American Mechanic with questions!

TracedSteps

Hey all,

First off, if anyone feels this is in the wrong forum, please tell me what forum might be best

I work as an auto mechanic in the United States. My wife and I visited the Galway area last fall, and since then have been considering a change of pace. I love the country I live in now, but feel that there is something silly with thinking you should live in one country your whole life. Since I was young I have moved every few years, making new connections and friends in each place, and experiencing the differences of living in each place.
Since our holiday to Ireland last year, we have really considered Ireland as a new place to live. We realize the economy is not fantastic, but we do not live extravagantly, and I have never had trouble finding work. I have already spoken to a local as far as what qualifications are suggested to work as a mechanic in Ireland, and am prepared to take any tests since my American certs may not cross over.

My question is more specific, but is it even a possibility of being granted a green card looking for employment as a non EU citizen as an auto mechanic?
I was directed here from another forum as some of you are mechanics and could know the answers.
All I've been able to find is a list of ineligible categories stating what trades are not eligible for green cards.
I'd post the full link, but I am a new user so I cant
It's on djei.ie

It appears auto mechanic is on the list unless I mis-understood. In that case is anyone aware of any Americans who have successfully found employment in this field?

I'm thankful for any help in answering my question.

HandsomeDan

Get a job as a technician at Intel in the states and then request a transfer to their campus in Leixlip. Could be one way...

JC01

Have you any other qualifications? Engineering/ electronics etc? If so I'd definatly go down the route as mentioned above,

Where in the states did you learn your trade? A main dealership or regular garage?

mphalo1

you could just start your own garage and hire a qualified mech , that will cover you Insurance wise and have you legit

Grolschevik

Might also be worth asking in the Work & Jobs forum. Can't post a link to it from my phone, but I think it's under Biz/personal.

bear1

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=10

Here you go TracedSteps.
You may get a better answer in there, one thing I would say is to price the whole thing out.
You will need tools, a lift or a dug-out, you will need a place to work from and more than likely you will need to advertise.
If you have the abilities to do it then the best of luck to you and your wife.
Galway is a lovely place (I'm biased).

HandsomeDan

Also, don't settle on Galway before you've visited Cork

VeVeX

OSI wrote: »

You'd be hard pushed to find someone over here to hire you. For the effort and cost involved, they can get a local or eastern european that doesn't have any work restrictions and will likely be willing to work for less.

That's extraordinarily negative.

Plenty of Irish go to the states and find work in their chosen profession without issue. I don't see any reason why the OP cant come here and find a job provided he's competent and realistic regarding pay, which I'm sure he is.

mphalo1

what is realistic regarding pay ? what should he expect to earn for 5 1/2 days work ?

ironclaw

VeVeX wrote: »

That's extraordinarily negative.

Plenty of Irish go to the states and find work in their chosen profession without issue. I don't see any reason why the OP cant come here and find a job provided he's competent and realistic regarding pay, which I'm sure he is.

You can't compare the jobs market in the US with the jobs market here. They are worlds apart. Its also borderline impossible to get a Visa to work long term in the US unless you are married or have a green card. Its the reason most of us are in Canada and Australia.

That's not to say the jobs market is dead here, I've often said if you want to find work here you will find it, but its not exactly a case of walking into a job. You have to be good, like really good or want to work in IT / call centre.

Del2005

VeVeX wrote: »

That's extraordinarily negative.

Plenty of Irish go to the states and find work in their chosen profession without issue. I don't see any reason why the OP cant come here and find a job provided he's competent and realistic regarding pay, which I'm sure he is.

The OP asked about getting an employer to sponsor them to be a mechanic here, in order to get sponsorship the employer has to prove that there are no suitable EU residents qualified and they have already posted that mechanics are excluded. So no employer is going to employ the OP unless they are legal to work before they apply, the problem is how can the OP be legally employed in an already over supplied qualified people.

Opening a garage will cost a lot but most likely not enough to warrant the OP getting residence so that won't be an option.

mphalo1

that's not always the case to be really really good most lads I know that are working as tradesmen are qualified alright they have the piece of paper but havint hands to scratch themselves yet they have jobs coz their cheap really really cheap it's whoever's cheapest gets the job weather its construction mechanics whatever im sick of coming in to pull so called tradesmen out of the **** coz their just no good at what they do yet they get the work coz their cheap and the good lads the really really good lads are sitting at home coz their worth more than that , but then people winge when the job is a disgrace , went pair shaped and took way longer than expected . just so you know I too have the piece of paper I was not once in 10 years asked for it by anyone and 9/10 garages or tradesmen you go to dont have it but I know loads of lads working in both fields that dont have it and never will

TracedSteps

You guys have been really helpful.

In regards to Intel, I'll look at it, but here in the states most corporations outsource their fleet maintenance, so getting a job working for them wouldn't mean I would actually be employed by them. But I'll look.

I am college educated, but not in any related fields. I was young and thought that a degree in Film production would be a good idea. Got my bachelors and realized there is no stable money, or even money in it most of the time. Since getting married and starting a family I worked my to turning my skills with autos to a trade. I am both school & dealership trained (GM & BMW), and have multiple certification through ASE in the US (they don't mean much though, besides understanding theory and taking a test.)

I do want to open my own garage one day, but would want to work with a business partner who could advise on the money and business side of things. I am a people person foremost, and love my career as it allows me to help people in need who are clueless. Contrary to most peoples opinion, most mechanics are personally great people and do not rip people off, its the garages that are no longer SERVICE oriented and are now SALES oriented. I want to fix that when I open my garage, but I also need someone business savvy to assist to counter my self-sacrificial mentality. Otherwise i'd help people for free

That being said, I would rather move and get comfortable before starting the journey that is starting a business.

Pay (at least in the US) is highly dependent on skill level. Highly trained mechanics can make up to $70,000 (53,000 euro) here even in a dealership setting, with custom shop mechanics and shop owners potentially making 100k if the shop operates effectively. But a bottom end mechanic will be making very little. I am closer to the upper end of qualifications, and any potential employer would be able to see that within a few days of watching me work, but of course I would negotiate pay in my situation since I know it would be more difficult with needing a visa and such.

Based @Del2005's answer though, it does confirm some of what I was worried about. I would not be able to be eligible to work in Ireland based on my trade. I would first have to gain the option of being legally employed, then look for work as a mechanic. I guess I'll have to look into other ways to gain a work permit or residency. I did however notice that although mechanic is on the the list of in-eligible jobs, that only applies to positions paying less than 60k (euro) a year. That is not unheard of, but not going to ever be a starting pay with any garage, independent or dealership. That kind of pay is developed over time as you prove your worth the extra pay. So that still does very little for me.

And of course if there was a way, I would pay the fees associated with an employer sponsoring a non EU citizen for a permit. How unheard of is it for people to work in this trade without a permit? Not saying I'd wish to do it, but I know here in the states it's one of those jobs where people tend to look the other way.

Hopefully I find a way, or maybe they will change the laws in my favor as time goes by. I would love to be able to work in your country, but from the looks of it that won't be happening unless the rules change, I switch professions, start a business, or find a mechanic position paying above 60k. One day maybe I'll just set up shop, but I'm not quite ready for that in my life yet.

alastair

Do/did you have any Irish-born grandparents (or parents for that matter)?

If so you're entitled to Irish citizenship, and can bypass all the work visa issues.

quadrifoglio verde

alastair wrote: »

Do/did you have any Irish-born grandparents (or parents for that matter)?

If so you're entitled to Irish citizenship, and can bypass all the work visa issues.

Agree on this. It's extremely difficult to employ a us person here, unless there's a shortage of them/they're highly skilled.
I doubt there are many mechanics earning 50k plus a year either, then on top of that you've high taxes and a high cost of living. If it was me, I'd stay in the us. Much better quality of life and standard of living. Then you have the fact that some parts of the states are polar opposites. Big difference between alabama and California.

biko

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp

Compare cost of living in your city with any Irish city

Pro Hoc Vice

VeVeX wrote: »

That's extraordinarily negative.

Plenty of Irish go to the states and find work in their chosen profession without issue. I don't see any reason why the OP cant come here and find a job provided he's competent and realistic regarding pay, which I'm sure he is.

Because ireland is a very difficult country to get a working permission in if non EU.

Pro Hoc Vice

alastair wrote: »

Do/did you have any Irish-born grandparents (or parents for that matter)?

If so you're entitled to Irish citizenship, and can bypass all the work visa issues.

I would add for OP any claim by you or spouse to any EEA citizenship, in fact it may be easier if either of ye has right to say polish or Italian passport.

Technoprisoner

the only places your qualifications would make a difference as a mechanic would be in a main dealership. unfortunately there are too many cowboys over here that think because they can change brake pads they are mechanics. on the plus side you could come over and open up your own business with little or no checks to your qualifications

nc19

I cant offer much help except for telling you about wages. A main dealer will pay a highly qualified mechanic no more than 40k pa in my experience. An average mechanic would be closer to 30k pa. The way the motor trade is at the minute they can really screw you money wise because there are 30 lads behind you ready to take the job if you dont want it.

Working as a mechanic in an independent garage I would say the wage would top at 32k ish. That would work out at approx 470e pw after tax and USC etc. Also, alot of the country garages expect you to work half a Saturday and may not pay for it.

My advice, go to Australia if you want a good life.
I certainly would not be settling in the west of ireland! (I have lived in Galway)

Pro Hoc Vice

Technoprisoner wrote: »

the only places your qualifications would make a difference as a mechanic would be in a main dealership. unfortunately there are too many cowboys over here that think because they can change brake pads they are mechanics. on the plus side you could come over and open up your own business with little or no checks to your qualifications

As a non visa required national he can come for 90 days max on a visit visa. He has no right to reside, work or set up a business, unless he gets a residency permission with a right to work, work permit (stamp 1), green card or stamp 4.

Technoprisoner

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

As a non visa required national he can come for 90 days max on a visit visa. He has no right to reside, work or set up a business, unless he gets a residency permission with a right to work, work permit (stamp 1), green card or stamp 4.

im not up on visa laws and requirements in this country but what im trying to say is an awful lot of jobs in this country people have bluffed there way into.

Caliden

Technoprisoner wrote: »

im not up on visa laws and requirements in this country but what im trying to say is an awful lot of jobs in this country people have bluffed there way into.

He wants to move here to live without having to look over his shoulder all the time so telling him to do something illegal isn't very smart.

galwaytt

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

Because ireland is a very difficult country to get a working permission in if non EU.

Ironic, given the Irish penchant for traipsing the globe and expecting to work anywhere. ..

Technoprisoner

Caliden wrote: »

He wants to move here to live without having to look over his shoulder all the time so telling him to do something illegal isn't very smart.

what laws will be broke if he gets a job that gives him a visa?

Pro Hoc Vice

Technoprisoner wrote: »

what laws will be broke if he gets a job that gives him a visa?

The job does not give a visa the state does.

derry

Here is the basics of the story of Europe . For every $1 a USA person get paid for job the EU average is 25 cents for the same job and Ireland might be about 50cents for the same work .
The EU has told the countries of Europe not to employ non EU residents so even in theory Ireland has right to employ non EU residents nowadays they rarely do unless it some very rare skill set .

In terms of Ireland the only likely job region would be Dublin as the rest of the country is the crapper . Some 30% of the Irish live and work there so its the power house where there is some scraps of work to be had

The only way an Irish Enterprise can get around the EU ban on non EU people is the use of peculiar work demands .An example of this if there is Chinese Quarry machine supplier who wants to sell their Quarry machines in Ireland and supply their own engineer to fix it they work with the Quarry owners . The Chinese will supply the engineer with their machines who will live in caravan on site earn some €3 euros ~$4 an hour compared to Irish engineer ~€25 ~$40. The job spec will demand ability to read and talk manderan Chinese to communicate with home base China . This circumvents the EU rules as the chances to get a person who speaks the Chinese and write it and can fix these specific quarry machines who is aEU person is slim . Its sort of like they need Chinese tractor driver who can read a Chinese speedometer logic .With that system they sneak in thousands of Chinese who work for less than minim wages ~€7.50 $9 an hour . The quarry industry has largely stopped so now its other Chinese slavery industries that do similar stunts .

The EU doesn't mind to employ slave Chinese labour from China as it drives down EU wages . The Will allow in Poland thousands of Chinese railway workers come to replace the Polish railways and work for €0.50cents an hour as the locals Polish cost too much .The Chinese slave workers stay in sealed off camps so they cant communicate with locals .

So if one can get some USA supplier with a local Irish supplier to make a demand for the specialist then a USA person can possibly circumvent the system with those methods .Hopefully they dont drop wages to to Chinese slave wage rates .

There are many ways to skin a cat but the main thing Europe wants is slave rate workers and it often is the government ministers that bring in the slave rate workers . Ireland in 2001 employed Turkish people to build roads at slave rates and the minister who signed the the Visa forms owned a peace of the Turkish company and got her big kickback for that .

It all across Europe this slave worker trade Germany has no minim wages and Spanish often go there to work for the Amazon for €2 an hour after they pay the accommodation costs in the factory premises .

The Irish government had agreed with China to bring into the Athlone region (center Ireland ) and make new city there that would be Chinese only zone. They would then bring into Ireland 5 million Chinese slave workers who would be in this special Chinese law region within Ireland with wages of Chinese such as €0.20 cents an hour work and live there .But because the Chinese government considered the Royal Oireachtas Irish government not a true bona fida government they wouldn't do the deal. The Chinese government they say said they will look to try make the same deal when a true sovereign Irish government who has the legal authority to do the deal is back in power .

Most American I know that get work in Ireland were working for the USA government in some way or form such as peace corp .

Good luck for Ireland we got ~20% unemployment when you look the real numbers not the fake government numbers .

I know some Indians that come and go from Ireland as contract workers and they are registered Irish company and they supply themselves as the workers specialist. Often they are consultants for electronics computers doing one week or one month contracts .That way they can circumvent the EU system . Yes the EU system is strict but can be circumvented easily for clever folk .However it might not supply a livable wage after one does the circumvention from places like USA .It works well for places like India where ~$3000 a year is good annul income That means coming to Ireland a few times a year and getting €1000 for month three month of the year makes it lucrative for Indians to do .

For example make a USA consultant company and register A Irish consultancy company ltd costs €50. Find a Irish company that wants to get some consultancy work with your skill sets .Then get your Irish company to sub contract your USA company to do the work in Ireland and then use your USA company to send you to Ireland . As long as contracts are small stuff a few months each time generally its no real problems to get past the EU systems . However to make it profitable is the problem .Nothing to stop you to stay in Ireland or Europe in between contracts with 90 day holiday visa . Many USA people do this and park off in places like Gibraltar or Malta or Cyprus where costs or tax laws are more friendly


The Irish motor industry is in the crapper . The building industry which use heavy machinery is in the crapper .Only some sections of the Electronics industry and Pharmaceutical industry are doing well . I would look for USA pharmaceutical industry and transfer with them .Pharmaceutical industry has many complex machines that require top end engineers and they pay real well.Good luck it rains too much in Galway for me to live there I do Dublin it rains half as much as Galway and the west of Ireland .
The UK is far easier for the U|SA people to get work in and pays a lot more . Then use aircraft to come visit Ireland the rest of Europe After while apply for work in Ireland either with transfers or directly .

I have Hungarian friend who worked with me in Ireland in 2005 He can get me work in Hungary any time I want but the rate of pay is half that of Ireland .Hungary is expanding rapidly and needs all sorts of experts .Its rate of pay are increasing so soon will be paying the same as Ireland.Its four hour flight from Ireland .His outfit is software and has people world wide and main base is the USA .

Eastern Europe rules for employment vary a lot some want people others dont .Bulgaria is all mafia if the mafia wants you no problems to get work visa .My other American friend does work for the Bulgarian Mafia they pay well and they control the Bulgarian government the government there is scared to death of the Bulgarian mafia . i think he builds the bullet proof cars for the Mafia not sure exactly what he does other than he is USA military trained and the Bulgarian Mafia wants his skill sets .They pay him well not as good as the Russian mafia paid him but he found that coming home every day with bullet holes in the Russian mafia bullet proof cars was too stressful and dangerous for him

As I said when they ran the Lisbon treaty referendum if they get a yes vote Ireland would become Staligg 99 work slave camp and its now rapidly become that full of non Irish working for slave rates in hidden places like Chinese restaurants kitchens or private hotels brothels or middle of nowhere warehouses where the Irish government has been bribed not to look the slave workers there .

What people dont understand the EU was built by the globalists to not make workers wages rise to rich countries like Germany but to lowwer all the wages in Europe to less than Ukraine wages $100 a month . So far the plan is on track as wages across europe tumble and many in Ireland have taken 50% pay cuts since 2008. Now they want more austerity and more poverty and they will continue to bring into Europe lots of people to work for slave rates of pay and high incomes will become non existent . So when you come to Ireland remember" Arbiert maken zie frie " "work makes you free" welcome to Stalig 99 slave work camp 2014

The most USA people I know all want to work in Norway as it isn't EU and can employ from all the world. They pays FANTASTIC amounts to experts They fly all the time to nice parts of the world as Norway gives lots of holiday often 2 months a year They all say Norway is the most boring country in the planet and one beer cost $20



Derry

endacl

HandsomeDan wrote: »

Also, don't settle on Galway before you've visited Cork

Absolutely. Just in case you have any lingering doubts that Galway isn't the place for you!

Pro Hoc Vice

derry wrote: »

Here is the basics of the story of Europe . For every $1 a USA person get paid for job the EU average is 25 cents for the same job and Ireland might be about 50cents for the same work .
The EU has told the countries of Europe not to employ non EU residents so even in theory Ireland has right to employ non EU residents nowadays they rarely do unless it some very rare skill set .
In terms of Ireland the only likely job region would be Dublin as the rest of the country is the crapper .

The only way an Irish Enterprise can get around the EU ban on non EU people is the use of peculiar work demands .An example of this if there is Chinese Quarry machine supplier who wants to sell their Quarry machines in Ireland and supply their own engineer to fix it they work with the Quarry owners . The Chinese will supply the engineer with their machines who will live in caravan on site earn some €3 euros ~$4 an hour compared to Irish engineer ~€25 ~$40. The job spec will demand ability to read and talk chines to communicate with home base and this circumvents the EU rules as the chances to get a person who speaks the Chinese and write it and can fix these specific quarry machines who is EU person is slim .Its sort of like they need Chinese tractor driver who can read a Chinese speedometer .With that system they sneak in thousands of Chinese who work for less than minim wages ~€7.50 $9 an hour . The quarry industry has largely stopped so now its other Chinese slavery industries that do similar stunts . The EU doesn't mind to employ slave Chinese labour from China as it drives down EU wages . The Will allow in Poland thousands of Chinese railway workers come to replace the Polish railways and work for €050cents an hour as the locals Polish cost too much .The Chinese slave workers stay in sealed off camps so they cant communicate with . So if one can get some USA supplier with a local Irish supplier to make a demand for the specialist then a USA person can possibly circumvent the system with those methods .Hopefully they dont drop wages to to Chinese slave wage rates . There are many ways to skin a cat but the main thing Europe wants is slave rate workers .Germany has no minim wages and Spanish often go there to work for the Amazon for €2 an hour after they pay the accommodation costs in the factory premises .the Irish government had agreed with China to bring into the Athlone region (center Ireland ) and make new city there that would be Chinese only zone. They would then bring into Ireland 5 million Chinese who would be in Chinese law region with wages of Chinese such as €0.20 cents an hour but because the Chinese government considered the Royal Oireachtas Irish government not a true bona fida government so they wouldn't do the deal. The Chinese they say said they will look to try make the same deal when a true sovereign Irish government is in power . Most American I know that get work in Ireland were working for the USA government in some way or form such as peace corp .Good luck for Ireland we got ~20% unemployment when you look the real numbers not the fake government numbers . I know some Indians that come and go from Ireland as contract workers and they are registered Irish company and they supply themselves as the workers specialist .That way they can circumvent the EU system . Yes the EU system is strict bur can be circumvented easily for clever folk .However it might not supply a livable wage after one does the circumvention from places like USA .It works well for places like India where $3000 a year is good annul income so coming to Ireland a few times a year and getting €1000 for month three month of the year makes it lucrative for Indians to do .
The Irish motor industry is in the crapper . The building industry which use heavy machinery is in the crapper .Only some sections of the Electronics industry and Pharmaceutical industry are doing well . I would look for USA pharmaceutical industry and transfer with them .Pharmaceutical industry has many complex machines that require top end engineers and they pay real well.Good luck it rains too much in Galway for me to live there I do Dublin it rains half as much as Galway and the west of Ireland



Derry

To get a work permit or a green card the salary must be over €30,000 a year. Also all worker in ireland are entitled to minimum wage. If you have proof of the example quoted you can contact NERA, as the example you quote does not seem to conform with any scheme I can think of.

flutered

can you play basketball, most irissh clubs regardless of status have americans on their books, the apply to fas for a basketball coach, with a required standard, of course they cannot get one so they import one from the states or where ever, guy gets a visa, has a normal job, get a few quid and perhaps a place to stay from the irish club, some guys stay here for years ussing this, look up the irish basketball site, get the info on clubs from galway area, contact them, best of luck in your efforts.

derry

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

To get a work permit or a green card the salary must be over €30,000 a year. Also all worker in ireland are entitled to minimum wage. If you have proof of the example quoted you can contact NERA, as the example you quote does not seem to conform with any scheme I can think of.

Thats a con job to fool you .I worked in Quarry industry .The jobs spec said must speak Manderian Chinese .We inquired from FAS( Irish government work agency). We had Irish workers who could do all the job except do the speak and read write Chinese. FAS said if there is one part of the job application you cant do you cant protest this is way to sneak in Chinese slave workers for more profits than to employ Irish . EG FAS wab aware of this but couldn't care less about this SCAM . The scam was simple the mechanic came with the quarry machine lived on site .Then every few months they brought in another new Chinese worker and the pay rates they got was 30.000 in theory .However with costs accommodation and other scams the workers got buttons. Before we could do anything with this example the Quarries all went belly up . However the scam continues to this day with the big operators like Irish telcoNs which import thousands of Indians as consultants but who work as telephone call centers for buttons . I worked with many Indian telecoNs workers in call centers in 2005 and got to know the scam before they fired me because I kicked up they could make the Indians tell any lies they wanted and skip past the TelecoNs regulators Ombusman and Industry rules . Its open season In Ireland s Stallig 99 work slave camps


Derry