U.S. Visa Information

Applying for a US working visa is not a simple task! A lot of recruitment consultants and employers in London think that you need a Green Card to move to the USA – well they are wrong!

For further information, click here, alternatively get in touch with an Immigration Lawyer.

J1 visas: Anyone wishing to take up prearranged employment, training or research in the United States under an officially approved program sponsored by an educational or other non-profit institution requires an exchange visitor (J-1) visa. Persons covered by these programs include post graduate students, foreign medical graduates seeking to pursue graduate medical education or training, foreign scholars sponsored by universities as temporary faculty, and some business trainees. In addition, there are several exchange visitor programs for young people, including summer employment programs, intern programs for university students, and They are relatively easy to get and you can apply for an H-1B at a later stage however you are only allowed to work in the country for a maximum duration of 18 months.

Click here for internships in the US

H-1B visas allow professionals to enter the United States and accept employment in a professional capacity for a maximum of 6 years.

• More than one H-1B visa petition may be in effect simultaneously, allowing the H-1B temporary professional to work for two employers during the same time
• The applicant must possess the appropriate academic degree or equivalent by experience through progressively responsible positions.
• If the applicant possesses a foreign degree, the Immigration Service may require a credential evaluation.

Employment

• There must be an employer in the United States offering the professional employment
• The offer of employment must be to perform services within a “specialty occupation” which requires theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor‘s or higher degree in the specific specialty as a minimum for entry into the occupation.
• The offer of employment may be for full or part time employment.

Employer

• The employer must complete the Labor Condition Application procedure with the United States Department of Labor.
• The Department of Labor must approve the employers Labor Condition Application.
• The employer must agree to pay transportation cost if the employer terminates employment prior to the end of the authorized employment.

Limitations

• No Work Prior to Approval
• Employment may not begin until the Immigration & Naturalization Service has issued its approval and the appropriate visa issued.

Changing Employers

• Employers may be changed during the six year H-1B visa duration, but only after approval of the new employer and by the Immigration & Naturalization Service.

Quota

• The H-1B visa (specialty occupation) is subject to an annual numerical quota – the applications must be submitted in October and April of each year (this year the quotas were filled on April 2^nd!!!)

For further information please click here

L1 visas: The United States L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows companies operating both in the US and abroad to transfer certain classes of employee from its foreign operations to the USA operations for up to seven years. The employee must have worked for a subsidiary, parent, affiliate or branch office of your US company outside of the US for at least one year out of the last three years.Companies operating in the US can apply to the relevant BCIS service center for an L1 visa to transfer someone to the US from their overseas operations. Employees in this category will, initially, be granted an L-1 visa for up to three years.

The L1 visa is your best bet if you’re planning on moving to the USA

Good Luck!