Today I would like to share with you are useful website for expats relocating to the U.S. It will not only be helpful to people relocating to Chicago, it actually has information about 7 major cities in addition to the Windy City: New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, Hartford, Boston and San Francisco.
Here is Chicago page: http://www.expatarrivals.com/the-usa/chicago/moving-to-chicago (from which you can navigate to other destinations).
The site provides you with a wide variety of information: cost of living, education, safety, healthcare, working, taxes, etc. It also has a forum for expacts to interact and share experiences while helping each other.
Showing posts with label Immigration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Immigration. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Immigration Demystified
Not necessarily a networking event but a great seminar for newcomers to the U.S.:
IMMIGRATION DEMYSTIFIED. Seminar sponsored by BENNU Legal Services. Presentation, by Andrew Sagartz, Executive Director, BENNU Legal Services, will focus on the basics of immigration.
When: July 17, 2010, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Where: BENNU Legal Services, 28835 North Herky Drive, Suite 104,
Lake Bluff, IL.
Fee: $10; advanced registration appreciated. For information & registration, please
e-mail: info@bennulegal.org, or call 847/478-8200.
IMMIGRATION DEMYSTIFIED. Seminar sponsored by BENNU Legal Services. Presentation, by Andrew Sagartz, Executive Director, BENNU Legal Services, will focus on the basics of immigration.
When: July 17, 2010, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Where: BENNU Legal Services, 28835 North Herky Drive, Suite 104,
Lake Bluff, IL.
Fee: $10; advanced registration appreciated. For information & registration, please
e-mail: info@bennulegal.org, or call 847/478-8200.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Immigration lawyers - are they really helpful?
Today I would like to share with you another personal observation. I meet a lot of immigrants and I went through the immigration process myself and I know that out of all organizations there is only one with which an immigrant deals most closely and sometimes for a very long period of time, not just months but years - this is the office of their immigration lawyer. Since every immigrant spends so much time (and money) dealing with an immigration lawyer from the point of view of the former the latter is considered to be an expert on a wide variety of issues related to immigration and generally life in the U.S. Immigrants seek advice from their immigration lawyers beyond their visa or green card but how willing are they to help? - Not very much.
When "The Legal Alien's Guide" was published I sent an official letter and press release to all immigration lawyers in Chicagoand that I could find in an official legal directory on the Internet. I believed that they should see the value of it and make sure each there client knows about it and may be have access to it in their office if the need be. Not a single lawyer responded! Not one wanted to learn more information to provide their clients better service and help them with a friendly advice on life after green card. Nobody wanted to deal with something they are not paid for.
The only immigration lawyer that expressed interest and understood the value of the guide was Tony Kim whom I met at one of the networking events and now his profile is featured on "Best of Chicago" page on the "Legal Alien's Guide" website http://www.legalaliensguide.com/BestChic I guess he was the only one interested because he really new what hardships immigrants endure since his parent immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea.
So I would challenge every immigration lawyer (and you can challenge yours too) to open their minds beyond legal matters and not do their job with just with one goal of making money but with a goal of helping people they bring into this country as much as they can.
I would qualify every immigration lawyer working in Chicagoland according the following grade system:
Grade 1: he/she heard about "The Legal Alien's Guide" and can give some advice on life after green card
Grade 2: he/she has a copy of "The Legal Alien's Guide" in their office so that a client can have a look at it and find the information he needs
Grade 3: he/she presents each client with "The Legal Alien's Guide" for FREE as a "thank you" for spending thousands of dollars in THEIR legal office. This to me would be the highest level of customer service.
So ask your lawyer and see where he/she stands. I think lawyers became too money focused and would not move their finger for anything you have not covered by your check and I believe it's time to do something to make them become more customer-focused.
*********************************
Most helpful Chicago Guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
When "The Legal Alien's Guide" was published I sent an official letter and press release to all immigration lawyers in Chicagoand that I could find in an official legal directory on the Internet. I believed that they should see the value of it and make sure each there client knows about it and may be have access to it in their office if the need be. Not a single lawyer responded! Not one wanted to learn more information to provide their clients better service and help them with a friendly advice on life after green card. Nobody wanted to deal with something they are not paid for.
The only immigration lawyer that expressed interest and understood the value of the guide was Tony Kim whom I met at one of the networking events and now his profile is featured on "Best of Chicago" page on the "Legal Alien's Guide" website http://www.legalaliensguide.com/BestChic I guess he was the only one interested because he really new what hardships immigrants endure since his parent immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea.
So I would challenge every immigration lawyer (and you can challenge yours too) to open their minds beyond legal matters and not do their job with just with one goal of making money but with a goal of helping people they bring into this country as much as they can.
I would qualify every immigration lawyer working in Chicagoland according the following grade system:
Grade 1: he/she heard about "The Legal Alien's Guide" and can give some advice on life after green card
Grade 2: he/she has a copy of "The Legal Alien's Guide" in their office so that a client can have a look at it and find the information he needs
Grade 3: he/she presents each client with "The Legal Alien's Guide" for FREE as a "thank you" for spending thousands of dollars in THEIR legal office. This to me would be the highest level of customer service.
So ask your lawyer and see where he/she stands. I think lawyers became too money focused and would not move their finger for anything you have not covered by your check and I believe it's time to do something to make them become more customer-focused.
*********************************
Most helpful Chicago Guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
Monday, May 26, 2008
The truth that all immigrants should know
Before I published my book, "The Legal Alien's Guide", I thought that the main problem was that the information was not readily available to people and it was hard to filter it down to find organizations that would really help you to find a job or start/develop your own business in Chicagoland if you are new to the city. I naively believed that when I collect all the information and put it in an easy-to-use guide all problems will be resolved. I was wrong.
The biggest problem is that a lot of private and government organizations set up to help people actually prevent you from getting to the information you need and this is how it happens:
1. Some of the organizations will not move their finger if it is not financially beneficial to them. I came to several organisations working with international communities in Chicago and they appreciated the value of my book but they said that they will inform their members about it only if I pay them. Which means that those immigrant that signed up as members with them and in some instance paid (!) for membership are prevented from getting the information which they are entitled to get.
2. Some organizations are afraid of competition. I have about 200 associations, groups and clubs listed in my book so that every person can find something for his/her own needs, which may mean much better and more tailored services than they are getting currently (in case they are already receiving help from an organization). So I had a situation several times when an organization refused to post a link to my book on their website saying that "they already have all useful links their members may need". In reality they usually have 5 to 10 links that after my thorough investigation usually turn out to be non-competitive "nominal" links that don't threaten to take away members from this group because they provide similar (and may be better services)
3. Some organizations were created by one individual and though this person did a great job helping at least some people it would be too ambitious to think that 1 person can help everybody. However this type of organizations do not let the information about resources in my book to reach people because they consider themselves really good at networking and it seems to me that it bothers them that the idea to write a guide similar to mine didn't come to them first. They ignore all my requests to help in communicating to their members that new resources are available and feels like a dead end.
4. Not all government organizations are helpful either: one Illinois organization specifically set up to help immigrants refused to use my book to help the people they work with because... they simply didn't like the title of it.
And I am not asking them to sell my book, I am just asking them to let people know that it exists. I never expected that there will be such a resistance from all these organizations because they all claim on their websites that they were set up to help, inform, educate, etc.
So what can you do? Spread the word about the Guide - people have the right to know about resources available to them. If you are a member of any networking, immigrant, student or any other organization - ask them to send out the information about the book to their members, especially if you paid for membership, you paid to get information which you are not actually getting. If your organization has a resources library ask them to have a copy or two of the Guide there, again, you have the right for it. It will take a lot of effort to change people's selfish mentality but together we can do it!
*******************************
Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
The biggest problem is that a lot of private and government organizations set up to help people actually prevent you from getting to the information you need and this is how it happens:
1. Some of the organizations will not move their finger if it is not financially beneficial to them. I came to several organisations working with international communities in Chicago and they appreciated the value of my book but they said that they will inform their members about it only if I pay them. Which means that those immigrant that signed up as members with them and in some instance paid (!) for membership are prevented from getting the information which they are entitled to get.
2. Some organizations are afraid of competition. I have about 200 associations, groups and clubs listed in my book so that every person can find something for his/her own needs, which may mean much better and more tailored services than they are getting currently (in case they are already receiving help from an organization). So I had a situation several times when an organization refused to post a link to my book on their website saying that "they already have all useful links their members may need". In reality they usually have 5 to 10 links that after my thorough investigation usually turn out to be non-competitive "nominal" links that don't threaten to take away members from this group because they provide similar (and may be better services)
3. Some organizations were created by one individual and though this person did a great job helping at least some people it would be too ambitious to think that 1 person can help everybody. However this type of organizations do not let the information about resources in my book to reach people because they consider themselves really good at networking and it seems to me that it bothers them that the idea to write a guide similar to mine didn't come to them first. They ignore all my requests to help in communicating to their members that new resources are available and feels like a dead end.
4. Not all government organizations are helpful either: one Illinois organization specifically set up to help immigrants refused to use my book to help the people they work with because... they simply didn't like the title of it.
And I am not asking them to sell my book, I am just asking them to let people know that it exists. I never expected that there will be such a resistance from all these organizations because they all claim on their websites that they were set up to help, inform, educate, etc.
So what can you do? Spread the word about the Guide - people have the right to know about resources available to them. If you are a member of any networking, immigrant, student or any other organization - ask them to send out the information about the book to their members, especially if you paid for membership, you paid to get information which you are not actually getting. If your organization has a resources library ask them to have a copy or two of the Guide there, again, you have the right for it. It will take a lot of effort to change people's selfish mentality but together we can do it!
*******************************
Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Immigration - hot issue in the 2008 Presidential Elections
I have recently discovered an interesting article about myself and my book in relation to the 2008 Presidential Campaign: http://www.eyeinpr.com/home/category/politicn-in-the-city. I always said that all eyes are now on illegal immigrants and no one really takes care about people who come here legally. Thousands of families relocate when one spouse gets a job offer in the U.S. Who cares about the other spouse, how is he/she supposed to adjust in a new country and rebuild his/her life?
Thousands of families win Green Card in a lottery every year and a lot of them come here with dreams but without having a clue about how to look for a job or start their business. My voice, my book and my seminars are the only comprehensive resources for legal aliens and I am very glad that others start paying attention to the issues related to legal immigrants.
The article includes an interesting video of the debate between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton on the issues of immigration.
P.S. The article mentions my seminar on March 10 (oops, too late :-) . The next one is scheduled for April 14, please, visit www.legalaliensguide.com/Seminars for more details
*******************************
Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
Thousands of families win Green Card in a lottery every year and a lot of them come here with dreams but without having a clue about how to look for a job or start their business. My voice, my book and my seminars are the only comprehensive resources for legal aliens and I am very glad that others start paying attention to the issues related to legal immigrants.
The article includes an interesting video of the debate between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton on the issues of immigration.
P.S. The article mentions my seminar on March 10 (oops, too late :-) . The next one is scheduled for April 14, please, visit www.legalaliensguide.com/Seminars for more details
*******************************
Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Comprehensive Immigration Reform up-date
Turkish American Chamber of Commerce based in Chicago is organizing a luncheon program called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". The luncheon will feature a presentation by Donald W. Garner, the founder of LL.M. Law Group.
The presentation will cover news and developments relevant to all legal aliens.
WHEN: OCTOBER 31, 12:00 p.m.,
WHERE: 875 North Michigan Avenue, 13th Floor, Chicago.
No charge; advance registration required. For information & registration, please e-mail: luncheon@ctacc.org.
*******************************
Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
The presentation will cover news and developments relevant to all legal aliens.
WHEN: OCTOBER 31, 12:00 p.m.,
WHERE: 875 North Michigan Avenue, 13th Floor, Chicago.
No charge; advance registration required. For information & registration, please e-mail: luncheon@ctacc.org.
*******************************
Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com
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