Australian Young Truck Driver, Wanting Work In US

My name is Scott Martin and I am a young 34 year old driver wanting to get experience and work and live in America.

I have had 2 hours of training in a Heavy Combination (18 Wheeler), 120hrs driving HR and under 500hrs driving MR trucks.

Due to the fact I lack the hours, I am getting knocked back by companies in Australia. I have already applied for the 2016 green card lottery, but I was hoping to get their quicker via a work visa if possible. I am willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my life long goal of becoming a Truck Driver and a permanent US Citizen.

I have been in formed by the US Embassy in Australia, that if you did wish to hire me, you must: 1)Pick the correct visa, 2)have a I-140 form (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) 3)Labour Certification Form, 4)Fixed deposit form for my expenses whilst in the states, or until first pay cheque.

I would be happy to negotiate a lower wage in lue of training or other associated costs, or a repayment scheme straight out of my pay-cheque.

I also maybe able to get assistance from my local employment agencies to get to the states, if I had a letter of employment. Also since I am becoming an American Citizen, I would be able to draw on my Superannuation (401k), which is only 2500 usd, but this would take a little while to do.

I have also had reports from 3 Australian friends over in the USA permanently now, that to get a valid drivers license, I have to go to the DMV and show them my Australian Drivers License and Passport and they can issue me and American one. Is this the only way to get into the Trucking industry in America? If you are unable to help, can you advice me of a company that could please?

Kind Regards Scott

My husband is from Australia, immigration is a grueling process, I have had to put off starting my driving career because of it, you have my sympathies.

I wouldnt hold my breath honestly. For one thing it will cost a company an extra 15k on top of their steep hiring and training costs. And what do they get for it? A guy with no CDL , no US drivers license, who has no knowledge of regular US road laws let alone commercial, who has to switch to driving on the right from driving on the left, has to switch from metric to imperial. I am just not seeing this being beneficial even as badly as companies need drivers.

If you want to get into the US via a work visa you might want look at the medical field, those skills are far more transferable between 1st world countries. You can use HEX to pay for it and if you got into the US, you wouldnt have to pay it back since it comes out of taxes you would not be paying.