right
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the corner of the house
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billy's lift
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(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-07-2008, 12:36 PM

Nick the water is all the way up to and past that small concrete wall that divides the beaches now. Its come up to the middle of the ladder on my dock.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-07-2008, 12:39 PM

South Africa ! Great you and I will get along just fine.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-08-2008, 6:55 AM

Mark I just emailed you some info on the house and the owners email address as well.