By Rita Wright

Securing an H1-B visa is by far the best way to gain entry into the United States, have immediate job security and a competitive salary. The H1-B visa is the authorization given by the U.S. government for a foreign worker to come to the U.S and work for a U.S company.

Each year approximately 85,000 H1-B visas are available to almost all the countries in the world.  The requirements for the H 1-B visa are simple: bachelor’s or a master’s degree and fluency in the English language. Degrees related to the tech industries are in demand but so is the case with specialty occupations like accountants, architects, engineers, artists, and chemists;  also included are fashion models. Indian nationals walk away with the bulk of these visas followed by China then Canada and South Korea. The states that sponsor these visas are mainly California, New Jersey, Texas, and New York.

Educated Caribbean nationals can and should take advantage of opportunities offered in securing the highly sought after H1-B visa. This is an employment-based non-immigrant visa for temporary workers. The successful candidate will work for a maximum of six years in the United States with provisions made for spouses and minor children.  In addition, the H1-B visa allows for “dual intent”; this means that once in the country, you can apply for a Green Card through an employer or a family member. The current first lady, Melania Trump, is an example of a fashion model who entered the United States through the H1-B visa and later became a U.S citizen.   

Finding an employer in the United States can be a bit challenging but once you are qualified and have a professional resume, there are websites where you can search for jobs like Career Builder, Monster andTechfetch.com. Companies like Google and Facebook and other tech companies in Silicon Valley walk away with the majority of the employees seeking these visas. It is important that you research the companies that received the H1-B visas in the past.  

With a secured job offer, the U.S. employer will file and receive approval from the Department of Labor and once this is completed, the U.S. employer then files a petition with USCIS, Form I-129. After the approval of the petition, you will be required to file your own application for an H1-B visa with the consulate in your country; this will allow you to enter the United States and claim your H1-B status.

Acquiring the H1-B visa is a game-changer but is very competitive; in this year alone, there was an average of 200,000 applicants. Hiring an experienced immigration attorney will be advantageous as the H1-B visa process can be tedious, time -consuming and meeting all the deadlines are very important and, I am sure the rewards of gaining this visa will be well worth the effort.

Rita Wright is a student in the Chamber Coalition Paralegal Certificate Program. For details about this program, please visit www.freeparalegal.org  

If you need advice relating to this particular immigration issue or any other legal matter, please call 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule a free case evaluation. Remember, the lawyer you hire does make a difference!

  H1-B visa, work visas