What You Should Do Before Hiring Foreign Workers
Bringing foreign talent into your company is a hefty expense of resources and money, but with the right worker, it’s worth the cost. However, before you get started, there are some steps you should take to ensure your endeavor is successful.
- First, check for the work authorization options that your ideal or planned worker needs, such as a temporary non-immigrant visa or one that puts them on a permanent citizen path.
- Review up-to-date entry requirements and restrictions for the two countries involved. When you’re bringing a worker into the US, the country they’re coming from can make a major difference in how easy the visa approval and entry to the destination country becomes.
- Hire a highly knowledgeable and recommended immigration legal expert like Visa2US. You’ll be putting in funds toward legal fees, but it will pay for itself in the time and stress saved.
- Ensure your intended employee has a valid work authorization and clear history before you invest in obtaining a visa for them.
Moving workers from country to country requires location-specific authorizations for each individual. They must have valid authorization to work and reside in the destination country. These requirements should be met before the foreign worker begins the terms of their contract.
Keep in mind that entry requirements are always changing, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic and the current war between Russia and Ukraine. Standard requirements and restrictions are common throughout most countries but check with your immigration attorney to verify no additional restrictions are in place or on the near horizon.
Legal restrictions for entry can delay your worker, as well. If there’s anything questionable in the applicant’s background, it may pass initial screenings but could prevent them from entering the US at the customs inspection. The right immigration expert can help you understand the potential implications for any flags in your intended foreign worker’s background.
Concerns to Avoid
For the most part, once you make it past the H-1B lottery, if that’s part of your foreign worker’s journey, the rest is a matter of processing proper paperwork and meeting deadlines. It’s a simple enough task for a seasoned legal expert to help you with. However, there are a few things that can delay your visa application or cause it to be unsuccessful.
During your time attempting to relocate foreign workers, either for the first time or from a multinational company, be sure to avoid the following:
● Don’t start the process close to the intended work date. It can take months — if not longer — to get your foreign worker approved to enter the US.
● Don’t skip communication with the foreign worker through each step of the process. As time goes by, things change, and you want to ensure everyone is on the same page before submitting the next step.
● Don’t assume the jurisdiction governing the work authorization and visa requests will process your application timely. Many of these places are still recovering from the pandemic-related backlog.
● Don’t try to do this on your own. Immigration law is complex, and one minor error can result in an application rejection and a waste of all the fees you’ve paid up to that point.
One more important thing to remember: Don’t forget to train your employee on things necessary for relocation, such as cultures, climates, language, money, and resources available. They’ll need to know how to prepare their family, as well, and whether their spouse will be permitted to work and if their children will be allowed to attend school.
What’s Next?
Relocating foreign workers to the US is an excellent opportunity for them to grow professionally and personally. While they may be excited about the chance, it’s also going to be stressful for everyone involved.
Working with an immigration expert like Visa2US relieves much of this stress. Our experts will guide you through any legal changes that could impact your worker and your company. You’ll have friendly professional help as you navigate the essential components of relocation, including resources available, finding residences, and documenting foreign worker pay and benefits.
Before you take another step to hire a foreign worker or move your current employees to another country, contact Visa2US. We’re available 24/7 to make it easy for you to get your questions answered no matter where you’re located across the globe.
