Work Visas

Common Work Visas

There is no single “U.S. work visa.” Instead, U.S. law offers roughly two dozen temporary categories, each built for a specific situation — a company moving a manager from its London office, a hospital hiring a physicist, a resort staffing a summer season, an artist on tour. Choosing the right one is most of the work.

This section introduces the categories we are asked about most often. Each has its own page with details on eligibility, timing and cost.

By Editorial Team , 19 December 2006

Employers' immigration pains

The LA Times reports:

The raid of six Swift & Co. meat packing plants last week spotlighted the fine line employers face because of increased government scrutiny: Make sure your employees are in the U.S. legally, but don't push too hard to find out.

By Editorial Team , 18 October 2006

NEW H-2B LAW signed by President Exempts individuals from H-2B Quota who already obtained an H-2B in certain past years.

On 10/17/06, President Bush signed a law (Section 1074 of H.R. 5122) which exempts individuals from the H-2B QUOTA for the 2007 fiscal year (October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007) who obtained H-2B's in certain past years. Specifically, to be exempt, individuals must have obtained an H-2B in one of the following fiscal years: 2004, 2005, or 2006. Those individuals who are exempt under this provision may be able to obtain an H-2B extension which takes effect beginning October 1, 2006.

Section 1074 reads as follows: