Employment Based Immigrant Visas & Temporary Worker Visas

Foreign nationals who are skilled or educated and who have job offers have the possibility of immigrating to the United States. Typically, the prospective employer must first obtain a labor certification and approval of a petition. An approved Labor Certification (LC) is a document issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) certifying that:

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(1) An employer needs the foreign worker's skills and abilities;

(2) The employer has tried to recruit U.S. workers for the position; (3) The employer has offered the position at the normal or prevailing wage; and (4) The employer has found no qualified workers.

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• EB-1 Priority Workers

• EB-2 Advanced-degree Holders & Aliens of Exceptional Ability

• EB-3 Professional, Skilled and Other Workers

• EB-4 Religious Workers

• EB-5 Immigrant Investors

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Temporary Workers

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There are a variety of visas available to U.S. employers seeking to employ foreign nationals temporarily in the United States. Several H non-immigrant visa categories used for this purpose include visas available for professional workers, temporary workers in shortage occupations, nurses, and trainees. The H status is designed principally to help employers meet an immediate and temporary need for labor.