Living in America once qualified?

[Unregistered]

Hi,

I'm a MN cadet in Britain and my girlfriend of 4 years has recently moved to America.

What is it like for a Brit MN officer to live in America? Is it easy to find work? Is it the same as normal because it's deep sea (you just fly to wherever your ship is)?

Thanks.

[Clanky]

I don't know how difficult it is to get the right to live in the US as a resident, but I do know that it is quite a difficult process to be gain a USCG certificate of competency which would allow you to work for a US company, but yes, if you continue to work outside the US then it is just a matter of flying to and from the US to a ship instead of to and from the UK.

I would guess that if you can prove that you have regular employment outside of the US then that should go in your favour when applying for residency, but the only people who will be able to give you a definite answer are the US immigration service.

[YoungMariner]

I have worked with many colleagues who live in the states either through marrying an American or being sponsored for a green card by their employer (cruise lines). None of these people had converted to a USCG license and therefore worked on foreign flagged vessels, and just changed their home airport to the US, no big deal. I have read recently that it has now become possible to convert to a USCG license.
Be aware that your tax liabilities would change as a US resident, unlike the UKs very beneficial tax setup for seafarers.

[pignutpilot]

If you have a UK masters mariner unlimited ticket, it is only enough to sail as a deck hand on a USA vessel, you would have to start from the bottom and work up. No joke.

The USA system is very protectionist for American seafarers, to stop cheaper foreign labour flooding their market. They have the Jones act and all that to protect their jobs.

[Clanky]

If you have a UK masters mariner unlimited ticket, it is only enough to sail as a deck hand on a USA vessel, you would have to start from the bottom and work up. No joke.

The USA system is very protectionist for American seafarers, to stop cheaper foreign labour flooding their market. They have the Jones act and all that to protect their jobs.

I have spoken to someone recently who told me that he was in the process of converting his UK master's license to a USCG license, he reckoned that the process was long and difficult, but that it was possible.

[YoungMariner]

I'd heard something similar Clanky, I read an article very recently saying that they'd introduced a system to convert as part of the STCW recognition etc, but didn't really read it in depth. The article lead me to believe that prior to the new regulations, that it wasn't possible to convert from a foreign to a USCG license.

[Lewis]

Does that work both ways? Do we repay them in kind if they try to get a CEC here?

[HolyNougat]

Yes, bizarrely USCG licenses are recognized as of 'equivalent competence' even though they don't recognize ours (notwithstanding the information above)... but America has always been a one way street....

[Lewis]

Surely one of the conditions of issuing CEC should be that those receiving them should be from countries that do us the same courtesy.

[gadget123]

Surely one of the conditions of issuing CEC should be that those receiving them should be from countries that do us the same courtesy.

But then countries like Panama would want the same treatment. You will always have double standards somewhere.

[HolyNougat]

The reason that the Americans don't recognize our certificates is not because they don't consider us to be of equal competence, it is just down to job protectionism. Put Simply they only want Americans on American ships, but also expect other countries with more lax labor laws to accept American officers as well. HOWEVER, when you consider than officers on American flagged ships are earning around twice what a Brit would be earning, you will understand why there are no huge number of Americans seafarers on foreign flagged ships...

[HolyNougat]

But then countries like Panama would want the same treatment. You will always have double standards somewhere.

I think Panama are on the STCW white list and therefore do 'get the same treatment'

[gadget123]

I think Panama are on the STCW white list and therefore do 'get the same treatment'

So if I had a Panamanian COC I could get a UK CEC just by filling in the forms?

[HolyNougat]

I have actually looked this up now - I must be bored... anyways the following is a link to a page which shows which COC are acceptable for a British CEC to be issued.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-home/workingatsea/mcga-trainingandcert/mcga-cec/dqs-st-stc-cecinfo.htm

As is happens, Panama is not on that list either as a yes or no, but Panama is considered to issue COC's inline with the STCW.

[gadget123]

Thanks for that.
So the countries on that list can get a CEC without any form of examination. Seems a long list with a lot of countries I wouldn't expect.