Dear Jen,
Your first step, given the fact that you have got no "Green Card", is
to try to obtain one (or another sort of work-visa). For that, you
have to apply in the American Consulate. You can apply in four
different routes:
(1) A "Non-immigrant" visa for temporary workers. You can find the details here:
The Temporary Worker H, L, O, P, Q, Visa Classifications
<http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/temp_worker.html> ; If you're
unemployed at the moment, see also:
Walsh Visa Program
<http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/walsh.html>
(The Walsh visa programme enables young, unemployed, Irish citizens,
to work up to 36 months, in the US).
(2) Sponsored by a family member. If there is a family member who
already resides legally in the United States and is gainfully
employed, they could sponsor you (vouch financially for you), meaning
that you could immigrate (even permanently). Family memebr means: "If
you have a U.S. citizen parent, spouse, adult child or brother or
sister, or if your parent or spouse holds a resident alien card, they
can sponsor you for an immigrant visa."
<http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/family_based.html>
(3) Sponsored by a potential employer. That means, that the potential
employer would agree to hire you and to prove that your skills are
needed in the United States.
<http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/employment_based_visas.html>
(4) The Green Card Lottery. "The United States makes available 55,000
immigrant visas each year to persons from qualifying countries
worldwide under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program. The
program is administered by the U.S. Department of State National Visa
Center (NVC), located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The winners are
selected at random by computer from among all qualified entries
received during the mail-in period. Successful applicants receive
written notification of their registration from the Kentucky Consular
Center, Williamsburg, Kentucky. Persons who are not selected do not
receive any kind of acknowledgment. Eligibility to apply for this
Program is determined by a person's place of birth -- not citizenship,
nationality or residence." (SOURCE: Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery
Program, <http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/visa_lottery.html>).
These are the four ways. Of them, two [(1) and (3)] require that
you'll find an employer before you apply for the visa.
There are several ways to handle the situation:
- Finding a directory of all law firms in New ork (for example,
through the Yellow Pages and applying - through email or letters - to
all of them)
Yellow Pages - NYC Law Firms
<http://lawfirm.addresses.com/yp_category_search/legal+and+financial/law+firms/140/9/New+York,NY/3749.html>
- Going through recruitment agencies, such as:
Filcro
<http://www.filcro.com/page3.html>
HotJobs.com/New York LED
<http://www.newyorkled.com/NYC_Employment.htm#legal>
Kelly Search
<http://www.kellysearch.com/us-ny-product-55425.html>
- Spreading the word among your friends andrelatives, maybe they know
of someone who could sponsor you;
- Searching for jobs at the Monster.com site:
<http://jobsearch.monster.com/jobsearch.asp?q=paralegal&cn=&lid=550&fn=7&sort=rv&vw=b&cy=US&re=14&brd=1%2C1862%2C1863>
After you've found an employer who is willing to hire you, they will
handle the sponsorship part, you'll apply with their documentation, as
mentioned in the links I gave you.
I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
further clarifications on this answer before you rate it. |
