Find Out How to Get a Job and Work in Minneapolis

Employment in Minneapolis

With so many different employment opportunities available in Minneapolis, it’s little wonder the city attracts so many visitors and expats each year. If you’re new to work in Minneapolis, have a look at the following information to ensure you know what to expect and how to ensure you get the job you want in this exciting city.

The Local Economy

Vibrant and varied, the city has plenty of employment in the sectors of finance, industry, transport (both road and rail), and healthcare. There are also a large number of additional jobs in the arts, research, insurance, education, and technology sectors. Several transnational corporations have their base in Minneapolis, including US Bancorp, Ameriprise Financial, and Thrivent Financial, providing a large number of high caliber vacancies for management and sales roles.

Despite the fact that English is the main language of Minneapolis, a large percentage of the population only speaks English as an additional language and there are plenty of foreign language schools that would welcome a native English speaker as a teacher. For those with suitable experience and qualifications, teaching students English can be a great option for working in Minneapolis.

Work Permits for Minneapolis

The conditions under which you can work in Minneapolis vary depending on the terms under which you will be employed. For example, if you have successfully obtained a job with a US-based employer, which requires you to move to Minneapolis in order to take up the role, the company can act as your sponsor.

Long term employees can also successfully obtain a visa (which also permits them to work), should their company require them to relocate to Minneapolis. For the majority of visa categories, an employer is essential to facilitate the visa/work permit process, as confirmation of employment status is pivotal to a successful application.

A visa or permit will stipulate what employment you are allowed to do and normally a visa will not be granted unless a job has been obtained. However, there are also a number of other visa types that may apply to different circumstances, so early application and specialist advice from your embassy or other sources are both helpful.

For a general first overview of the different types of both, temporary and immigrant US visas, as well as more info on the application process, please refer to our articles on Visa and Administration in the USA.

Job Hunting in Minneapolis

To find a job in Minneapolis, useful places to begin searching are online employment bureaus. These often have a wealth of suitable posts and can also provide information on average salaries, and additional employee benefits (such as healthcare insurance).

If you have a particular area of expertise, trade journals, vacancies advertised in newspapers, and your company’s internal jobs board can all provide opportunities for employment based in Minneapolis. For workers needing Minnesota-specific information on employee conditions, pay, hours of work, legal obligations and other necessary data, the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry  also has a wealth of helpful intelligence.

When applying for a job in Minneapolis with a new company, applicants are normally expected to fill in an application form and/or submit a CV (curriculum vitae), and then attend an interview should they be short listed for the position. American immigration law means that it’s difficult to work on a freelance basis; working as an employee is the norm for the majority of expats.

Provided expatriates have successfully obtained the correct visa/work permit, employment in Minneapolis is a great opportunity to spend time in a city which has a lot to offer. Culturally varied, prosperous and appealing, Minneapolis is an excellent location for workers and their families to enjoy an attractive lifestyle that is enormously appealing.