{"id":318,"date":"2017-06-17T14:51:52","date_gmt":"2017-06-17T14:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev2.berenbaumlaw.com\/?page_id=318\/"},"modified":"2017-06-17T14:51:52","modified_gmt":"2017-06-17T14:51:52","slug":"h-visa-professional-workers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/berenbaumlaw.com\/en\/practice-areas\/h-visa-professional-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"H Visa \u2013 Professional Workers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;H Visa \u2013 Professional Workers&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][separator width=&#8221;20px&#8221; height=&#8221;1px&#8221; color=&#8221;#660030&#8243; margin_top=&#8221;20px&#8221; margin_bottom=&#8221;20px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The H classification is divided into four (4) categories.<\/p>\n<h3>H-1B Visa \u2013 Specialty Occupation<\/h3>\n<h4>Overview<\/h4>\n<p>The H-1B visa is the most common visa used by employers in the United States to employ foreign nationals. It is a temporary professional visa that allows professionals to enter the United States to accept temporary employment within specialty occupations. A specialty occupation is one that requires theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields and the attainment of a bachelor\u2019s or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent in work experience) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the U.S.<\/p>\n<h4>Cap Limitation<\/h4>\n<p>Only the initial H-1B visa petition is subject to annual quota restrictions. A maximum of 65,000 H-1B non-immigrant visas are issued per fiscal year (from October 1 to September 30). Nonetheless, the first 20,000 petitions filed for a beneficiary who has obtained a U.S. Master\u2019s degree or higher are exempt from this cap.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the cap does not apply to applicants filing H-1B petitions through institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations and filing for\u00a0amendments, extensions, and transfers of their current H-1B visas.<\/p>\n<p>The USCIS starts accepting H-1B cap-subject visa petitions on April 1<sup>st<\/sup> of each year but no more than six months before the H-1B start date. As such, the employer should contact an attorney three to four months in advance to April 1<sup>st<\/sup>, to make sure that the petitions are prepared and filed on time.<\/p>\n<h4>Requirements<\/h4>\n<p>To qualify for an H-1B visa:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employer must demonstrate that the proposed employment qualifies as a specialty occupation that is one requiring a minimum of a Bachelor\u2019s or higher degree. (ex: accountant, acupuncturist, computer programmer, financial analyst, graphic designer, sales manager, etc.);<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The foreign national must have the required qualifications, meaning:\n<ul>\n<li>A U.S. baccalaureate or higher degree which is required by the specialty occupation;<\/li>\n<li>A foreign degree determined to be equivalent to the U.S. baccalaureate degree; or<\/li>\n<li>A combination of education and experience which is equivalent to the required U.S. degree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Where licensure is required to practice a profession, the applicant must hold appropriate licensure under state law;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An employer can request, by paying an additional fee, premium processing service which requires the USCIS to adjudicate the petition within 15 calendar days.<\/p>\n<h4>Terms and Conditions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The employer must pay its H-1B worker(s) at least the \u201crequired\u201d wage which is the higher of the prevailing wage or the employer\u2019s actual wage (in-house wage) for similarly employed workers. The prevailing wage is the wage rate for the occupational classification in the geographical area of employment;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The employer must pay certain costs and expenses on behalf of an H1B employee, such as the return transportation costs of the H-1B employee if the latter is dismissed prior the completion of the H-1B term;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The H-1B employee can enter the U.S. under the H-1B status up to ten (10) days in advance of the employment start date and is also granted permission to leave ten (10) days after expiration of his\/her status. However, there is no \u201cgrace period\u201d for H-1B employees terminated before the completion of the term of their visa;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The H-1B visa is employer specific, meaning that the H-1B employee is limited to employment with the approved employer\/petitioner only. As such, a change of employer requires a new H-1B petition;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>H-1B foreign specialty workers are not required to maintain foreign residence and may seek permanent residence in the U.S.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Period of Stay<\/h4>\n<p>The H-1B visa is usually granted in three-year increments not to exceed a total of 6 years, unless a permanent residence application is in progress, in which event additional extensions beyond six-years may be obtained.<\/p>\n<p>All the time spent outside the U.S. is subtracted and does not count toward the six-year period. As such, the time out of the U.S. may be recaptured to the six years.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, if an H-1B holder remains outside the U.S. for one year, s\/he may begin the six-year period anew, but the new petition would be subject to the H-1B cap.<\/p>\n<h4>Route to the Green Card<\/h4>\n<p>The H-1B status can also be a path to the green card through the EB-2 or EB-3 Permanent Immigration categories. (Click for more information on\u00a0<a title=\"Second Preference EB-2 Permanent Immigration\" href=\"http:\/\/berenbaumlaw.com\/?page_id=956\">EB-2<\/a> and <a title=\"Third Preference EB-3 Permanent Immigration\" href=\"http:\/\/berenbaumlaw.com\/?page_id=1006\">EB-3<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<h4>Family of H-1B Holders<\/h4>\n<p>The spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of an H-1B holder are eligible for H-4 status with the same restrictions as the principal. \u00a0Nonetheless, the dependents are not authorized to work in the U.S. but they can attend school.<\/p>\n<h3>H-2A\u00a0Visa \u2013 Temporary Agricultural workers<\/h3>\n<p>The H-2A visa allows U.S. employers to employ foreign nationals to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature on a temporary basis.<\/p>\n<h3>H-2B Visa \u2013 Non-Agricultural Workers<\/h3>\n<p>The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to employ foreign nationals to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs.<\/p>\n<h4>Cap Limitation<\/h4>\n<p>The number of H-2B classifications that may be granted per fiscal year is statutorily limited.<\/p>\n<p>Once the H-2B cap is reached, the USCIS only accept petitions for H-2B workers who are exempt from the H-2B cap.<\/p>\n<h3>H-2A and H-2B Visas \u2013 General Information<\/h3>\n<h4>General Requirements<\/h4>\n<p>To qualify for an H-2A and an H-2B visas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employer\u2019s need for the prospective worker\u2019s services or labor must be temporary or seasonal;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>There must be no sufficient U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available to do the temporary work;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The employment of H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Countries List<\/h4>\n<p>The H-2A and H-2B petitions are only available for nationals of countries eligible to participate in the H-2 programs.<\/p>\n<h4>Period of Stay<\/h4>\n<p>The H-2 classifications are granted for a period no longer than one (1) year and can be extended in increments of up to one (1) year. The maximum period of stay in an H-2A or H-2B classification is three (3) years.<\/p>\n<h4>Family of H-2 Workers<\/h4>\n<p>The spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of an H-2 holder are entitled to an H-4 nonimmigrant classification.\u00a0 However, they are not authorized to engage in employment in the United States.<\/p>\n<h3>H-3 Visa \u2013 Nonimmigrant Trainee<\/h3>\n<h4>Overview<\/h4>\n<p>The H-3 nonimmigrant visa category is for an alien coming temporarily to the U.S. as a trainee or as a Special Education Exchange Visitor.<\/p>\n<p>This classification is not intended for U.S. employment but to provide an alien with job-related training for work that will ultimately be performed outside the United States.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Under the H-3 Trainee program, the alien receives training, other than graduate or medical education training, that is not available in his\/her home country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Under the H-3 Special Education Exchange Visitor, the alien participates in a special education exchange visitor training program for children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Period of Stay<\/h4>\n<p>The H-3 Trainee program allows a trainee to remain in the United States for up to 2 years, while the H-3 special education exchange visitor program is for up to 18 months.<\/p>\n<h4>Family of H-3 Visa Holders<\/h4>\n<p>The spouses and children who are under the age of 21 of the H-3 holder are entitled to accompany him\/her to the U.S. However, the family members will not be authorized to work in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>For more information about this visa category contact us today to schedule a professional consultation with an Immigration Attorney. Call (305) 515-VISA\u00a0(8472)\u00a0or\u00a0<a title=\"Free Evaluation of your case\" href=\"\/en\/contact\/\">click here<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;H Visa \u2013 Professional Workers&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][separator width=&#8221;20px&#8221; height=&#8221;1px&#8221; color=&#8221;#660030&#8243; margin_top=&#8221;20px&#8221; margin_bottom=&#8221;20px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The H classification is divided into four (4) categories. H-1B Visa \u2013 Specialty Occupation Overview The H-1B visa is the most common visa used by employers in the United States to employ foreign nationals. It is a temporary professional visa that allows professionals to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":309,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-318","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>H Visa \u2013 Professional Workers - Berenbaum Law Firm<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/berenbaumlaw.com\/en\/practice-areas\/h-visa-professional-workers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"H Visa \u2013 Professional Workers - Berenbaum Law Firm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;H Visa \u2013 Professional Workers&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][separator width=&#8221;20px&#8221; height=&#8221;1px&#8221; color=&#8221;#660030&#8243; margin_top=&#8221;20px&#8221; margin_bottom=&#8221;20px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The H classification is divided into four (4) categories. 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H-1B Visa \u2013 Specialty Occupation Overview The H-1B visa is the most common visa used by employers in the United States to employ foreign nationals. 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