Everyone who is in the professional field wants to enhance their experience and one of the best ways to do that is by expanding their job search to an international level. If you are one of these professionals who want to improve their skills and expertise, then you might apply for an employment visa for the US in your respective industry. However, the process is not as easy as you think, and it takes a lot of complex procedures to receive an employment visa as a foreign worker.
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Types of US Employment Visas for Foreign Workers
Temporary Non-Immigrant Visas
H Visas: Designed for professionals with particular skills, H-1B visas have a three-year residency limit. Seasonal or temporary workers in agriculture and non-agricultural settings are eligible for H-2A and H-2B visas, respectively.
I Visas: These visas are reserved for members of the foreign press; I visas cover reporters, film crews, and other media personnel working for foreign media outlets.
Visa Type L: L-1A visas are used to facilitate temporary transfers inside a company, while L-1B visas are used for specialized skills, both with varied durations.
NAFTA Visas O, P, R, and TN: Designed for those with exceptional ability, excellence in performance, religious workers, and qualified Canadian or Mexican residents, respectively.
Permanent (Immigrant) Workers
EB-1 visas recognize exceptional ability and encompass professionals in business, academics, the arts, athletics, and other fields without requiring labor certification.
EB-2 visas need labor certification for experts with advanced degrees, national interest employment, or considerable expertise in their area.
EB-3 visas, which cover bachelor’s degree holders as well as skilled and unskilled laborers, require labor certification based on job offers from U.S. firms.
EB-4 visas include religious workers, foreign service post personnel, retired international organization staff, and other similar workers, which have waived labor certification.
EB-5 visas focus on the Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 visas necessitate substantial investments in new commercial firms, resulting in job creation, with waived labor certification.
What are the Best Industries for Foreign Workers?
The United States, the land of the free, is a melting pot of so much talent, innovation, and working opportunities waiting to be discovered. Here are some of the top industries that utilize the resources of foreign workers and welcome them enthusiastically into their organizations:
Software and IT
The IT industry has welcomed and embraced a vast amount of foreign workers based on their skills and expertise in software. In fact, in 2016 alone, a total of 336,500 H-1B visas were offered to workers who were then accommodated in companies working in the design of software and computer systems. Some of the major industry giants that are fueling these opportunities for IT professionals worldwide include Infosys, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Microsoft Corporation, Wipro, and Tata Consultancy Services.
Medical
The medical and health sector has also joined the race, with general hospitals hiring over 4,500 foreign professionals in 2012 alone. Healthcare is an industry that is flourishing in the US day by day, with the expected employment in the health sector to grow by 16% till 2023. Institutions such as Mount Sinai Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and General Hospital contribute to the sector’s diversity and expertise, ranging from physicians and surgeons to physical therapists and medical scientists.
Hospitality
In the United States, hospitality includes hotels, restaurants, events, casinos, amusement parks, entertainment, cruises, and other tourism-related activities. As a result, the industry is critical for economies, businesses, employees, and customers. The Hospitality sector’s market size is estimated to be 3953 billion USD in 2021, with a projected increase to 6716.3 billion USD by 2028. Professional employment in this industry is expected to grow by 18% between 2021 and 2031. There are now around 451,000 job openings in the hospitality industry in the United States.
Get Help During the Application Process
The process of US visa application, especially for employment, can be tricky to navigate, considering all the documentation, paperwork, and requirements you have to fulfill. These applications require meticulous attention to detail that an employment lawyer can provide you. They can ensure that all your documentation aligns with the requirements of the employment visa in the United States and help you in every part of the process, from the initial consultation to the final interview.
