Citizens of foreign countries can come to the U.S. to work here. They can come to the country on immigrant visas or nonimmigrant visas. Following are a few types of U.S. work visas that are available to foreign workers.
E-3 Australian Work Visa
E-3 visas are nonimmigrant work visas that are meant for Australian nationals. Architects, economists, teachers, lawyers and computer professionals can get these visas. To qualify, Australian nationals must hold Master’s degrees and they must have job offers in the U.S.
H1-B Specialty Work Visa
H-1B visas are issued to citizens of foreign countries who possess specialized skills. Engineers, lawyers, teachers, etc, can obtain these visas. U.S. employers who wish to bring skilled professionals to the country can file applications for H-1B visas for such foreign workers and bring them to the country as temporary workers. USCIS issues a certain number of H-1B visas every year. H-1B workers can also apply for green cards.
J-1 Temporary Exchange Visitor Visa
J-1 nonimmigrant visas allow foreign nationals to take part in cultural exchange programs in the U.S. J visa holders must be capable of supporting themselves financially while in the U.S. and must be good in English. Professors, research assistants, students, teachers, trainees, nannies/Au pairs and camp counselors can enter this Exchange Visitor Program.
L-1 Intra-Company Transfer Work Visa
These visas allow foreign nationals who work for internationals companies in their home countries to transfer to branches of their companies in the U.S. People who work in managerial positions or in specialty occupation positions are eligible for these visas. These visas are not available to foreign nationals who are self-employed.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability Worker Visa
O-1 visas are nonimmigrant visas that are meant for foreign nationals who possess extraordinary ability. To qualify, foreign workers must possess extraordinary talent in science, arts, business, athletics, television industry, education or in business. To get O visas, they need to prove that they have received national or international recognition in their fields. They need to supply documents showing that they have received awards in their particular fields.
R-1 Religious Worker Visa
Foreign nationals who seek to work in the U.S. as ministers or in religious occupations, can get R-1 visas. These are temporary visas issued to foreign nationals who come to the U.S. temporarily to be employed by non-profit religious organizations in the U.S.
NAFTA Work Visa
Canadians and Mexicans working in qualifying professions may be eligible for North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Professional (TN) Nonimmigrant status in the U.S. This status is similar to the H-1B status. To qualify, applicants need to hold higher education degrees. They also need to have job offers in the U.S.