What is a “Work Visa”?
There are many types of work visas. Generally, a work visa allows someone from outside of the United States to enter this country to provide certain types of services. An experienced immigration attorney should be consulted when applying for a work visa, but here are some examples of the types of work visas available.
- H-1B: Person in Specialty Occupation. This type of visa is for foreign workers who have specialty occupations and generally require a higher education degree.
- H-2A: Temporary Agricultural Worker. These visas are offered for temporary or seasonal agricultural workers.
- H-3: Trainee or Special Education Visitor. H-3 visas are for those who are here to receive training, other than graduate, medical or academic, that is not available in the trainee’s home country.
- L: Intracompany Transferee. This visa allows a worker to work at a branch, parent, affiliate, or subsidiary of the current employer in a managerial or executive capacity, or in a position requiring specialized knowledge.
- O: Individual with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement. These exclusive work visas are limited to persons with demonstrated extraordinary ability or achievement.
There are also work visas available for artists, performers and other types of workers. An immigration lawyer can help you find the proper fit.
What Do I Have to Do to Get a Work Visa?
Contact an attorney to work with you throughout the process of getting a visa. There is an application process and interview that is generally needed before a work visa will be granted.
The interview also requires the applicant to present certain documents. The Department of State requires the applicant to gather and prepare the following documents before the work visa interview:
- Passport valid for travel to the United States
- Nonimmigrant Visa Application
- Application fee payment receipt
- A personal photo
- Receipt Number for your approved petition
It is important to arrive at the interview with all required documents. Be prepared to spend a significant amount of time locating and reviewing these documents. Have an experienced immigration attorney help you with the process to ensure that you have all that is required and are thoroughly prepared for the interview.
Are Work Visas and Immigration Good for the Economy?
The American Immigration Council, an immigration policy and research organization, has found that there is overwhelming evidence showing that H-1B workers do not drive down wages of native-born workers. Furthermore, there is research that suggests that an increase in H-1B visas could create an estimated 1.3 million new jobs and add around $158 billion to the gross domestic product in the United States by 2045.
The Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank created to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers in economic policy discussions, has found that immigrants tend to have a small but positive overall impact on job growth and wages. Furthermore, over an extended period of time, immigrants have a positive impact on the U.S. deficit (meaning the deficit is shrunk because of immigrants).
There are limits to the number of each type of worker visa that can be issued. For example, in 2017, the number of H-1B visas is capped at 65,000 for the entire country. This makes it all the more important to make sure applications are correctly completed and filed and that applicants are prepared for the interview process.
Can an Attorney Help Me Obtain a Work Visa?
A New Jersey immigration lawyer at the law offices of Helmer, Conley and Kasselman, P.A. can help identify the best work visa option for you and assist you through the entire process. If you are interested in working in New Jersey and need a work visa to do so, contact one of our experienced immigration lawyers today.
