Do you need a Visa H-1B Woodland Hills? The Law Offices of Edward M. Weisz are immigration law experts, and can help you navigate past common pitfalls on the road to obtaining your H-1B visa.
The first, and most important thing to determine is: do you need a visa? The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows employers in the United states to temporarily fill skilled and specialty occupations with foreign workers. There are three important requirements that must be met before you can receive an H-1B visa.
The first requirement is that you must have a bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent amount of work experience. The United States Citizens and Immigration Services have determined that three years of work experience is equivalent to one year of formal education. Depending on the field, it is possible to qualify for the visa with a valid combination of education and work experience.
The second requirement is that the job you will be working in is a “specialty occupation”. There are many jobs that fall under this category, but generally speaking, a job is considered a “specialty occupation” if it meets the following criteria:
- it requires “theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge,”
and
- “attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.”
Many, if not most, jobs related to science, engineering, math, and technology qualify as a specialty occupation under this guideline, as do many jobs in the social sciences, business, and legal fields.
The third requirement is simplest to determine: the job must pay a wage. Anyone seeking a job that grants an H-1B visa must be paid a wage or salary. The specific limitations on this are on the employers and are mainly to prevent companies from hiring foreign workers for cheaper than they would hire American citizens.
It is important to note that the H-1B visa is not an immigrant visa, nor does it allow permanent residence. The duration of the visa is three years though it can be extended to up to six years, and longer in certain circumstances. While it is not an immigrant visa, the H-1B is one of the few visas that allow “dual intent”, which means you can work using an H-1B visa while simultaneously applying for permanent resident status.
Regardless of immigration intent, working with an immigration lawyer can help save you from unnecessary frustration and delays in obtaining your work visa. If you are trying to get a visa H-1B woodland hills, call the professionals at the law offices of Edward M. Weisz at (818) 936-3560 for a free consultation today.
