The Easy Guide to Live and Work in the United States
he Easy Guide to Live and Workin the United States (Even If You Have No American Relatives)
There are numerous opportunities to live and work in the United States. The question is whether you want to work temporarily (that is, a non-immigrant visa) or permanently (that is, an Immigrant visa) in the United States.
Most of the guides on the web are complex and written with terminology which is difficult to understand. The purpose of this guide is to help anyone interested in living and working in the United States on which VISA to apply for and the steps to take.
This guide will be separated into three parts.
1. Temporary work-related visas include:
-Visa B1 / B2 (Business Visa), businesspersons and visitors can enter the US for a short period of time (usually 6 months, check your Form I-94 for the exact date). The visa allows these travelers to meet potential clients, sign contracts, negotiate agreements, etc. Essentially, the work visa allows the visa holder to establish the framework for starting or continuing business. However, it does not allow the visa holder to work in the United States in exchange for a salary.
-E-1 (Treaty Trader), this is a business visa between the United States and the Passport holder’s country of citizenship. The applicant must export products or services from their country of citizenship (eg, Mexico) to the United States or import products / services to their country of origin (eg, Canada). The visa holder can live and work in the US as long as trade exists and is sufficient. The visa holder is not required to maintain a substantial number of employees within the company.
-Visa E-2 (Investor Treaty), this is a visa based on investment between theUnited States and the country of citizenship of the passport holder. The applicant mustirrevocably invest capital (that is, money) in a US company.The business can be a new or established company (for example, a franchise).The visa holder is expected to have employed employees within several yearsof the existing company. The visa holder can live and work in the StatesUnited if the investment and the business remain operational.
-TN-TD (NAFTA Professional Worker Visa), this is a treaty-based visaNAFTA that is only available to Mexican, Canadian andAmericans. To come to the United States, the applicant must have ajob offer from an existing U.S. company and have a degreeUniversity (with some exceptions). The application requirements are quitelow compared to other non-immigrant visas. Most applicantsInterested parties can start and finish the process in less than two weeks. TheApplicants can work in the United States for several years before theyare asked to find another visa.
-Visa I (Foreign media, press and radio), the I visa is for foreign citizens involved in print or online media, press or radio to work in the United States for one year. Individuals can be paid by their original employer, but other companies cannot pay them. The advantage over this B1 / B2 visa is the extended period for which the individual can stay in the United States.
-J-1 Visa (Exchange Visitor), this Educational and Cultural Exchange Visa allows a foreign national to work for an approved sponsor of the United States Department of State. The visa allows applicants to visit, work, research, or train in a variety of programs, including agricultural training programs, teacher programs, camp counselors, or other specialized programs. Depending on the program, the visa holder can be in the United States from 12 months to 7 years.
H-1B Visa (Person in Specialized Occupation), this visa will require titlecollege becomes available only once a year on April 1 and islimited to the first 65,000 applicants. Applicants must find aU.S. sponsor who needs to fill a part-time or full-time positionwhich would normally require a college degree. The sponsor mustdemonstrate the ability to pay individual hourly wage rates based ondetermined by the Department of Labor. This visa has dual intentions and allowsthe applicant to apply for permanent residence (i.e. a Green Card)after the applicant has successfully obtained the H-1B visa. The visa is onlyit can be kept for six years (with some exceptions).
H-1B1 Visa (Professional Free Trade Agreement), like the H-1B, this visa requires a college degree and is intended for professionals from Singapore and Chile to work and live temporarily in the United States. The main difference is that applicants cannot apply for permanent residence through this visa. The visa is valid for one year and can be extended multiple times thereafter.
– H-2A Visa (Temporary Agricultural Worker), this agricultural visa allows American employers to hire foreign nationals to work in the United States for ten months or less. To qualify, the employer must demonstrate to the Department of Labor that there is a temporary or seasonal need, and there are not enough American workers who are able and willing to perform the required work to receive the payment offered.
- H-2B visa (Non-agricultural temporary worker)
- H-3 Visa (Special Education Trainee / Visitor)
- Visa L-1A / B (Transfer within the company)
- Visa O-1 (Individual with extraordinary ability or achievement)
- Visa P-1 (Individual / team athlete or member of an entertainment group)
- Visa P-2 (Artist of the artist – Individual or group)
- Visa P-3 (Artist or artist – Individual or group)
- Visa Q-1 (Participant in an international cultural exchange program)
- Visa F-1 CPT and OPT (Curricular practical training / Optional practical training)
- Visa M-1 (Professional training and school technique)
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2. Permanent employment status can be based on marriage to a US citizen or sponsorship from an employer. Employer sponsorship includes:
- EB-1 (Employment, First Preference: Priority Workers)
- EB-2 (Second job preference: Professionals with advanced degrees,Exceptional People Capacity)
- EB-3 (Third labor preference: skilled workers, professionals, andunskilled workers)
- EB-4 (Fourth Employment Preference: Certain Special Immigrants)
- EB-5 (Fifth Job Preference: Immigrant Investors)