Working in America: What a Foreigner Needs to Know

The United States has long been known as a land of opportunity and thus is a very desirable place to live and work. As a country founded by exiles from other nations, America offers refuge to those seeking new employment situations. While finding a job is a chore in and of itself, knowing your options to work in the U.S. as an alien is an important first step for those looking for a new life in the 50 states.

Depending on your situation, you will need different legal documentation if you wish to live and work in the United States. The simplest of these is the B-1 visa, which is a temporary business visa. This visa allows work that is done for an employer outside of the United States for a short period of time. The B-1 visa is designed for aliens who only need to be in the country for a specific amount of time to perform a specific task.

If you are a student studying in America temporarily, your student visa usually does not give you the right to work. In some circumstances, though, a student can apply for a temporary work permit in addition to their visa that allows them to overcome financial difficulties. This permit will last no longer than the duration of your study, so it cannot be used to stay and work longer in the country.

If you're looking to work for an American company full-time, you will likely want to enlist the aid of an immigration lawyer to help find the visa or work permit that is right for you. Unless you are a student already living in the country, you will need to find an employment opportunity before being able to cross the border. Once you have found a job, you will be able to submit for a temporary work visa. These visas are only available for jobs that fall under certain guidelines, and usually the employer will have to prove that they are unable to fill the position with existing U.S. citizens. An immigration lawyer usually helps the employer and employee find the best work visa for the situation and prepare an application with the best chance of being accepted.

Once you have established yourself temporarily in the U.S. you may be able to apply for a green card. If your employer finds you to be a valuable employee, they can help you obtain permanent rights to live and work in the country. Enlisting the help of an immigration lawyer and employer before moving to America is also possible, but most companies will not want to represent an employee before he has worked for them. Getting a green card is similar to getting a temporary work visa, but is naturally more involved and usually calls for a good immigration lawyer. The process can last for several months, but once you have your green card you can work at any job in the U.S. for as long as you please.

All of these steps may sound intimidating, but thousands of people each year successfully move to the United States to begin a new life. If you're looking to relocate then weigh your options, evaluate your skills, and start searching. America is the land of opportunity, after all.