Immigration Guides & Resources

H-1B is a category for nonimmigrant work visas. It gives foreign nationals the legal status necessary to live temporarily in the United States while employed by an approved business while completing a specialty occupation.

Qualifications for the H-1B visa will vary, although everyone must meet some basic criteria to gain approval. To begin with, you must have a job offer from an employer in the U.S. that is willing to sponsor your H-1B petition. In addition, you’ll also need to show evidence of a Bachelor’s degree or higher in your specialty area, obtained from an accredited institution in the U.S., or an equivalent foreign degree. If this isn’t possible, you must prove that you have enough experience in the specialty occupation to be equivalent to the Bachelor’s degree.

Many workers want to start the process for their H-1B visa, but this isn’t possible. The employer who has offered you a job and is willing to accept the responsibility of petitioning must file on your behalf.