Work Visas: A Primer

Do you have a friend or relative who is a citizen of another country and would like and would like to work in the United States? In that case, your friend or relative will need a work visa or work permit issued by the United State government. This article provides key information related to the subject of work visas and permits to help you better understand this important issue.

Permanent Visas

In some instances, the U.S. government will issue visas for people to work permanently in the U.S. These visas are not easy to obtain, however, as only 140,000 of them are issued every year. To be eligible for a permanent work visa, you will typically need to have demonstrated special skills or abilities in certain fields, such as the arts and sciences, or hold an advanced degree from an institution of higher learning. Business people who invest a large amount of money in a commercial enterprise in the U.S. may apply for a permanent visa as well.

Temporary Visas

The government also issues temporary visas for workers to enter the U.S and work for a limited time. A wide range of temporary visa categories exist. For example, one type of temporary work visa is the TN NAFTA visa. This category is for professional workers from Mexico or Canada who have offers of employment from U.S. firms to work in the United States but are not looking to immigrate to the U.S. permanently

Another example of a temporary visa is called the L1 visa. This category is open to employees of a foreign company that is affiliated with a U.S company or has a branch in the U.S. It allows certain employees of the foreign firm to work for the U.S affiliate or the branch for a limited period.

Agriculture workers can also apply for temporary work visas. These visas are based on agricultural employers not being able to find enough U.S. workers to fill their needs.

Country Quotas

An important point to remember is that the government has a quota regarding the number or visa allowed to any single country. No more than 7 percent of the total visa issued are allowed to go to residents of any single country, according to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services.

To learn more about this issue or to get legal advice that will help your friend or relative get a visa, talk with an attorney who focuses on work visa law.

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