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US Visa Types List

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Temporary Work Visas and Employment-Based Green Cards

An individual may obtain a temporary visa to work or study in the United States, or he or she may obtain lawful permanent residency (green card) through one of five employment-based preference categories. Immigration attorneys can assist you with either your temporary work visa or your employment-based green card application.

Temporary Visas for Working

The H Visa Temporary Worker

There are several types of H visas for temporary workers. Each type of visa allows the individual to perform a specific job:

  • H1B visa is for professionals who are coming to work in the U.S. in a specialty occupation (Professional visa and Fashion Models);
  • H1C is for nurses who will work in particular positions;
  • H2A is for agricultural workers;
  • H2B visa is for non-agricultural workers (Unskilled Foreign Workers);
  • H3 is for trainees; and
  • H4 visa is the accompanying visa granted to the spouse and children under 21 years of age of the worker.
  • TN Status: allows certain qualifying Canadian and Mexican citizens to temporarily work for an employer in the U.S. under NAFTA.

Learn more about the H Visa and other Temporary Worker visas through the U.S. State Department’s website

The E Visa

Only citizens and nationals of certain countries are eligible for this type of visa. A requirement for this visa is a treaty between the United States and the foreign country for trade or commerce. There are two types of E visas for working:

  • E1 visa is for an individual who is doing substantial trade with the United States; and
  • E2 visa is for an investor who is directing an investment
  • E3 visa for Australia citizens only to work in the US (E3D visa is the partner visa)

Learn more about Treaty Traders and Treaty Investors Visas through the U.S. State Department’s website

The L Visa Temporary Worker

The L visa is for temporary worker who is coming to work at a subsidiary of a foreign company. There are several types of L visas:

  • L1A visa is for a manager or an executive;
  • L1B visa is for someone with specialized knowledge;
  • L2 visa is the accompanying visa that spouses and children under 21 years of age receive with the worker.

Temporary Visas for Studying – Student Visas

Look for important News Releases from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about SEVIS

The F-1 Visa

This F1 visa allows the student to study full-time at an academic institution such as a university, private school, or language institute.

Learn more about Academic Student Visas through the U.S. State Department’s website.

The J Visa for Exchange Trainees and Workers

The J visa is for temporary workers on J1 work and travel or J1 trainees who are coming to work or train with an organization that has been approved for an exchange program under the J visa regulations.

Learn more about Exchange Visitor Visa (J Visa) through the U.S. State Department’s website.

Read about the Waiver of the Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement for J Visa through the U.S. State Department’s website.

The M Visa

This type of visa allows an individual to attend an approved course of study leading to a specific educational or vocational objective and engage in full-course of study.

Learn more about the Nonacademic Student Visa (M Visa) through the U.S. State Department’s website.

Temporary Visas for Particular Occupations – O, P, Q, and R Visas

The O Visa

The O-1: Extraordinary Ability Artists/Entertainers, Business People, Scientists, Educators, and Athletes

The O-1 visa is available to foreign nationals of extraordinary or high achievement in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics as demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim, or with regard to motion picture and television productions, a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement, and whose achievements have been recognized in the field through extensive documentation.

The O-2: Support Staff of Artists and Athletes

The O-2 visa is for an alien entering:

(1) for a specific event or events;
(2) who is an integral part of such actual performance;
(3a) has critical skills and experience with principal alien, which are not of a general nature or which cannot be performed by other individual; or
(3b) in the case of a motion picture or television production, has skills and experience with the O-1 alien that are not of a general nature and which are critical and the alien is essential to the successful completion of the production; and
(4) has a foreign residence that the alien has no intention of abandoning.

The P Visa for Athletes and Artists

This visa applies to an internationally recognized athlete performing at a major athletic event as an individual athlete or as part of a group or team and for an artist or member of internationally recognized entertainment group. There are several types of P visas:

  • P-1 is for an athlete and athletic teams and entertainment groups;
  • P-2 is for artists and entertainer reciprocal exchange;
  • P-3 is for artists and entertainers integral to performance.

The Q-1 Visa

This visa applies to a foreign national entering the U.S. for the purpose of obtaining practical training, employment, and the sharing of history, culture, philosophy, and traditions of the alien’s home country.

The R-1 Visa

R-1 visa is for a foreign national with a religious profession, occupation, or vocation, for example, minister, professional holding degree or foreign equivalent degree, cantor, monk, evangelist, or nun.

Employment Based and Investor Immigrant Preferences

Employment-based immigration for lawful permanent residence falls under five preference cateogories:

Different criteria apply to each of these categories and substantial document preparation is required to successfully obtain residency based upon one of the employment-based immigraton categories.

Check the current Visa Bulletin priority dates for each of the employment-based categories, since not all categories have a current priority date.

Guest Author

Ruchi Thaker

Getting A Job & US Visa Sponsorship Prospects

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Whether you are looking at the L1 Visa, H1B Visa, E3 Visa, Other US Work Visas or even a J1 Visa Internship program, the US is not the place it was 12 months ago.
The 2nd ever H1B Visa Lottery had just completed and the first ever lottery for the Advanced Degree Exemption portion, as well as pretty much all the non traditional sectors of the economy spending and acting as normal.

However, today, in the US with the Unemployment rate almost at 10% which last occurred 30 years ago, it is has meant many immigrants have been laid off along with their US counterparts. Therefore as it stands today the H1B visa quota still has at least 20,000 visas remaining for FY2010 and the USCIS as far as we are aware made their first ever downward revision of the current total in the last few weeks by a couple of thousand.

If you then combine all this with the recent anti-foreign worker legislation introduced in the US Congress, it all seems to mean doom and gloom both for the potential foreign immigrant worker who is currently outside the US. This is also true for those here currently either already on a US work visa in uncertain times or even the F1 Student Visa immigrants who have just completed an undergraduate degree, masters degree or PHD program in the US.

Actually it was recently reported that at this same time in 2007 just following college graduation for students around the country, 50% of new US College graduates had jobs already. In 2009, this figure is only 20% of new US College graduates have jobs right now so you can imagine how much more difficult it is for the foreign graduates at US academic institutions.

So Amid All This Doom & Gloom In The US Economy What Are My Prospects?

Well the true answer is unknown BUT you should consider these points regardless of your intention to live, work or study in the US at the current time. As amid crisis there is always opportunity and companies like Apple, Intel, Microsoft, etc. (the modern global powerhouses) all started in the midst of deep economic recessions and bleak times. The set of circumstance you are facing as a foreigner right now if you look at it with a positive and optimistic outlook are also in your favor in such a way that may not happen again for at least a generation to come.

1. The fact that at mid year, the H1B visa total is unfilled and less foreigners are looking for jobs means that there is less competition for you in your US Job search. Given that most people on an H1B visa tend to be Asian and/or highly educated and work in the newer sectors of the economy is also beneficial given the unemployment rate for these groups are far lower than the National average and have been among the most resilient parts of the US economy. Additionally many US recent undergraduates are delaying enter the workforce and doing Masters programs meaning less competition from them as well.

2. While more US residents who have been laid off from work have either considered or are definitely gone back to Universities and Colleges around the country to do Masters programs combines recent US undergraduates meaning more competition for places at US Academic Institutions. At the same time, via the Obama Stimulus package, unprecedented amounts of money are flowing into the Education sector. Combined with many US students, particular older ones with families wanting more flexibility meaning Part Time study or utilizing the growing number of very large Online Universities like the University of Phoenix, Kaplan University, Monroe, etc. means that there are still places available for willing foreigners.

3. If your intension is the J-1 visa the consider this. You will have more competition as a foreigned from US residents than in the past with less full time jobs available for them, however many US institutions at this time are turning to Internships as way to get good labor for lower cost. Usually interns don’t get benefits like Health Insurance, 401K, Paid Leave etc. so you can still negotiate some sort of living wage but this can be stepping stone for you to get a full time permanent position as you build your contacts, networks and reputation.

Look I am not saying the situation is perfect but as mention, history has taught us for thousands of years that great opportunities come out of turmoil so by being contrarian to everyone else, you could actually succeed and thus be even better placed when the Economy rebounds fully in the future. There are some early signs that the worst may be behind us as well, although we don’t want to predict prosperity just yet, but I am aware of people certainly finding it easier to get interviews and be hired than in the first few month of the year.

As Always Good Luck In Your Quest to Make Your Dreams Come True,
CJ