Hi all,I'm contemplating a move from London to New York and was hoping someone could let me know what the Consulting market is like in NYC at the moment and who is hiring?I'm currently Consultant level at ACN.Many thanks.

Some questions:1. What nationality are you?2. Do you hold a US Work Permit?3. What are your reasons for moving?4. Do you intend to settle down in the USA?5. Are you planning to eventually move from New York to somewhere else such as the quiet midwest?

Hi there, thanks for your speedy reply!I'm British and don't currently hold a US Work Permit.I want to move because I need a change from London after more than 5 years. I've got friends in New York and would plan initially to work there for at least two years to build up experience, maybe longer.I don't intend to settle in the US permanently.Thanks.

I think you may need a US Work Permit to work in the US of A. Not sure how difficult these are to get. I think the US of A has tough border controls because of so many people pretending to move there for work when in fact they just want to settle down with a big house and a nice truck in the midwest. You may need to join a big company in London then get staffed on projects in NYC to fulfil your ambition.

I tried to do the exact same thing at Accenture when I was a consultant there and its not easy (sorry to break the bad news!). HR was supportive in sending me all the forms, etc - but the trouble came when I had to prove that the skills I had could not be found in the US. Its much easier if you know people on the other side of the pond who are willing to fight your battle on their side. It can be done, but its not a quick and easy move, and you got to be prepared for a relatively long struggle. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice guys!

So, you've gotta prove that the skills you have cannot be found in the US?How many people are there in the US?Are you a "one in 350 million" kinda guy?

The general gist of the comments here are spot on. The US , especially the cities, are very tough to break into. You will almost surely need work authorisation. Many companies ( and recruiters) simply wont even look at you if you require sponsorship. There are 2 exceptions to this:1. You have contacts there who will fight to get you there ( i.e. direct hiring managers)2. You are so specialised, your skills are so niche, that not many people have those skills.As one of the reviewers said, by far, your best chance will be to get ACN to post you for a secondment in the US office. This too is difficult and time consuming. I think you can understand that a company like ACN has many many employees willing to do exactly the same thing as you.