Los Angeles Employment Immigration Attorneys

Building successful Southern California businesses through immigration

The international workforce provides a valuable service to L.A. businesses. With their unique perspective and skills, foreign workers fulfill an important niche in the Southern California economy. Yet maneuvering through the complex immigration system to work in the United States or to employ a foreign national requires a sophisticated understanding about Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies and procedures. Knowledgeable counsel can provide strategic Los Angeles employment-based immigration help throughout the processes of obtaining labor certification and applying for a visa.

Nonimmigrant work visas authorize temporary employment

A nonimmigrant visa allows a foreign national to perform a specific job in the United States for a quantified temporary timed period. The most common classifications are:

• E —Treaty traders and investors
• H1B — Specialty occupation, including fashion models and college degree holders
• H2A — Seasonal agricultural workers
• H2B — Temporary or seasonal nonagricultural workers, including restaurant and hotel staff
• I — Foreign media representative in press, radio, film journalism
• L — Intra-company transferees, including managers, executives and employees with specialized knowledge
• O1 — Individuals who have proven extraordinary abilities in motion pictures, television, arts, athletics, business or education
• P1 — Entertainment groups or sports teams that have earned international recognition
• P2 — Entertainers and artists involved in cultural exchange programs
• P3 — Entertainers and artists who perform culturally unique programs
• R — Religious workers
• TN NAFTA — Professional Canadian and Mexican citizens

Each type of visa imposes a set of strict criteria regarding the worker’s qualifications and the actual tasks performed and are subject to strict numerical limitations and renewal rules.

Green cards through employment

Approximately 140,000 visas are available every year for foreign workers who immigrate to the United States based on permanent employment. Permanent worker categories are divided into five distinct preferences that require proof of the workers’ skills, achievements, education, college degrees, certifications and work experience.

Each petition is given a priority date based upon when it was filed. If the visa limit is reached before your petition is approved, you must wait until the following year. Some situations warrant working in a nonimmigrant category while awaiting approval of permanent residency. Talk to your lawyer about the possibility of obtaining temporary work authorization while you await approval of your or your employee’s green card.

Contact an immigration attorney in Los Angeles for a free consultation

Call 323-391-3932 or use the online contact form for assistance with your immigration case from a qualified lawyer near you.