Annually, 1000’s of individuals from all over the world pack their luggage and head to the US to expertise life within the self-proclaimed “land of the free”.
Sydney-born Madeleine Miller is one among them.
“I landed in Philadelphia not understanding a soul,” she says.
Miller moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in November 2023 together with her former accomplice.
Regardless of the connection ending after six months, she rapidly discovered buddies and a job that supplied her extra money and larger profession development than she had in Australia.
Madeleine Miller has been having fun with work alternatives within the US, however the potential of a second Donald Trump presidency has made her nervous about her future. Credit score: Equipped
The 31-year-old is one among round 98,000 Australians residing within the US. Miller had at all times needed to work abroad however residing within the US throughout an election yr was by no means a part of her life plan.
“That relationship was the catalyst”, she says.
Nonetheless, the results of the upcoming on 5 November may change that.
With lower than per week to go, Miller is feeling nervous and says issues in Philadelphia really feel extra tense than common.
“It feels a bit extra unstable, the vitality is a little more not sure,” she says.
For Miller, the selection between Democratic vice chairman Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump is a stark one.
She is anxious in regards to the potential for a second Trump presidency to deepen cultural tensions within the US, declaring that the previous president has a protracted observe file of utilizing racist and sexist slurs.
“[Trump] is so outwardly and explicitly racist, for lack of a greater phrase,” she says, including “he provides license to those who in any other case may hold their mouths shut.”
Miller is Vietnamese Australian and says she has skilled racism firsthand within the US, together with a verbal assault shortly after her arrival in Philadelphia.
“I really feel like as a lady I’ve sufficient harassment to cope with. I do not actually need to have racial slurs yelled at me once more.”
‘Extremely irritating’
Whereas residing in Sydney, Miller was very energetic in politics and even labored on election days counting ballots. However as a brief US resident, Miller is ineligible to vote.
It is tremendous bizarre for me to be in a spot the place like I actually cannot have a say within the end result of the election.
Madeleine Miller
She says many younger folks in Philadelphia are disillusioned with politics.
“The factor that has stunned me … is the quantity of individuals my age who I’ve spoken to who don’t have any intention of voting in anyway, [which] is so extremely irritating,” Miller says.
Pennsylvania is without doubt one of the seven swing states tipped to find out the election — and the state by which each candidates have spent probably the most cash on pre-election campaigning.
Traditionally, it has been a blue state — held by Democrats — however the 2016 election noticed Pennsylvania flip crimson by a margin of 0.72 per cent favouring Republicans. In 2020, the Democrats re-claimed it by a margin of 1.17 per cent.
Present nationwide polling from exhibits Harris is narrowly forward of Trump by 1.3 per cent.
“The final vibe is individuals are disenchanted by the impression of presidents. I actually do not know what’s going to occur,” Miller says.
“Part of me is making an attempt not to consider it as a result of I am so nervous.”
One other situation on the forefront of Miller’s thoughts is the potential for to be additional eroded. Throughout his first presidency, Trump appointed three Supreme Courtroom judges who helped overturn, the landmark 1973 case that established abortion entry as a constitutional proper.
Because it was overruled in 2022, half of all US states have tightened restrictions on abortion entry, and 13 have launched near-total bans.
Miller, who had a termination when she was 24, says the result of the election may prohibit her entry to reproductive healthcare.
“It is surreal … very dystopian,” she says.
Why am I residing in 2024 and I’m having to contemplate the truth that the brand new chief … is doubtlessly going to limit my entry to my reproductive well being?
“Why do I’ve to query [whether or not] I’ll have entry to a termination of being pregnant, an abortion, just by who will get elected?”
‘They need the immigrant vote’
Like Miller, many foreigners residing within the US gained’t get the prospect to vote within the election primarily based on their momentary visa standing.
Miller got here to the US on an E-3 visa — a particular subclass of working visa out there solely to Australians, which has allowed her to dwell and work within the US for telecommunications firm Comcast.
She says alternatives for profession development have guided her choice to remain.
“The scope of the corporate is unparalleled to something I’ve had publicity to in Australia,” she says.
“America is a rustic the place when you have cash and have entry to healthcare by way of your work, it is a fantastic place to dwell. I believe issues are as costly right here as they’re in Australia [but] the potential of being profitable right here is large.”
As much as 10,500 E-3 visas can be found every monetary yr to Australians with a job supply or sponsorship from a US firm to work in a “specialty occupation”. They’re legitimate for 2 years and will be renewed indefinitely.
New York-based immigration regulation professional Zjantelle Cammisa Markel, who’s initially from Adelaide, says she has seen an inflow of Australians over the past 20 years, largely due to the introduction of the E-3 visa in 2005. Purposes for the E-3 make up round two-thirds of her caseload.
“Australians used to go to London … then as soon as they began to get wind of the E-3 they began coming,” says Cammisa Markel, who’s the founder and CEO of her immigration regulation agency.
“It is given Australians so [many] extra alternatives.”
Within the lead-up to the election, Zjantelle Cammisa Markel has seen a rise within the pace at which citizenship functions are being processed. Credit score: Equipped
In accordance with the US Census Bureau, nearly all of Australian ex-pats within the US dwell in California and New York. Slightly below half arrived after 2010 and 70 per cent work in enterprise, science, administration or the humanities.
Cammisa Markel got here to the US in 2000 and has been practising regulation since 2005. She mentioned a lot of her shoppers are enticed to maneuver to the US due to enterprise and work alternatives.
“It might be they’ve reached a sure stage of their profession in Australia … [and] what they begin to see [is] a market right here and the market is larger within the US than what it’s in Australia,” she says.
Many Australians select to maneuver to America for larger work and enterprise alternatives. Supply: SBS Information
In her time within the US, Cammisa Markel has seen how completely different administrations can affect immigration coverage however the demand for visas stays excessive, she says.
“Even though some folks may determine they may not even need to come to the US when it is an election yr, most instances folks do not base their choice on that,” she says.
I’ve had shoppers which have mentioned: ‘If X or Y will get elected, I’ll transfer again’ — I have not truly seen that a lot of it.
Over the previous yr, Cammisa Markel has seen an uptick in functions for US citizenship, together with from her Australian shoppers.
“They need to have the ability to vote and … it provides them a way of safety within the US.”
She’s additionally seen a rise within the pace at which citizenship functions are processed. Whereas an utility would sometimes take 12-14 months from begin to end, she says some are taking as little as two months.
“The present administration is pro-immigrant and is on the lookout for the immigrant vote, so I believe they’ve prioritised citizenship functions.”
Below the incumbent President , the US Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) has processed 3.5 million citizenship functions. In 2024 the common processing time was 5 months — half the processing time of citizenship functions made in 2021.
As soon as-in-a-lifetime alternative
Nolan Hirte, 44, is without doubt one of the many Australians who noticed a larger marketplace for his enterprise within the US.
Hirte and his spouse Shari are the co-owners of Proud Mary Espresso Roasters in Melbourne, which opened in 2009. In 2016, Hirte took a leap of religion and moved his household to Portland, Oregon, to open Proud Mary USA with the intention of staying round 5 years.
He is now been within the US for eight years and has opened a second cafe in Austin, Texas, the place he additionally lives.
Initially, Hirte contemplated transferring to the US to broaden his enterprise and to assist the espresso producers he works with promote extra espresso.
“They have been rising extra espresso than I may purchase — I actually needed to have the ability to assist them,” he tells SBS Information.
Nolan Hirte moved together with his household from Melbourne to Portland to broaden Proud Mary after noticing a spot within the US cafe scene. Credit score: Equipped
The sheer measurement of the US additionally appealed to Hirte: its inhabitants exceeds 335 million folks, which is greater than twelve instances .
“[I kept thinking]: ‘Nicely if I used to be within the US that might be tremendous fascinating to develop that viewers’.”
After travelling to Oregon on a household vacation, Hirte noticed a spot within the metropolis’s hospitality scene he thought he may fill.
“There have been all these superb specialty espresso retailers however none of them would do meals,” he says.
“I may see how nicely it could work within the US … there was this nagging query: ‘what number of alternatives in your life are you going to get to supply one thing within the US?'”
Since organising store within the US, Hirte’s proximity to producers has meant he can supply espresso extra sustainably and scale back his working prices.
“It’s far simpler for me to place out a top quality product right here and cost accordingly, so meaning I can hold chasing that dream that I’ve obtained.
“It makes us completely happy we’re thriving.”
Whereas Hirte says he doesn’t plan to return to Australia any time quickly, he says there are some drawbacks to residing within the US.
The toughest tablet to swallow within the healthcare system.
Nolan Hirte
Not like Australia, the US doesn’t have a common healthcare insurance coverage scheme. As a substitute, folks need to pay for medical health insurance and any out-of-pocket prices they incur when accessing medical providers.
In accordance with the Peterson-KFF Well being Care Tracker, Individuals spend a median of US$12,555 ($19,081) every year on healthcare — roughly double the quantity spent by Australians.
“The healthcare system will not be geared round giving everybody entry,” Hirte says.
In accordance with a Pew Analysis ballot from Might, healthcare affordability is without doubt one of the high three points for US voters. All through the marketing campaign, each Harris and Trump have made guarantees to enhance healthcare entry and affordability.
Hirte is a Inexperienced Card holder — the US equal of a everlasting resident — and, like Miller, will not be permitted to vote in elections. However he says he’s feeling “okay” forward of the election.
“I really feel prefer it’s out of my management; there’s not loads I can do there,” he says.
“I attempt to keep out of politics and that has served me fairly nicely.”
A way of freedom
Not like Hirte, Steve Berry is unfazed by the US healthcare system.
“I’ve at all times had good healthcare. I had healthcare paid principally by my employers,” Berry tells SBS Information.
“Individuals who complain in regards to the worth of healthcare [are] both ignoring the amenities which can be there to care for your self or they’re too tight to pay a few hundred bucks,” he says.
The 75-year-old grew up in Orange, NSW, and now lives in Houston, Texas.
He first got here to the US in 1980 on a working visa, together with his younger household in tow. The previous Royal Australian Air Pressure officer settled in Dallas, Texas, the place he secured a two-year work contract.
Texas could be very very similar to Australia — or it is like Australia was.
Steve Berry
After his two years have been up, Berry selected to increase his visa, and he saved extending it.
“I wasn’t lacking Australia, [though] I missed our household and that a bit of bit.”
Steven Berry has been residing within the US for greater than 40 years and says he feels that the US is a a lot freer nation than Australia. Credit score: Equipped
Berry’s work in hydraulics took him everywhere in the US. On a number of events, he thought of returning to Australia however after a go to from his spouse’s household within the 80s, whereas he was residing in Chicago, he determined there was no going again.
“They noticed how we have been residing and went: ‘Boy, we want we may dwell right here. If we have been youthful and we may do that,’” he says.
Berry and his household ultimately settled in Texas, the place they’ve lived for the previous 20 years.
He has now retired and says the sense of freedom he feels within the US is what has saved him from returning to Australia.
He explains that when, when he was contemplating transferring again, he spoke with a salesman about shopping for a airplane they usually listed the in depth guidelines round proudly owning and working plane in Australia: so he determined towards it.
I assumed, ‘rattling, why would I need to return [to Australia]?’
Steve Berry
Over Berry’s nearly 40 years within the US, he ran a number of companies alongside his profession in hydraulics. One of many companies included shopping for and promoting aeroplanes, which meant he flew often between Houston and California, a distance of roughly 1,400 nautical miles (2,250km).
“You possibly can’t do this in Australia: the foundations of flying and personal plane in Australia are arduous,” he says.
In Texas, legal guidelines regulating airplane possession are extra relaxed. So too are gun legal guidelines. Round 45 per cent of all adults personal weapons. Berry feels completely protected residing in Texas and takes consolation in understanding he has the correct to personal a gun.
“You do not see folks strolling with weapons…the liberty is right here to do it,” he says.
Berry grew to become an American citizen twenty years in the past and has lived by way of eight US presidents. He intends to vote for Trump within the upcoming election and is feeling assured about his possibilities of re-election.
“Below Trump issues have been actually good … I do know we’ll get again on observe.”
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