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Five categories of worker visas

On Behalf of | Sep 1, 2020 | US Immigration Law

People interested in coming to the United States from other countries may apply for a visa related to their employment. The United States Department of State indicates that the dependent children under 21 years of age and spouse of an applicant may also request a visa to accompany their family member.

The U.S. offers multiple types of work-related visas depending on a person’s qualifications and experience and any applicant should understand these different categories.

Five levels of permanent worker visas

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, some people may qualify for temporary work visas but the country does offer some permanent worker visas as well. An estimated 140,000 such visas may be granted each year.

The five forms of permanent visas align with clearly defined priorities, referred to as preferences. These visas include EB-1 through EB-5 visas, based on the level of preference.

EB-1 visas

An EB-1 visa includes the most preferred category targeting individuals noted within their field of sports, business, arts or sciences. A candidate seeking an EB-1 visa may request their own visa. Other visas preferences may require a job offer and a visa request made via a potential employer.

EB-5 visas

The last level of permanent worker visa targets individuals seeking to invest in the United States to a level expected to create jobs domestically.

Other permanent visas

People of varying educational or professional backgrounds may apply for EB-2, EB-3 or EB-4 visas. These visas may require an offer of employment from a company in the U.S. They may also require the employer to file the visa application.

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