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Miami is a place of fabulous weather, fabulous ‘art deco’ architecture in creamy ice cream shades. A place glamourised via our television sets and immortalised by Ocean Drive. Having a job in Miami would be a laid back lifestyle dream come true. What Miami job options are out there for the Florida wannabe?

The Climate
Potentially the most attractive thing about the state of Florida, it can also be the most destructive. Hurricanes, tropical storms, heat and humidity all define the climate in Miami. You will certainly get to enjoy much warmer weather than elsewhere, but Miami pays price when it comes to severe weather.
The hottest month in Miami is August. The average high temperature in August is 89.8 F. The average low temperature in January, the coldest month, is 59.5 F. Southeast Florida tends to be hit by a hurricane every four years or so. Major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) occur less frequently. We've had 15 during that same time period
On average; Miami receives about 60 inches of rain annually. Like any city, Miami has some precipitation most every month, but the wettest months of the year are June, August and September. The driest months are December, January and February.

Visa for foreign nationals
Before traveling to the U.S., a citizen of a foreign country must generally obtain a non-immigrant visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The type of visa you will need is based on the purpose of your travel.

The Immigration and Nationality Act provides several categories of non-immigrant visas for a person who wishes to work temporarily in the United States. If you want to work in the U.S. temporarily, under immigration law, you need a specific visa based on the purpose of your travel and type of work you will be doing. To learn more, please see Temporary Workers and Employers-Hiring a Foreign National  for Short-Term Employment and Employer Information  on the USCIS website.  http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

Applicants for temporary work visas should generally apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence. Although visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence. Visa applications are now subject to a greater degree of review than in the past so it is important to apply for your visa well in advance of your travel departure date. 

The non-immigrant visa application Form DS-156 lists classes of persons who are ineligible under U.S. law to receive visas. In some instances an applicant who is ineligible, but who is otherwise properly classifiable as a temporary worker, may apply for a waiver of ineligibility and be issued a visa if the waiver is approved.

As part of the visa application process, an interview at the embassy consular section is required for visa applicants from age 14 through 79, with few exceptions. Persons age 13 and younger, and age 80 and older, generally do not require an interview, unless requested by embassy or consulate.

Immigrating to the United States to live permanently is an important and complex decision. In general, to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative(s), U.S. lawful permanent resident, or by a prospective employer, and be the beneficiary of an approved petition.

TN Visa (TN-1) for Canadians/Mexicans to work in the United States
NAFTA  (North American Free Trade Agreement) facilitates travel to and employment in the United States of certain Canadian and Mexican workers. NAFTA created TN classification for eligible Canadian and Mexican professional workers and affected terms of Canadians' admissions to the U.S. under other classifications. The TN employee must possess the credentials required as well as proof of qualifying citizenship. TN status allows unlimited multiple entries to the U.S. for the period of service required by the U.S. employer (includes foreign employers), up to a maximum of three years, and can be extended indefinitely as long as the temporary purpose of the employment continues.
There is no annual cap on TN work permits. Self-Employment in the U.S.is  not permitted.

Where to live?
Moving to Miami or relocating anywhere can be a stressful experience. It pays to do your homework and have a good idea of how and where to get a roof over your head, and what it might cost you to reside in Florida. So your first priority is choosing a place to live. Whether you plan to rent an apartment or purchase a luxurious mansion, your search for shelter is probably best started by selecting a neighbourhood. A great and useful guide to Miami neighbourhoods is here. http://tinyurl.com/miami-neighbourhoods

Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach make up the most populated area of Florida and are at the heart of the state's economy and culture. Want to live the good life near the beach? Believe it or not, you can find small apartments for rent starting in the $500-600 range in these desirable cities. But to live it up in style, expect to pay $1,500 or more for appropriately fabulous apartment rentals.

The median price for apartments in Miami is $700, and in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach the median for apartments for rent is $600.

The overall cost of living in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach is slightly below the national average, so your money will generally go further here than in most of the rest of the country. In Miami, there is a wide range of apartments, condos and homes to choose from. You'll find luxury high-rise apartments on the south side of town and quieter suburbs on the north side. Got money to burn? Check out the ritzy apartments rentals in affluent Coconut Grove.

The Economy
For most of Miami's history, its economy has been based on tourism. In fact, it was not so long ago that the city came to life only during the winter months when tourists from cold northern regions flocked to its beaches, hotels, and resorts. That phenomenon is no longer the case, as tourists visit the region throughout the year. In 2003, 10.4 million overnight visitors came to Greater Miami, infusing the local economy with $9.9 billion in direct expenses, such as hotel rooms, restaurants, shopping, transportation, and attractions, and another $5.5 in indirect expenditures in such areas as real estate, medicine, and retail.

While tourism continues to be the principal industry in Miami, the city's economy has become more diversified. Trade is increasingly vital to the economy. Its close proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean make it the center of international trade with those areas.

Because many companies choose to establish their Latin American headquarters in southern Florida, Miami-Dade County is known as the "Gateway to the Americas."

In 2003 approximately 1,200 multinational corporations were established in the region.

The city's international trade infrastructure is vast and varied. With an economic impact of $18.6 billion, Miami International Airport is the nation's top airport for international freight and third for international passengers. The World Trade Center Miami is Florida's oldest international organization, and assists member companies to introduce and expand their international presence.

Miami is home to more than 64 foreign consulates, 25 international trade offices, and 32 binational chambers of commerce. Two free trade zones exist in Greater Miami, the Homestead Free Zone and the Miami Free Zone, one of the world's largest privately owned and operated zones. The top imports into the Miami Customs District in 2002 were apparel and accessories; the leading exports were electrical machinery and photographic and medical equipment.

Where to work?
Below is a list of the top ten Miami employers. Therefore , we can see opportunities abound in education and healthcare

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools
• Miami-Dade County
• Federal Government
• Florida State Government
• Jackson Memorial Hospital/Health System
• Baptist Health Systems of South Florida
• University of Miami
• American Airlines
• Miami-Dade College
• Florida International University
• United Parcel Service Inc.

Finance
International banking is another growing segment of the economy. With total deposits of $74.3 billion in 2003, about 100 commercial banks, thrift institutions, foreign bank agencies, and Edge Act banks are located in downtown Miami, representing the largest concentration of domestic and international banks on the East Coast south of New York. Brazilian, British, Canadian, French, German, Israeli, Japanese, Spanish, and Venezuelan banks have offices in Miami-Dade County. Still, domestic banks dominate the market, led by Bank of America Corp., which has total deposits of over $7.8 billion in its 25 local offices.

Production & Retail
Items and goods produced within the Miami area are: apparel, textiles, books and magazines, pharmaceuticals, medical and diagnostic testing equipment, plastics, aluminum products, furniture, light manufactured goods, transportation equipment, cement, electronic components, agricultural products such as tomatoes, beans, avocadoes, and citrus fruits.
Finally, let's take a look at average wages for the top 20 professions in Miami. They appear in the table at the bottom of this page.

Health
In the States you are responsible for your medical expense unless your employer pays 100% of your monthly health care charges.
The average doctor's visit may run up to $200, and house calls (consultations at your home) are virtually unheard of.
Emergency room visits in a hospital can be as much as $1000 and the average birth costs $20.000 for a regular delivery with a hospital stay of 2 days or less and $30.000 for a caesarean.
Hospitals will only treat you after you've presented your social security number and insurance information.

Entertainment & Leisure.
As one would expect from such a vibrant city, Miami is full of café’s, clubs, restaurants and bars. Other options for all the family can be found below. Cultural Plaza joins the Museum of Art, the Museum of History and the Public library, the fabulous Villa Viscaya on Biscayne Bay, sheltering the Museum of Decorative Arts, are some of the more infamous cultural attractions in Miami. Billionaires yachts embark from Key Biscayne and Bayside where you may join the crowd of onlookers as they set sail to the islands and Mexico or come and say hello to Flipper the dolphin hero of the televised series of your childhood at the Miami Seaquarium. Then visit the Metrozoo, were more than 700 savage animals await for you! And let's not forget the beautiful Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in the district of Coral Gables.

• Lion Country Safari www.lioncountrysafari.com.
• Butterfly World - www.butterflyworld.com.
• Native Village Zoo - www.nativevillage.netfirms.com.
• Miami Seaquarium - www.miamiseaquarium.com.
• Miami Metrozoo - www.miamimetrozoo.com.
• Ancient Spanish Monastery - www.spanishmonastery.com.
• Coral Castle - www.coralcastle.com.
• Monkey Jungle - www.monkeyjungle.com.
• Jungle Island - www.parrotjungle.com.
• Vizcaya Museum & Gardens - www.vizcayamuseum.org.

Art Deco Historic District- Biscayne National Park - Biscayne Nature Center- Everglades National Park Miami Children's Museum - Miami Metro Zoo - Miami Seaquarium - Parrot Jungle

Sports
Bike & moped rentals, kayak & canoe rentals, boating & sailing rentals, scuba, snorkelling, sightseeing, tennis, cruises or fishing, you name it Miami's got it.
Football's Miami Dolphins are on show from September through January and you can scream for the home team Miami Heat during basketball season from October to March. For you baseball fans the Florida Marlins play from April to October.
Jet-ski Tour - Take a 2 hour, six-island tour with highlights such as a trip through the Miami sea port
Deep Sea Fishing - From the exciting Bayside Marketplace and Marina fish the waters of Key Biscayne for sailfish, dolphin, marlin, shark, tuna and other species.
Scuba Diving - Miami offers scuba divers and fishermen some of the best waters off the coast of Florida. Artificial reef construction and natural rocks and coral reefs off Miami Beach offer divers a myriad of diving levels. Canoeing - Canoe trails in Miami provide the outdoor lover with another kind of water sport. Sailing - Sailing around Key Biscayne is an invigorating experience and brings you close to everything Miami offers... glamour, sea and sunshine.