Grossman Young & Hammond’s business immigration practice provides deeply insightful and strategic counsel to public and private corporations, non-profit organizations, research and higher education institutions, family businesses, and entrepreneurs. A number of employment-based visa categories are available to foreign nationals whose objective is to work or open businesses in the U.S. on either a temporary or permanent basis. Most work visa categories require a U.S. employer who will sponsor the foreign national for employment in the United States. Other visa categories, such as the E-2 visa for treaty investors or the O-1 visa for persons of “extraordinary ability” allow for self-employment if certain conditions are met.

Temporary (Nonimmigrant) vs. Permanent (Immigrant) Work Visas

Employment-based business immigration cases are divided into two types: temporary (nonimmigrant) and permanent (immigrant). Nonimmigrant employment-based statuses generally allow a foreign national to work and live in the U.S. for a period ranging from several months to several years, depending on the category, and are often limited in the amount of time one can hold that status. The permanent residency process for employment-based cases can be completed in under a year, in certain cases, and can take many decades, in others. Our business immigration attorneys work closely with employers and foreign national workers to manage the full immigration life-cycle.

The process to obtain a temporary work visa typically requires the approval of a visa petition by U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services in the U.S., followed by an in-person interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the foreign national’s home country. Some temporary visa categories also require certification from the U.S. Department of Labor that the employer has not offered wages or working conditions to the foreign national worker that adversely affect the wages or working conditions of U.S. workers.

Our Business Immigration Attorneys

Our firm has decades of experience in helping employees obtain immigration status to grow their careers and make important contributions to the U.S. economy. From trainee, to mid-level professional, to executive, Grossman Young & Hammond has the knowledge and expertise to handle your employment-based business immigration matters.

In addition to obtaining temporary work visas and permanent resident status for employees, our firm provides corporate consulting on compliance and strategy to prevent the loss of immigration status for key employees, to ensure compliance in corporate restructurings, and to enable corporate clients to meet their obligations with regard to Form I-9 employment verification and E-Verify compliance. We look forward to working with you.

Contact Grossman Young & Hammond now to discuss your business immigration options. We look forward to working with you.