^ I think unemployment in the US is rising a lot faster than in UK. Anyway, he can work and live in UK since he's latvian (EU member) while there probably are some restrictions for the US. I guess that's the reason? Also, if it has to be out of Europe I think Australia has more opportunities than the US recently.
Anyway, good luck, and I don't know what kind of job you could find (I've heard in the countryside you can find some work, exhausting jobs in farms)