Our employment immigration attorneys can assist you with most types of categories for work, and this screening page is designed to help you decide if you would like to schedule a paid Legal Advice Consultation on your possible eligibility for employment visas or green cards. For work permits, please click here.

Temporary Employment Visas

If you believe you qualify in one of the following categories, please contact us to schedule your consultation. The consult fee is $415 for up to 60 minutes and it is applied toward attorney fees if you hire the law firm.

Attorney fees for your visa case range from about $350 up to $5500 depending on the type of case. Waivers are an additional fee. Family members are extra starting at $350 per person. Government filing fees are extra.

General Information About Visas
Free information about temporary employment visas on the government website, such as eligibility requirements and filing fees	Find out how long your visa could be valid for, depending on what country you are from (reciprocity)	Processing times for temporary visa I-129 petitions

B-1 – Business visitor— for business meetings, negotiating business contracts, marketing, and other non-income earning activities. Also includes setting up for an E-1 or E-2 visa business, or an L-1 entity. You file for yourself although in some cases you may need an employer’s letter.

Canadian border crossing packages -- For Canadians who anticipate they may be pulled aside and questioned about their frequent travel to the U.S.

E-1 Treaty Trader – For business owner / employee of a trade treaty country conducting substantial international trade of goods / services with the U.S. The trade must be at least 50% of your overall trade business. The trade must be ongoing when you apply, you can use a B-1 visa or ESTA to set it up beforehand. You file for yourself, or the E-1 employer files for its employee.

E-2 Treaty Investor – For business owner / employee of a trade treaty country to manage / direct an established investment enterprise in the U.S. The minimum investment amount must cover purchase or start-up expenses, and the business income or assets must cover your living expenses for at least 2 years. The business must be operating when you apply, you can use a B-1 visa or ESTA to set it up beforehand. You will need a business plan showing growth and hiring U.S. employees in the next five years. Our legal services include advising you on immigration requirements as you make decisions to set up the business. You must be able to provide a paper trail of the legitimate source of your investment funds. You file for yourself, or the E-2 employer files for its employee.

E-3 Specialty Occupation Professional for Australians – For Australian professionals working for a U.S. employer in an occupation that requires a specific baccalaureate degree (e.g., architect, engineer, etc.). Please see the link for more information about qualifying occupations.

H-1B – we do not handle H-1B visas.

H-2B Temporary / Seasonal Worker – Available to nationals of certain countries for limited assignments less than 9 months in most cases. Employer must advertise and recruit for U.S. workers first. This visa is limited, may take 4-6 months to apply and there are a limited amount available every six months—they could run out of visas after you paid to file your case, with no money refunded. Please see the link for eligible countries. You need an employer to file for you.

K-1 Fiancé(e) / K-3 Spouse – For fiancé(e)s and spouses of U.S. citizens who wish to enter the U.S. and apply for a green card through marriage. Can take anywhere from 3-9 months to get the visa.

L-1 Transfer – To transfer current managers / executives and specialized knowledge employees from a foreign company to its U.S. branch, subsidiary, affiliate, etc. Requires one year minimum experience working for the foreign country during the last 3 years. Your U.S. company must file for you.

NAFTA workers from Canada/Mexico -- For professionals working for a U.S. employer in an occupation that requires a specific baccalaureate degree. Please see the link for more information about qualifying occupations. You need an employer to file for you.

O-1 Extraordinary Ability in Athletics, Business, Sciences, Education or the Arts (including Motion Picture/Television) – For those with national / international recognition in the field over at least 3 years, demonstrated by awards, media attention, distinguished employment, and other markers of achievement, may bring essential support personnel. Your own student/junior awards don’t count. Generally, we look for those in the top 15-20% with full-time employment in the last 3 years. Includes coaches/trainers with clients in the top 15-20%. You can file for yourself through an agent, or an employer can file for you. We can assist you with finding an agent.

P-1 International Athlete – For athletes in international competition with significant records / rankings, may bring essential support personnel. You must be able to explain why you are known internationally. You can file for yourself through an agent, or an employer can file for you. We can assist you with finding an agent.

R-1 Religious Worker – For those performing work essential to religious worship / ceremony, must be a member of the religion / denomination. Your employer must file for you.

Visas for your family

Your spouse and children under the age of 21 can accompany you on all employment visas. Spouses of L-1 visa holders can get work authorization, but for the rest of the categories there is no work authorization. Your spouse will need his/her own employment visa to work. Children can attend public or private school in the U.S. on all employment visas.

Employment Green Cards

If you believe you qualify in one of the following categories, please contact us to schedule your consultation, and fill out our intake form. The consult fee is $415 for up to 60 minutes and it is applied toward attorney fees if you hire the law firm.

Attorney fees depend on complexity of your case, but you can expect several thousands of dollars and upwards for a complete process. See our Green Card page for more information about the steps to obtaining a green card.

General information on employment green cards
Free information about employment green cards on the government website, such as eligibility requirements and filing fees.	Processing times for I-140 green card petitions Processing times for PERM	Waiting list by green card category

EB-1-1 extraordinary ability green card: For those with national / international recognition in the field over at least 3 years, demonstrated by awards, media attention, distinguished employment, and other markers of achievement. Your own student/junior awards don’t count. Generally, we look for those in the top 10% with full-time employment in the last 3 years. Includes coaches/trainers with clients in the top 10%. You can file for yourself, or an employer can file for you.

EB-1-3 multinational transfer green card: To transfer current managers / executives and specialized knowledge employees from a foreign company to its U.S. branch, subsidiary, affiliate, etc. Requires one year minimum experience working for the foreign country during the last 3 years. Your U.S. company must file for you.

EB-2 exceptional ability green card: advanced degree beyond what the occupation normally requires, or you excelled beyond the average through additional certification, belonging to professional associations, working for 10 or more years, etc. You can file for yourself if your occupation and work are significant to the national interest, or your U.S. employer can file for you after they advertise and fail to find U.S. workers.

EB-3 green card: occupation field normally requiring a bachelor's degree or two years' experience. Your U.S. employer must file for you after they advertise and fail to find U.S. workers.

Green cards for your family

Your spouse and children under the age of 21 can accompany you on all employment green cards.

While you are waiting for your green card to be granted

There is no automatic right to wait inside the U.S. and work until your green card is granted. If you want to wait inside the U.S., you must separately obtain a visa.

Work Permits

Work permits are for people:

Already inside the United States; AND

Applying for a certain immigration benefit they qualify for OR

Assigned a certain status such as TPS, asylee/refugee, Deferred Enforced Departure etc.

Please see our work permit page for more information