Published: January 28, 2022
Hiring foreign employees can be the best solution to a labor shortage. Since you sponsor for their stay in the United States, it is almost assured that you have a permanent workforce for a specific number of years. However, choosing the right ones is never an easy task. We are here to help! We got some guidelines for you.
Permanent Residents
For employees, working in the United States can be an opportunity for permanent residency. As an employer, you may help these employees by sponsoring them. Here are the categories of employees eligible for permanent residency:
- EB-1 (First Preference) Visa: Foreign nationals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics
- EB-2 (Second Preferences) Visa: Workers are professionals with advanced degrees, or persons with exceptional ability.
- EB-3 (Third Preference) Visa: Skilled or professional workers.
- EB-4 (Fourth Preference) Visa: Special immigrant religious workers.
- EB-5 (Fifth Preference) Visa: Special category for immigrant investors.
Non-Immigrant Employees
Hiring non-immigrant employees can be a strategic move as well. Employers prefer these employees for temporary or seasonal work. Here are non-immigrant visa categories for temporary workers:
- CW-1 Visa: CNMI-Only transitional worker
- E-1 Visa: Treaty traders and qualified employees
- E-2 Visa: Treaty investors and qualified employees
- E-2C Visa: Long-term foreign investors in the CNMI
- E-3 Visa: Certain “specialty occupation” professionals from Australia
- H-1B Visa: Workers in a specialty occupation
- H-1C2 Visa: Registered nurses working in a health professional shortage area as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor
- H-2A Visa: Temporary or seasonal agricultural workers
- H-2B Visa: Temporary non-agricultural workers
- H-3 Visa: Trainees other than medical or academic.
- I Visa: Representatives of foreign press, radio, film or other foreign information media
- L-1A Visa: Intracompany transferees in managerial or executive positions
- L-1B Visa: Intracompany transferees in positions utilizing specialized knowledge
- O-1 Visa: Persons with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics and motion picture or TV production
- O-2 Visa: Persons accompanying solely to assist an O-1 nonimmigrant
- P-1A Visa: Internationally recognized athletes
- P-1B Visa: Internationally recognized entertainers or members of internationally recognized entertainment groups
- P-2 Visa: Individual performer or part of a group entering to perform under a reciprocal exchange program
- P-3 Visa: Artists or entertainers, either an individual or group, to perform, teach, or coach under a program that is culturally unique
- Q-1 Visa: Persons participating in an international cultural exchange program for the purpose of providing practical training, employment, and to share the history, culture, and traditions of the noncitizen’s home country.
- R-1 Visa: Religious workers
- TN Visa: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) temporary professionals from Mexico and Canada
Right Fit for the Job
Hiring non-citizens and bringing them to the United States can be an arduous process. Allow ALG Lawyers to take some of your stress by handling all the legal affairs. Our seasoned Los Angeles immigration lawyers have the tools, techniques, and connections to solve complicated issues. Let us know your concerns.
(Please note that this article does not create an Attorney-Client relationship between our law firm and the reader and is provided for informational purposes only. Information in this article does not apply to all readers. Readers should not rely on this information as legal advice and should seek specific counsel from a qualified attorney based on their individual circumstances. Thank you.)