When we think about professional workers, we automatically think of a person who holds a university degree. However, the H1B Work Visa includes people who have:
- Complied with the academic requirements of a university.
- Accumulated years of work experience worked in a given industry.
Visa H1B
The H1B Visa is simply a Work Visa for people who Immigration regards as professionals. For Immigration Services, a professional is someone who holds a university degree from the United States. If they do not hold a degree from this country, they must have a degree from their country of origin that is equivalent to one from the United States.
If they do not hold a university degree from the United States or from their country of origin, an individual can still qualify as a professional if they have years of experience working in a field.
Every three years of progressive work experience is equivalent to one year of university studies. Once a person has finished four years of university studies – that is, once they have at least 12 years of experience in the same industry –, a person may have attained the equivalent of a university degree for Visa processing purposes.
What happens if I qualify for a H1B Visa?
If you fall under the definition of professional mentioned above, you need a job offer given to you by an American company in order to apply for the Visa. Your future employer must offer you a job position for which a university degree is the minimum requirement. Moreover, since the job position being offered to you is intended for a professional, your employer must pay you the minimum wage determined by the United States Department of Labor for such a job position.
You can apply for a H1B Visa for a period up to three years, and it can be renewed for an additional period of three years. The maximum renewal period is of 6 years, but there are exceptions. Even if the Visa is granted for a period of 2 years, it shall only be valid for the work offered at the sponsoring American company, and only for the time that has been applied for. The spouse and children of the applicant also qualify for this type of Visa; however, they will not be authorized to work in the country.
If you have any doubts please call us for more information on this type of Visa or to learn whether you qualify for it.
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