L-1 Visa
Example: Microsoft India office looking to transfer employees to Microsoft USA office would utilize the L-1 visa program.
Just like the H-1B, the L-1 is a dual-intent visa, meaning that a nonimmigrant alien worker can apply for permanent residence (Green Card) while on a temporary work visa. Unlike the H-1B, there is no cap for L-1 visas. International companies can bring an unlimited number of nonimmigrant alien workers into the U.S. as long as the L-1 requirements are met.
The L-1 visa program has neither a wage floor nor an American worker recruitment requirement. In fact, an L-1 nonimmigrant alien employee can legally be paid the salary s/he was earning in the home country while working in the company’s U.S.-based office.
- L-1A is designated for executives and managers and is valid up to seven years.
- L-1B is designated for workers with specialized knowledge and is valid up to five years.
The application process for an L-1 visa includes:
- Filing I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) application with USCIS and submitting supporting documentation that shows both the U.S. company and the foreign affiliate branch meet the qualifications set by law and regulations.
- Applying for a visa issuance at the U.S. embassy in the country of applicant’s residence once the I-129 is approved. Once the visa is stamped to the passport, the holder can travel to the U.S. and begin working for the U.S. employer.
L-1 Visa Stats
- Approximately 70,000 to 80,000 L-1 visas are issued each year.
- Citizens from India are the largest recipients (approx. 20,000/year).
- The top 10 L-1 visa users are IT outsourcing firms.
Get News & Updates
U.S. Tech Workers on YouTube
U.S. Tech Workers on X
;
🧵Thanks for posting. Wish there were something more current, but it speaks to the fact there was no shortage then and there isn't now. The H-1B visa was predicated on the myth that there would be a skilled labor shortage in the USA.
"[t]here is no shortage of scientists or engineers. In fact, there are “substantially more” scientists and engineers graduating in the U.S. than there are jobs."--Alfred P. Sloan Fdn. VP, Michael Teitelbaum, 2007:
"Lowering excessive barriers to entry in licensed occupations will not improve the lives of American workers if they are forced to compete with great numbers of desperate immigrants willing to work for low wages."
Kicking off now, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship hears testimony and asks questions of Ur Jaddou, Director, USCIS. https://www.c-span.org/video/?540349-1/us-citizenship-immigration-services-dir-testifies-house-judiciary-cmte
On the left, an Indian H1B who says Americans not getting jobs because they are lazy and not qualified
On the right, an American product manager who was laid off who has children who had to apply to 1000 jobs to get a new job
@AdamR1776 @amandalouise416 @USTechWorkers I don’t know for sure
But here are three possibilities:
1) “return to office” mandates failed with American workers, so companies are replacing those workers and mandating work from office from the start
2) H1Bs can be paid less
3) H1Bs will tolerate travel, sometimes up to 75%…
@amandalouise416 @USTechWorkers
So I picked up a copy of Seattle Times Sunday paper and I looked at Expedia. Sure enough there are data engineer jobs that are not listed on the website (even though they say they are). Perm or H1Bs
While Silicon Valley continues to lay off workers, it is simultaneously ramping up H-1B visa applications. The U.S. government is incentivized to assist, as USCIS remains in business due to the fees it collects for petition processing.
Half of the top 10 H-1B visa sponsors are Indian IT outsourcing firms that help American companies lay off workers and move jobs to India. The other half are large tech companies laying off staff while increasing H-1B visas.
To secure PERM #GreenCard for their #H1B, @comcast & @jpmorgan posting ads in obscure #Pennsylvania newspapers instead of job boards; then claim no qualified #Americans found @SenFettermanPA @DaveMcCormickPA @RepMeuser @SenatorArgall @GovernorShapiro @StephenM.