VISA2US Blog

If you’re an employer with the intent of hiring foreign workers in the upcoming fiscal year, you should already be paying attention to the dates and deadlines of the H-1B visa category. This application process is cumbersome and time-consuming, with the initial important registration window having already closed on March 17, 2023. Registrants who were selected in the lottery process have 90 days to file their H-1B petitions, which means your deadline is likely June 30. What should you be doing before this date arrives? We have all the information here to get you ready.

The H-1B visa is one of the most sought-after work visas available. Although it’s challenging and costly to obtain this coveted document, that doesn’t stop millions of people from registering and petitioning for it. The advantages of having an H-1B visa are significant, ranging from family benefits to a green card path. It’s not surprising that once a beneficiary receives the visa, they don't want to give it up. However, the initial H-1B validity period is three years, with an optional three-year extension. What happens once you reach this six-year maximum? Well, if you know what you’re doing and work with an immigration expert, you may be able to extend your document beyond that period. Here, we will discuss the most essential things you need to know about an H-1B extension beyond six years and the processing time for this to happen.

Applicants for a work visa face a long, challenging process before their petitions are approved. Part of the delay includes finding a qualified employer to extend a job offer, then waiting for that sponsor to obtain approval from the Department of Labor (DOL) through the job certification process. Yet, when an individual has exceptional ability in fields such as science, business, arts, or an advanced degree profession, they may qualify to skip sponsorship and the subsequent wait time through the National Interest Waiver (NIW) path. For most people, the industry itself isn’t as important as the case they present to USCIS, and we’ll explain how to develop solid evidence to support your NIW plea here.

A foreign national can legally enter the United States and apply for permanent residency in various ways. One of those methods is via the Employment-Based Second Preference visa, better known as the EB-2. However, the applicant must have a job offer from a qualified US-based employer willing to sponsor them for this visa — unless the individual has the skills, education, and assets to obtain a National Interest Waiver (NIW). What is an NIW, and what are some examples of successfully obtaining one? Read on to find out.

An H-1B visa is the preferred way for many skilled foreign workers to gain employment and residency in the United States. However, the path to this coveted document isn’t easy, nor is it cheap. The beneficiary cannot sponsor themselves. They must have an employer willing to pay the fees and complete the paperwork to obtain an H-1B visa, an often complicated, expensive, and time-consuming process. But the employer’s obligations don’t stop there. Once the H-1B employee is hired, they must be provided certain benefits, as we’ll discuss here.

There is more than one path to a United States green card, but all of them are complex and time-consuming. When you qualify for a National Interest Waiver, you can cut down part of that wait by skipping job offers from a qualified employer, labor certification approval, and petitions. How long does it take to process an NIW from start to finish? We’ll break it down here.

Are you a US-based company in need of skilled foreign labor? If so, it’s time to take notice of the upcoming deadlines. H-1B visas follow a rigid workflow, including many deadlines, throughout the application process. Here are the dates you need to know to stay on top of your employment vacancies.

If you’re considering entering or remaining in the United States under a work visa in the EB category, you have two main pathways: the EB-2 or the EB-2 national interest waiver. There are substantial benefits and drawbacks to both of these work documents, and it’s important for you to understand the fine print of each before you choose your next steps. Here, we’ll cover the differences between the two and help you decide which one is right for your journey.

Foreign nationals who plan to head to the United States for employment can do so if they receive a job offer from an approved business. The initial steps include filing evidence of eligibility that they qualify for an employment-based preference petition via a PERM labor certification, an exemption of the labor certification as a National Interest Waiver (NIW) beneficiary, or a Schedule A. We’ll explain the difference in these forms and when they apply in this blog.

Since the pandemic, it has become expected, and even customary, for businesses to include virtual options as part of their service. But this switch remains unwanted for those who prefer in-person interactions or who aren’t tech-savvy. The move to electronic documentation is spreading as an eco-friendly and pandemic-proof change, and it has reached USCIC via Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Is this change well-founded and for the better, or does it negatively impact foreign workers? We’ll explain here.