[JohnW]

As an immigrant into the USA, (because I married an American lady) I was not allowed to draw any unemployment benefit even though I was unable to work for the first six months because it took that long to obtain my green card (work visa). Your future spouse has to prove that he/she can support you if you decide never to work or can't secure employment. Now after working for, I think it is, two years, should you come out of work through no fault of your own, you can draw unemployment, which is quite generous really. I was laid off after 9/11 and was out of work for six months. Unemployment paid me $1000 per month which I think is pretty good. It is very difficult to get into America to live unless you are marrying an American citizen or you have more that $1M and intend starting a business which will employ Americans, or you have some skill which is in short supply. I think if you are a minister of religion you can get in easier. Having said that, we here have a lot of illegal immigrants and are also plagued with,so called, asylum seekers who really aren't.