Articles Posted in Employment Based Immigration

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Overview:

The H-2B visa is a popular visa for individuals who want to come to the United States to work in a job that is temporary or seasonal in nature. This visa type is suitable for construction workers, landscapers, and housekeepers. These visas are issued for a period of up to one year. Extensions may be granted for a total of two additional years.

Workers may apply for a season that starts in April or a season that starts in October. This means that the immigration filing must be made in advance of the season the worker is requesting.

Cons:

  • There is a 66,000 cap on the number of H-2B visas issued per fiscal year. This cap is divided into two seasons which means that 33,000 visas are available each season.
  • A valid job offer from a US employer is required
  • US employer must demonstrate seasonal need
  • Only nationals of certain countries can participate
  • Not a dual intent visa

Pros:

  • The visa is granted for a period of one year, but may be extended for 2 additional years
  • Good visa for individuals interested in working in the US on a temporary basis
  • Good visa for jobs of a seasonal or temporary nature that experience a shortage in the U.S.
  • The Trump administration is proposing increasing the 66,000 cap

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מעכשיו – ישראלים זכאים לאשרת משקיע (ויזת משקיע)

שגרירות ארה”ב בישראל שמחה להודיע, בעקבות חתימת אמנה בין ישראל לארה”ב, על החלת הזכאות לויזת משקיע מסוג E-2 על בעלי נתינות ישראלית, וזאת החל מ-1 במאי 2019.

אשרה מסוג E-2 היא אשרה זמנית (שלא למטרת הגירה) למי שמעוניין לפתח, לנהל או לספק מיומנויות מיחדות למיזם/פרויקט שבו הבעלים (מבקש האשרה) משקיע סכום הון ניכר. עם החלת האשרה מסוג E-2 נוצרה למשקיעים ישראלים הזדמנות להשקיע בכלכלה האמריקאית ולשלוח לארה”ב עובדים בעלי הכשרה.

באותו אופן, אזרחי ארה”ב יהיו זכאים לפנות בבקשה לאשרה לצורך השקעה בישראל. בכדי שהמשקיע הישראלי יהיה ראוי לאשרה הנ”ל צריכים להתקיים התנאים הבאים:

· ההשקעה הכספית צריכה להיות משמעותית ומספיקה להבטיח תיפעול מוצלח של המיזם/פרויקט.

· העסק צריך להיות מיזם/פרויקט ממשי פעיל.

· המשקיע צריך לנסוע לארה”ב כדי לפתח ולנהל את הפרויקט.

· אם המבקש אינו המשקיע, הוא או היא צריכים להיות מועסקים בפרויקט בתפקיד של פיקוח, או ניהול, או בתפקיד הדורש מיומנות מיוחדת בדרגה גבוהה.

המעוניינים בהגשת בקשה לאשרה הנ”ל לארה”ב מופנים לעיין בתשומת לב ברשימת הדרישות המפורטת באתר האינטרנט של שגרירות ארה”ב בירושלים. יש למלא את הבקשה בקפדנות ולעקוב אחר השלבים הנדרשים.

לאחר שהמחלקה הקונסולרית של השגרירות מקבלת בקשה מלאה ובוחנת את התיעוד הראייתי המצורף לה, יתואם עם המבקש מועד לראיון בתל-אביב.

בראיון יתקיים דיון על פרטי העסק נשוא הבקשה ועל ההשקעה הכספית, על ההסטוריה של העסק ועל התכנית העסקית, וכמו כן ידון הניסיון המקצועי של המשקיע.

If you have any questions please email jacob@h1b.biz or on whatsapp: 1-619-203-9944 to discuss. Please also remember to follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram.

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The J-1 visa is a temporary nonimmigrant visa type that allows foreign nationals to come to the united states to gain some skills or training in the fields of education, arts, and science. The J-1 visa allows the foreign national to live and work in the United States for 18 months, to develop their skills.

You may apply for the J-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy in your home country if:

  • you are between the ages of 20 to 36
  • you hold a bachelor’s degree or post-secondary diploma and
  • you can demonstrate English proficiency by taking the TOEFL exam
  • you find a sponsor through the U.S. Department of State that is willing to employ you to provide the training you will need for the position you are seeking
  • you have a training plan provided to you by your designated company outlining what you will be doing while working for the company

A J-1 visa applicant must be sponsored by a designated public or private entity in an exchange program approved by the U.S. Department of State. The J-1 visa applicant can only work for the U.S. company and/or organization listed on Form DS-2019.

Professors or scholars, research assistants, students, trainees, teachers, au pairs, camp counselors etc. are example of exchange visitors who may qualify for the J-1.

Employment is authorized for J-1 nonimmigrants only under the terms of the exchange program. Once the duration of stay has expired, the J-1 applicant must return to their home country.

For more information about the J-1 visa please click here.

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In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick shares very exciting news for Israeli citizens. The U.S. Embassy has announced that Israeli citizens are now eligible for the E-2 investor visa. This is very exciting news because Israeli citizens have been waiting for Israel to be added to the E-2 visa program for years.

The U.S. Embassy in Israel has announced that Israeli citizens may begin to apply for the E-2 visa at the Embassy in Tel Aviv beginning May 1st.

The E-2 visa is a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa that can be used to develop, direct, or provide specialized skills to an enterprise in which the owner has invested a substantial amount of capital. With the implementation of this visa, Israeli investors now have the opportunity to invest in the U.S. economy and send qualified employees to the United States. Likewise, U.S. citizens will be eligible to apply for visas to invest in Israel.

To qualify for a Treaty Investor (E-2) visa:  

  • The investment must be substantial and sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise;
  • The business must be a real operating enterprise;
  • The investor must be traveling to the U.S. to develop and direct the enterprise;
  • If the applicant is not the investor, he or she must be employed in a supervisory, executive, or highly specialized skill capacity.

Once the Consular Section receives a complete E-2 visa application and reviews the applicant’s documentary evidence, applicants will be invited to schedule a visa interview in Tel Aviv.

During the interview applicants should be prepared to discuss details of the business and investment, the business plan and history, and the investor’s professional experience.

Interested parties should contact our office to schedule a consultation to determine eligibility.

For more information about the E-2 visa click here.

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In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses an EB-2 National Interest Waiver success story involving a client who was able to obtain a green card without an employer based on his background as a foreign national with an exceptional ability.

The EB-2 category allows a person to apply for a green card without an employer, as long as certain criteria are met.

* Criteria

  • Official academic record showing that you have a degree, diploma, certificate, or similar award from a college, university, school, or other institution of learning relating to your area of exceptional ability
  • Letters documenting at least 10 years of full-time experience in your occupation
  • A license to practice your profession or certification for your profession or occupation
  • Evidence that you have commanded a salary or other remuneration for services that demonstrates your exceptional ability
  • Membership in a professional association(s)
  • Recognition for your achievements and significant contributions to your industry or field by your peers, government entities, professional or business organizations
  • Other comparable evidence of eligibility is also acceptable.

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The San Diego Immigration Law Offices of Jacob J. Sapochnick welcomes you. Our immigration practice is committed exclusively to the areas of immigration and citizenship law. We have big firm expertise in these specialties, but strive to deliver personalized client services at an economical cost.

Every week we cover different immigration topics on our Youtube channel. Subscribe and hit the notification bell to be notified every time we upload!

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Have you ever wondered how you can land a job with a US employer who will sponsor you for an H-1B visa?

In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses the process of finding a job in the United States that can lead to an H-1B sponsorship.

To be able to work in the United States you must have a work visa. The most common work visa is the H-1B visa.

What is the H-1B visa?

The H-1B visa allows American companies and/or organizations to employ foreign workers in a specialty occupation. To be able to apply for the H-1B visa you must have a job offer from a U.S. employer, and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent work experience to work in the position sought.

The H-1B visa is a visa for professionals. Attorneys, architects, engineers, business directors, lodging managers, etc. can apply for the H-1B visa based on their specialty occupation.

How do you land a job offer?

U.S. employers are open to hiring foreign nationals, but many are unaware of the process that goes into employing a foreign national.

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In this live stream, attorneys Jacob Sapochnick and Marie Puertollano discuss recent topics in immigration including the upcoming H-1B season, changes to the H-1B visa program, U.S. Embassy Updates for China and Russia, I-751, and affirmative asylum updates.

Mandatory Registration Requirement for H-1B Petitioners

Beginning with the H-1B season for FY 2021, all petitioners seeking to file an H-1B cap-subject petition on behalf of a foreign worker will be required to submit to a mandatory registration process. Only those whose registrations are selected, will be eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition during the associated filing period.

Each petitioner will be required to electronically register through the USCIS government website. The registration period will last for a minimum period of 14 calendar days and begin at least 14 calendar days before the first day of filing in each fiscal year. USCIS will provide the public with at least 30 days advance notice of the opening of the initial registration period for the upcoming fiscal year via the USCIS website.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted today for public inspection, a final rule amending regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. The final rule reverses the order by which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) selects H-1B petitions under the H-1B regular cap and the advanced degree exemption, and it introduces an electronic registration requirement for petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions. The rule will be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31, and will go into effect on April 1, though the electronic registration requirement will be suspended for the fiscal year (FY) 2020 cap season.

What does this mean for you?

1. The rule will start in 2020 not this year.

2. The only change this year is the Reverse order of selection of cases. Effective April 1, USCIS will first select H-1B petitions (or registrations, once the registration requirement is implemented) submitted on behalf of all beneficiaries, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. USCIS will then select from the remaining eligible petitions, a number projected to reach the advanced degree exemption. Changing the order in which USCIS counts these allocations will likely increase the number of petitions for beneficiaries with a master’s or higher degree from a U.S. institution of higher education to be selected under the H-1B numerical allocations.

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In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses what happens at an employment-based green card interview. Employment-based green card interviews became mandatory pursuant to USCIS policy in March of 2017.

It was not until the President issued an executive order on March 6, 2017 that USCIS began to require in person interviews for employment-based green card applicants.

The President’s executive order broke the agency’s long-standing policy of waiving in-person interviews for employment-based green card applicants, who were previously considered low risk applicants.

In keeping with the executive order, all applicants who have filed for adjustment of status, on or after March 6, 2017, on the basis of employment, must attend an in-person interview with USCIS. Derivative family members must also be present at the interview.

Employment-based adjustment of status is where an individual qualifies to apply for permanent residence based on an underlying employment visa category such as EB-2 or where the foreign national has an approved National Interest Waiver.

What happens during these interviews?

At the interview, the immigration officer will review the foreign national’s job description as it appears on the original Form I-140, to determine whether the applicant is still doing the same work or whether there has been a significant change in employment.

If the applicant is no longer working in the same or a similar position, the applicant must explain why.

Immigration officers are also closely scrutinizing federal income tax returns filed by applicants to determine whether the foreign national has engaged in unauthorized employment. Engaging in unauthorized employment will likely result in a denial of the adjustment of status application.

National Interest Waiver

In the case of adjustment of status based on an approved national interest waiver, the immigration officer will want to know whether the applicant has done what they promised to do in keeping with the original Form I-140 to ensure that the applicant has not engaged in fraud to obtain immigration benefits.

Please contact us at jacob@h1b.biz if you have any questions.

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