Immigration-Foreign Students, Temporary Workers

Temporary Agricultural Workers (H-2A)

H-2A is for aliens who are coming to the U.S. temporarily to perform agricultural labor or services of a "temporary or seasonal nature" that cannot be filled by unemployed U.S. workers.

If you live outside of the U.S., you need to file an application with the U.S. consular office after the petition is approved.

If you are already in the U.S. on another visa status, an application of change of status needs to be filed.

Other Temporary Workers (H-2B)

H-2B is for aliens who will be hired in non-agricultural temporary jobs that cannot be filled by unemployed U.S. workers.

If you live outside of the U.S., you need to file an application with the U.S. consular office after the petition is approved.

If you are already in the U.S. on another visa status, you need to apply for change of status.

Temporary Trainees (H-3 Visa)

You may be eligible for an H-3 visa if you are coming to the U.S. for on-the-job training provided by a U.S. company or U.S. government agency.

H-3 trainees are usually admitted for a period of time needed to complete the training program.

Intracompany Transferees (L-1)

You may be eligible for an L-1 visa if you are transferred to the U.S. to work as a manager, executive or key employee for a U.S. company which is an affiliate, branch, subsidiary of a company that already employs you outside of the U.S.

Treaty Traders (E-1) and Treaty Investors (E-2)

You may be eligible for E-1 if you, as a national of a foreign state that has a treaty of commerce and navigation with the U.S., are coming to the U.S. to carry on substantial trade in services or technology principally between these two states.

You may be eligible for E-2 if you, as a national of a foreign state that has a treaty of commerce and navigation with the U.S., are coming to the U.S. to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which you have invested, or you are actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital.

If you are outside of the U.S., an application for E visa is directly made to the consular office, and no preliminary petition to CIS is required.

If you are physically in the U.S., an application for change of status should be made to the CIS.

Aliens with Extraordinary Ability (O Visa)

You may be eligible for O-1 visa if you have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or of extraordinary achievement in motion picture and television productions, and seek to enter the United States to continue work in such areas.

O-2 is for those who are coming to the U.S. temporarily and solely for the purpose of accompanying and assisting in artistic or athletic performance.

If you live outside of the U.S., you need to file an application with the U.S. consular office after the petition is approved.

If you are already in the U.S. on another visa status, an application of change of status needs to be filed.

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