Australians Living In The United States

Australians Living in the United States

by

Jose Marc Castro

The close ties between Australia and the United States stem from its common colonial history as both countries were formerly part of the British Crown colonies. While their individual histories have diverged over time, their common interests and ideals have made both the United States and Australia partners in political, economic and military agendas.

The first Australians came to the United States through the British contingency that was sent during the California gold rush in the 1850s. This was the advent of Australians being part of specialized occupations in the United States, with many Australians living in the United States found in urban metropolises of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and New York. The most visible sign of this cooperation is the opening of a specific visa category exclusively given by the US for Australians. This is called the E3 visa for Australians. This visa has become the best vehicle for individuals entering the country and Australians living in the United States. There must be a specialty occupation requiring a professional degree available in the United States. The applicant must show proof of an offer of employment and provide intention to be sponsored as an Australian living in the United States. The applicant must be duly qualified for the position and must show proof of intention to return to Australia. The E3 visa allows an Australian living in the United States for two (2) years and renewable for another two (2) years on an indefinite basis. The basic requirement though is that the applicant would be sponsored by an American employer. The visa is not intended for permanent residency. As an Australian living in the United States, their dependents would be allowed to find gainful employment in the United States. For Australians living in the United States, the Australian embassy is located at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC. There are other Australian consulates located in the major metropolitan cities in the United States, such as Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu and California. While this visa is a sign of the closeness between the US and Australia, there are minor differences between the two countries. Despite the commonality in language, there are word usages that differ between the American English and the Australian English. The second difference is the racial tolerance inherent in Australians compared to Americans. While these may be simple concerns, they are magnified because of the cultural differences between Americans and Australians living in the United States. All in all, there are more Australians immigrating to the United States compared to Americans going to Australia. The great bulk of Australians coming to the United States is for employment purposes, specifically through the E3 visa. For Americans though, coming to Australia would be for frolic and fun in the sun. As can be seen, Australians living in the United States are a favored lot. There are specialized occupations available and a specific visa category for Australian employment purposes. This shows the forged cooperation between the two countries, in both good and bad times, which bodes well for Australians living in the United States.

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Australians Living in the United States