You have completed a successful interview and have landed your first job abroad. There are several formalities which have to be completed first.
Vocabulary
reside, residence, obtain, promote, petition, eligible, spouse, environmentalist, horticulturist, convenience
Formalities
Everyone has to have all their documents in order.
These are some of the formalities which one has to look into in order to live and work in another country.
- Work permit
- Residence permit, green card
- Visa
- Tax regulations
- Health coverage
- Insurance
Find Out
Going Global gives some brief information about work permits, visas, CVs, various areas of business, job search, financial information, etc.
From "Country Profiles" choose one of the English-speaking countries and find out:
- Do they require a visa and work permit?
- What is the cost of living?
- What about medical care?
- Some important interview and cultural advice: dress, conduct, meeting people, eating, etc.
(The countries also have their own official websites with more detailed information about work permits, residence permits, healthcare etc., for example: UK Border Agency, Visit and Work in the USA and US Immigration Support).
Green Card
All foreign workers must obtain permission to work in the United States, but if one wishes permanent residence in the country, one of the documents required is a Green Card. There are many people who would like to reside permanently in the USA, but do not satisfy the necessary requirements and may try to find a way around the regulations. One US regulation states:
To promote family unity, immigration law allows U.S. citizens to petition for certain qualified relatives to come and live permanently in the United States. Eligible immediate relatives include the U.S. citizen’s:
• Spouse
• Unmarried child under the age of 21
• Parent (if the U.S. citizen is over the age of 21)
This is the basis for the plot of the film Green Card, a romantic comedy from 1990.
Green Card - Film
Brontë Mitchell (Andy MacDowell) is a horticulturist and an environmentalist and marries Georges Fauré (Gerard Depardeiu), an illegal alien to allow him to obtain a Green Card and become a permanent resident in the US. Brontë in turn uses her marriage credentials to rent the apartment of her dreams. After moving in, to explain her spouse’s absense she tells the doorman and neighbors he is conducting musical research in Africa.
Contacted by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service to arrange an interview so that they can determine if her marriage is legitimate, Brontë has to track down Georges and they have to convince the INS that theirs is not an arranged marriage.
Watch the trailer, Green Card and answer the questions which follow.
Comprehension
- Explain the terms
- marriage of convenience
- illegal alien
- Which country does Georges come from?
- What did the couple plan to do after their marriage?
- What reason do the representatives of the INS give for wanting to interview Bronte and Georges?
- How does the film seem to end?
Discuss
Should there be strict regulations to control people working and residing in a foreign country? Why/Why not?