Arlington Employment Visa Lawyer
Finding the right type of employees can be hard, and for this reason, numerous companies recruit foreign workers. This is understandable and legal, but employers and foreign employees will need to complete certain steps before the foreign employees are allowed to work. If they do not, the government may not allow them to obtain employment in the United States.
If you are an employer who intends to hire foreign workers, you may want to get in touch with an Arlington employment visa lawyer. A compassionate immigration lawyer may be able to provide you with the guidance you need to help your prospective employees.
What are Employment Sponsored Green Cards?
A certain number of Green Cards are set aside for skilled immigrants each year. Individuals who wish to obtain one of these cards will need to possess professional skills and qualifications that will benefit the United States.
Before a person is allowed to apply for a Green Card, they will need to provide proof of an official job offer, and their employer will need to prove they are unable to find a qualified U.S. citizen or permanent resident to perform the job in question and is able to pay the required salary.
Once this occurs, the government will place Green Card applicants into one of the following categories:
- First Preference: Persons of extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences, educational field, or athletics, including business managers of multinational companies
- Second Preference: Professionals with advanced degrees or extraordinary abilities
- Third Preference: Professionals or unskilled workers
- Fourth Preference: Religious workers and special classification workers
As a Arlington employment visa lawyer knows, individuals may also be able to obtain an employer-sponsored visa if they intend to invest a certain amount of money into a certain American industry or economically depressed area.
Immigration Laws for Employers
Companies that intend to hire foreign workers must verify their prospective employees are authorized to work in the United States. Since the 1980s, the U.S. government has required employers to confirm work authorization at the time of hire and maintain records to show they are in compliance with U.S. immigration laws. To do this, employers should require all new hires to complete an I-9 Form, which can be found at the USCIS website.
The government also understands that jobs attract undocumented immigrants, and before a company hires a person, they should be sure they fall into one of the four following categories of citizens:
- S. citizens
- S. nationals (residents of U.S. territories such as Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico)
- Lawful permanent residents
- Aliens authorized to work
It is important to comply with all immigration laws when hiring a new worker. If the government suspects an employer of knowingly violating these laws, the employer will face a host of legal issues.
How Can an Attorney Help Employers?
As mentioned above, it can be costly and professionally detrimental to hire a person who is not authorized to work in the U.S. Unfortunately, mistakes happen, and if a person unknowingly hired an undocumented worker, they will need help from a Arlington employment visa lawyer.
A lawyer may also be able to help employers seeking to hire foreign workers start the Green Card application process for their employees. Immigration laws can be complicated, especially when they involve employment. This is a fact of life in the United States, but by working with a skilled attorney, employers can ensure they recruit the workers they need while adhering to immigration laws. Learn more from an immigration lawyer today.