The United States is filled with educated professionals who run essential industries that benefit the nation. Yet, there are some situations where companies want to hire or use the expertise of a professional who resides in another country. An H1B visa allows these companies to employ specialists and experts by giving them entrance into the nation.
H1B visas are used to employ people in specialized fields. These include the following:
- Mathematics
- Health care and medicine
- Finance and accounting
- Engineering
- Architecture
- Science and IT
Unlike other types of visas, the company that wishes to hire the immigrant must petition for the H1-B visa on their behalf. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services grant a certain number of visas each year through a lottery process, as there are so many applicants for H1B visas every year. Each year, immigration allows 85,000 new applicants for H1B visas. A company should start the application process at least six months before the start date.
The requirements for an H1B include having a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. The employer must require an employee with that degree to perform in that position. The nature of the position being filled with the immigrant worker must be extremely specialized and have duties that are complex. These duties cannot be fulfilled by a person that does not have such a degree.
Whether you run a company that wishes to employ a highly-skilled professionals from across seas or you are a professional looking to work in the U.S., it is critical that you understand the requirements and restrictions of an H1B visa.
