Some people want to come to the United States to work and earn money. In order to do this, they must have the appropriate visa for their situation. There are times when the person knows that they will only remain the country for a specific amount of time. In these cases, a temporary worker visa might be the option that is best for them.
There are only limited numbers of temporary worker visas for some categories. Once that number is reached, no more can be issued for the year. This means that it might be in your best interest to file for yours early in the year.
One of the first things that you will need to do is to figure out which category you need to file under. There are 11 categories for the temporary worker visa.
- H-1B: Specialty occupation
- H-1B1: Free Trade Agreement professional
- H-2A: Agricultural worker
- H-2B: Non-agricultural worker
- H-3: Special education or trainee
- L: Intracompany transferee
- Q: Extraordinary achievement or ability
- P-1: Internationally recognized athlete or entertainer in a group
- P-2: Entertainers or artists meeting reciprocal requirements
- P-3: Entertainers or artists to coach, teach, or perform in some circumstances
- Q-1: International cultural exchange
Typically, you need to have an employer in order to get a labor certification if you are going to come into the country on one of these visas. Some, such as entertainers, don’t need to have this done. You may also need to have an interview. This isn’t usually necessary for people who are 13 or younger or 80 and older. Everyone else is required to have one.
Be sure that you understand all the steps you will have to go through before you embark on this journey. An experienced attorney can help you.