Florida Attorneys Providing Assistance With Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
Employment-based immigration allows foreign nationals who have skills and talents needed in the United States to obtain lawful permanent residence. More commonly known as obtaining green cards, this process gives talented and hardworking foreigners the ability to have gainful employment within the United States and gives American companies the opportunity to hire employees who are truly qualified for their jobs. Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A., provides assistance with:
- Labor certification, where employers who cannot find suitably qualified candidates willing to fill long-term positions within the United States may seek permanent labor certifications for foreign nationals who are qualified for said positions. Read more about labor certification here.
- Extraordinary ability visas, where individuals with extraordinary abilities can come to and remain in the United States if they have visas based on their talent in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. Read more about extraordinary ability visas here.
- Multinational manager and executive green cards, where managers or executives who play an important or critical role in an international business may obtain green cards on the basis of their executive or managerial duties for the company. Read more about multinational manager and executive green card visas here.
The Division Of Employment-Based Workers
Immigrants seeking employment-based visas or green cards are divided into five categories:
- Priority workers (First Preference). This category includes individuals with extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and some multinational executives and managers. Foreigners who qualify for the O-1 nonimmigrant visa can usually seek a permanent residence visa on the grounds of being an individual with extraordinary ability. A foreigner who qualifies for L-1A nonimmigrant classification is generally able to obtain priority worker status as a multinational manager or executive. In such cases, labor certification is not required.
- Professionals holding advanced degrees or of exceptional ability (Second Preference). Foreign nationals who have advanced degrees or exceptional ability are given second preference for employment-based immigrant visas. If they can show they have entered the United States with the intent to do work “in the national interest,” the process of obtaining a labor certification may be waived.
- Professionals, skilled and unskilled workers (Third Preference). Foreign nationals who are professionals with bachelor’s degrees, are skilled workers performing labor requiring at least two years training or experience, or are unskilled workers receive third preference for visas. The number of visas given to unskilled workers is limited to 10,000 per year, and companies must first obtain labor certification for any third preference immigrants they hire.
- Special immigrants (Fourth Preference). Ministers, religious workers and certain other special immigrants are given fourth preference when visas are doled out. Labor certifications are not required.
- Employment creation (Fifth Preference). Foreign nationals who invest $1,000,000 – or $500,000 in some locations – in a job-creating enterprise in the United States are given fifth preference status. They do not need to obtain a labor certification.
Your ability to receive an employment-based immigrant visa varies based on your preference category as well as other factors, such as the total number of applicants during your given year. The attorneys of Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A., know U.S. immigration laws and trends, and can advise you on how to proceed with your application for an immigrant visa.
Contact Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A., Today
Our law firm has the skill, expertise, attentive nature and dedication needed to successfully see your case through from the moment your consultation begins until its ultimate resolution. Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A., represents clients worldwide in matters relating to U.S. immigration and visa applications. Schedule a consultation by contacting us at 305-424-2645 extension 1 or contact us online to schedule a meeting at one of our offices located in Miami, Florida, and Lima, Peru.
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