<p>Well, I was wondering if companies tend to hire foreign engineers, since they are willing to work longer for lower wages. Is there a trend resembling this? Also, will future companies have certain incentives to hire foreign engineers? By the way, I'm interested at chemical engineering.
Any comments or clarifications are welcome! thanks.</p>
<p>I'm not sure this applies to every field, but there is sometimes a disadvantage to being a foreign worker of higher academic standards. The government, at least in California, and at least in the college professor area, sets certain minimums that a company has to pay to a foreigner with visas, I think green card holders might be exempt from this law. So, for a university, it is sometimes cheaper to hire American professors, and that's what the government wants. </p>
<p>Besides the above, good companies are not necessarily looking for cheaper employees, but rather for those who will improve and contribute the most, because spending a minute fraction of their budget on a very competent person might yield a higher benefit in the long run.</p>
<p>So judging from this, I believe that if you want to work in America, you should focus on being able to outperform/ offer more to your employer, rather than advertising your willingness to work for lower wages.</p>
<p>Actually my perspective was from the "American" engineer, but still, thanks for the answer!</p>
<p>I have heard that chemE moves a lot out of US. Is it true?</p>
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I have heard that chemE moves a lot out of US. Is it true?
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<p>Well, considering that the majority of ChemE jobs in the US are located in several 'clumps', one of which are the Gulf states, a chemical engineer will most likely have to move to such an area to find employment. However I'm not sure how much they move around after they find employment (I doubt that they have to, chemical plants can't really be moved around at this time).</p>
<p>ChemEs rarely HAVE to move, that is correct.</p>
<p>As for the long hours question; with the ushering in of the Gen Yer's (most of you) I seriously doubt that longer hours will become the norm, and if it does there will be definitly be a reward other than job security.</p>
<p>I am an engineer for a power company and new entry-level engineers have to move around for the first few years to get experience at several different facilities. The moves aren't far so it is not a big inconvenience if you consider the good experience that you will receive. </p>
<p>Long hours? Some jobs require long hours no matter what. At power plants you may end up working long hours, weekends, holidays, etc. If a unit has to be derated or taken offline for maintenance, it is cheaper to do so on weekends and holidays. And every few years we do extended maintenance projects. Later this year some of the engineers (including me) will be working 7 days per week for two months, most likely 12 hour shifts.</p>