VISA2US Blog

When you employ foreign workers (or you are the employee), particularly with H-1B visa holders, the terms “E-Verify” and “H-1B portability” often show up. While neither is universal, they are essential in certain aspects of the immigration world. What do these terms mean, and how are they related? We’ll explain those answers here.

For decades, the US has relied upon foreign workers to fill vital positions in the labor market, including both skilled and unskilled jobs. In more recent years, the focus has shifted to ensure critical industries, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), are taken care of through work visas such as the H-1B. This program has been in place since 1990 and is run by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since its implementation, the H-1B program has significantly impacted the US economy, and we’ll discuss the effects here.

Foreign workers under the H-1B visa umbrella enjoy the added perk of bringing their spouses and eligible children to the United States. While employed in this category, they have up to six years to live and work in America. During this period, it’s common for children to “age out” of the visa’s eligibility requirements. What happens when your child gets to this point, and is there any way you can keep them in the US with you? We have the details here.

Much of the controversy surrounding foreign workers is based on the idea that it’s used to displace American workers with “cheaper” labor. This theory contends that employers will hire out jobs to foreigners willing to take less money, thus increasing the unemployment rates in the US. In reality, studies show that the H-1B visa program brings skilled labor to the country through workers who are paid better than the average American, as these workers are educated and enter professional fields where their fellow workers are paid well. In fact, H-1B visa salaries are on the rise, meaning the argument against “cheap labor” no longer holds water. What does this mean for employers and H-1B employees? We’ll explain here.

The H-1B and L-1 visas are used by hundreds of thousands of non-immigrants annually and have been part of the US-international exchange for more than two decades. During that time, the programs have stayed consistent with tweaks as necessary due to political changes in the United States government. But the world has changed substantially in the past twenty years, and a new bill calls for the H-1B and L-1 visa programs to reflect those changes.

Obtaining an H-1B visa as a specialty worker is a competitive process. There are more applicants than available visas, and a random lottery to win before USCIS begins to scrutinize your petition. One of the factors that can make or break your H-1B approval is the company you choose to accept as your sponsor. Large companies are often already in the system at the Department of Labor and USCIS, but small businesses, by nature, use fewer H-1B employees. Should you accept an offer of H-1B sponsorship from a lesser-known company? We’ll explain the pros and cons here.

Thousands of people worldwide begin becoming United States citizens every year. There are two paths to this goal. One may become a citizen by being born in the US or through naturalization. The first is obvious, but the second method requires careful planning and knowledge of immigration law. When you know what you’re doing and meet the qualifications, you can use an H-1B visa to start your journey to American citizenship.

Individuals who qualify as skilled in “specialty occupations” may work in the US under an H-1B visa. The role of a physician falls into this category, as do other jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or higher. Physicians who wish to pursue this avenue for their next career path easily meet the “specialty occupation” component, but there are other criteria USCIS requires. This article will discuss everything you need to know as a foreign physician hoping to practice medicine, participate in medical residencies or fellowships, and care for patients in the United States.

The H-1B visa is a highly sought-after document because it affords foreign workers many benefits. But the beneficiary remains a citizen of their home country, even though they’re working and living in the United States. As such, certain rights, such as the right to vote, isn’t cut-and-dried for H-1B holders. Are you allowed to vote, and how does it work? We have the answers to your questions right here.

The report highlights an important survey that was conducted in 2021 for both non-citizens eligible for naturalization, as well as those who had recently become naturalized.