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In this week’s Immigration Law for Tech Startups podcast, I’ll discuss five work visas specifically for international talent from certain countries:
- H-1B1 visa for Chileans and Singaporeans in specialty occupations
- E-1 visa for treaty traders
- E-2 visa for treaty investors
- E-3 visa for specialty occupation professionals from Australia
All five of these visas require an employer sponsor and are the result of special trade treaties between the United States and specific countries. To qualify for any of these visas, the candidate must be a citizen of the country specified. Unlike green cards, in which your country of birth matters in determining your place in line for a green card, these visas only require you to be a citizen of the country.
Depending on your citizenship or who you want to hire, these specialized—and rarely used compared to the H-1B, L-1, and O-1—visas offer a relatively quick way to come to or bring international talent to work in the U.S.
Please share this episode with companies, HR and recruiting professionals, startup founders, international talent, or anyone who can benefit from it. Sign up for the Alcorn monthly newsletter to receive the latest immigration news and issues. Reach out to us if we can help you determine the best immigration options for yourself, your company, your employees or prospective employees, or your family whether in the U.S. or abroad.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- The basic requirements for the H-1B1, E-3, TN, E-1, and E-2 work visas
- The pros and cons of each of the work visas, including whether a spouse can get a work visa or whether you can be self-employed
- Specific examples and additional detail based on our work with clients in getting these visas
- Why most employers eventually try to shift employees from H-1B1, E-3, or TN visas to H-1B visas
- How to qualify for an E-2 visa if you’re a citizen of China, India, or another country that does not have a trade treaty with the United States
- The International Entrepreneur Rule
Don’t miss my upcoming conversations with top Silicon Valley venture capitalists, startup founders, professors, futurists, and thought leaders on Immigration Law for Tech Startups. Subscribe to this podcast here or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or whatever your favorite platform is. As always, we welcome your rating and review of this podcast. We appreciate your feedback!
Resources:
U.S. Department of State’s list of Treaty Countries whose citizens qualify for E-1 and E-2 visas
List of professions and educational requirements that qualify for a TN visa
Alcorn Immigration Law:
- Subscribe to the monthly Alcorn newsletter
- Immigration Options Chart Handout
- Immigration Law for Tech Startups podcast:
- Path to E-2 visa for citizens of non-treaty countries
- Immigration Options for Talent, Investors, and Founders
- Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook
- Extraordinary Ability Bootcamp course for best practices for securing the O-1A visa, EB-1A green card, or the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) green card—the top options for startup founders. Use promotion code ILTS for 20% off the enrollment fee.
