I'm on the year programme starting in a couple of days ;D I've heard of people come home and apply straight away to go back on the programme and are successful... And also there are Disney Offices in every country. If people want to get their foot through the door why not start there. I'm sure people are transfered to other posts in other Disney areas. Plus if you want something bad enough you can get it, and if Disney wanted you to stay i'm sure that forms wouldn't be a problem. But i could be wrong.
Haha it's not so much if Disney want you to stay on....you just can't with visa restrictions...if Disney could influence that do you think I'd really be back in the UK? Plus you have to have 3 months between any visa, even if it's different from the one you've just had. Wow I remember starting this thread..that was a long time ago....in happier times :'( hehe
yeah i suppose but big corporations seem to have ways of getting around things don't you think... Are you going back to disney anytime soon??
I don't know if it is entirely the visa thing in the UK though as I think some of it is yummy jobs as well saying no. I kind of agree that others should get a chance to go but I would love to go back once just to see how things have changed.
There are far too many American's who can work for Disney that they don't 'need' internationals - except for the designated programs. This is why they won't sponsor green cards. I spoke to everyone I could speak to when i was both over in the US on a Q1 and J1. Unless you have your legal resident card and can work in the country, they aren't going to help you get it. I emailed Brad Rex, Danni Mikler and several people who worked in the Markeing dept's (my major) that i had met, and they all basically said the same thing -- We'll be happy to hire you if you already have your green card. Unfortunately , the laws are getting stricter. Unless you have a million dollars to invest in the US, start up a business (E2) with a substantial investment (this won't get you a green card but you get to renew it every 2 years i think without having to leave the US), or fall in love with and marry an American, these are really the only options of moving to the US. The paperwork and proof you have to supply for all these options are extensive and if you lie or fake any documents, the consequences are really harsh - fines, deportation and/or jail. It is extremely hard to find any company to sponsor an international, believe me I looked and called several companies. I know they call it the American Dream, and thats just it "A Dream". This is just my opinion on what i've been told from those in Disney and Attorney's.
there are other work visas though, not just green cards.. for example, actors can go in on work visas and stay and live in the country for years on end but they don't have green cards, just visas. It's the media visa I'd hope to get at some point in the future myself to work in the USA more permanantly. This is why people move to Canada instead though!!
hooray for media visa's... Don't you sometimes wish you were dual nationality though oh it'd be so sweet..
I keep suggesting to my mother that she discovers I was the long lost daughter of an American soilder but it hasn't worked yet!
I too share everyone's wish to stay out in Orlando working for Disney, seems we all feel that way, and why not, its such a wonderful place! I was just wondering, at the interview (embassy) for the visa, must you have solid proof of your intentions to come home to the UK? I am going out there in september for 12 months but have no uin place or anything set up for when I come home. And also, if you were to get married whilst working for disney, would they keep you on, on the basis that you would then have a visa? I think marriage is the way to go for us girlies!!!!
No not me A few years to work there is fine but I wouldn't like to live their permanently. If you get married you have the right to live and work in the US. The problem is that the whole work permit thing takes quite a while. You probably have to reapply and do an interview and all the "fun" classes again. I know about 3 German girls who got married and still work for Disney (but I think just part time). The others moved away or got a job somewhere else. If I think about it now there were probably 7 Germans who got married while I was there
OK just to warn you one of the girls while I was over there married and they were not kept on with Disney. It also took her ages to sort out the working visa once married. She was told they didn't have a permenant position where she was and I'm assuming she has now reapplied but with all the tests and everything you have to have for the marriage working visa (they do blood tests and things) when I saw her 4 months after leaving Disney she was still waiting for the working visa to be sorted. There's a lot of red tape involved. I also know someone who got married for a visa and then immigration found out. Its probably one of the hardest things to get through and I think marriage in to the US for a visa is very difficult no matter how easy it appears on the outside. I would be very careful getting involved in something like this just for a visa. Anyway just my two cents I'm sure other people have better experiences of this.
I am not really serious about getting married for a visa. I kind of presumed that it would be very difficult to actually do as I know how strict America is on immigration. I just have to accept that I can live the American Dream for 12 months only..all good things come to an end I suppose!
Just thought I'd add a little something for UK people looking for a career with Disney. I can't offer advice as how to stay in America working for Disney but if you're looking to pursue a career in the UK I've looked extensively into that over the summer and here's what I found out... The most annoying thing I found to start was that all the Disney jobs in America are listed on disney.com... try to find UK jobs and it's not so easy. I emailed various Disney addresses and eventually got a response about jobs with them. Basically, for a job in the UK Hammersmith offices or with ABC TV/Disney Channel UK, I was told they advertise regularly in national press in addition to online with monster.com grapevinejobs.com and other recruitment agencies such as Reed, Hayes, Michael Page, Bedenoch & Clark, Finance Professionals. The crap thing is the jobs are never in one place so you have to do a lot of searching around on a regular basis. When there are advertisements the positions are usually quite high up so a degree is usually necessary or the equivalent in experience. Depends what the job is obviously... if it's something to do with the Disney Channel likely hood is you need experience in TV or broadcasting. I'm sure there are positions from time to time that you can apply to without a degree but I would think if you are serious about a career with a company it is better to do a degree in something. There is also an option of working for the Disney Store. In my opinion the Disney Store would be a great starting place, but especially for those who are particularly young and have decided they want to pursue a career with Disney but aren't ready for a WDW programme or a degree just yet. You can not go wrong doing a programme with WDW though because it will look fantastic to them on your CV and I would think it would at least guarentee you an interview. Coming back to the moving to America thing. As someone said before... the only way I've seen of doing it is investing a large amount of money in a business (I think it's $50 000) which I'm sure is not an option for most of us. You could always try to convince your parents though... hahaha. The $/£ rate is particularly good at the moment.
I was fortunate enough to meet my husband (an American) while I was on the Int'l Program. Let me say I did NOT get married for the visa. I had no intention of staying in the states until I met him. That having been said, the immigration process was expensive and took several years to complete. However, I had a temporary work visa while my green card was being processed. But until that happened, I also had to pay for a travel visa so I could go home to Canada. I have been working for Disney for almost 10 years (not including the IP). I don't know how difficult it would otherwise to get a visa.
Oh you're so lucky! I want to get a green card so bad! I'm applying for the green card lottery for the 2nd time right now! If not, who know, maybe I'll meet the man of my dreams there...
heehee I'm SO lucky...about to get my duel citizenship! hoorah. I don't plan on coming back to Canada for a few years.
Canadians can work there forever and ever. I know so, it's my life plan. And you can hold a J-1 visa morethan once. I know numerous people who are back for a second time on ICP. And 3rd time. After you graduate with a BA(h) you can get a L-something visa and go for 5 years. Before you leave, you apply for another L-visa and then boom, segued into a greencard.
where did you hear all this from?! I know 100% it is not that easy. I've done extensive research on Canadian immigration into the US and it's close to impossible unless you fall into a few very small categories. True you can go back again and again on the Q-1 or J-1 visa so long as Disney will sponsor you, but as for being segued to get a greencard it is unfortunately slim pickings. Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, I just don't want people to think immigrating to the US is an easy task. It is years worth of forms and paperwork and fees for almost everyone.
