U.S. employers are allowed to recruit and hire foreign workers but doing so requires going through a complex and often frustrating U.S. immigration process. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, we have experienced employment immigration attorneys who make tackling this complex immigration process a seamless experience for our clients in Arlington Heights. We are based in Chicago, but we also take cases in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Before obtaining an employment visa for a foreign worker, both the U.S. employer and foreign worker must meet several stringent requirements administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) if necessary. These requirements are contained in a maze of U.S. immigration and labor rules and regulations that are complex and often confusing even to those who administer them.
Even before embarking on this complex immigration system, an employer must make several decisions that are, in turn, dependent on the employer’s needs. For example, a decision an employer must make is whether to seek a nonimmigrant or permanent work visa for their prospective noncitizen worker.
A nonimmigrant work visa is one that allows the noncitizen to enter and work in the U.S. for a fixed period. At the expiration of that period, which is usually three years, the noncitizen must leave the U.S. unless they extend the validity of their work visa or change their status to a different category that would allow them to legally remain and work in the U.S. There are several subcategories of these nonimmigrant work visas available, but the most common or popular are E, F, H, I, L, O, and P visas. Our experienced employment attorneys at Kriezelman Burton can help you in deciding which of these nonimmigrant visas is best for you to pursue, as each has different requirements and considerations that must be considered.
A permanent work visa is a green card obtained through employment. Obtaining a green card through employment, however, is no easy walk in the park. There are several requirements that both the U.S. employer and prospective foreign worker must satisfy before a green card is approved based on an offer of employment. In most cases, a “labor certification” is required and must be obtained from the DOL before an employer can petition USCIS for a prospective foreign worker to be given a green card. We have experienced employment immigration lawyers who can guide you and help you easily maneuver the complex immigration process to obtain an employment-based green card.
If you are a U.S. employer and wish to hire a foreign worker, contact Kriezelman Burton & Associates today and schedule an appointment to discuss your situation confidentially. Having one of our experienced immigration lawyers help you in going through the complex immigration process is a decision you will appreciate the value. It is a decision that also frees your time to focus on other priorities of your business. We are based in Chicago but take cases in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.