|
A variety of US work visas are available to foreign workers of various skill levels and occupations. In almost every case, to apply for a work visa you must already have a firm job offer with a US company or be able to invest substantial capital in a new or existing US business. Click here for US career and job links to help you find a US job.. For a complete list of work visas, see the top right side of this page. (For information on investing in a US business, go to our investor visas page.) Work Visa Categories Work visas are divided into two main categories: immigrant work visas and non-immigrant (temporary) work visas. Immigrant work visas allow a worker to live and work permanently in the US, while a non-immigrant work visa lets a worker stay in the US for a limited period of time, after which the temporary visa holder must return to his home country. Examples of non-immigrant visas include the H-1B visa for skilled professional and, the L-1 visa for transferring foreign executives and managers to the US branch of a company. Other temporary visas include religious worker visas, TN visas for Mexican and Canadian workers who must regularly commute across the border, and H-3 job training visas.
How long does it take to get a work visa? The length of time it takes to get a visa usually correlates inversely with the applicant's skill level. A top executive at a multinational company may be able to obtain his immigrant visa almost immediately, while an unskilled laborer may have to wait up to ten years, even with a job offer. Details about each visa's application period can be found by clicking here. Quotas Some work visas, like the H-1B and all the immigrant visas, have quotas, while others, like the L-1, do not. A quota means that only a certain number of visas are distributed each year. If you apply after a given year's quota has been reached, you must apply for the following year. Click here for a list of quotas for the different types of visas. Waiting Periods Applicants from countries which have a disproportionate number of people seeking US work visas, like China, Mexico and the Phillipines, sometimes face waiting periods. Currently there is no waiting period for employment-based visas. Please check our priority dates chart to keep up-to-date on waiting periods. Free Immigration Consultation Do you have a question about work visas or would like to apply for a work visa? Immigration Law Offices offers a free 1/2 hour consultation with no obligation. Please click here to contact us online, or call us at (305) 822-3435.
|
 |
|
| Immigration Updates | |
|
|
All About The
Green Card
Lottery
|
|
|
Investing in or starting a business in Miami?
Click here for our Miami business guide! Licenses, fees, incorporation, business brokers, and more! |
