Temporary worker visas are issued to individuals from foreign countries who want to enter the United States, but not permanently. In order to obtain any of these visas, a prospective employer must first file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A citizen of a foreign country may not work in the United States until a visa is granted. Many temporary worker categories have caps for the total number of petitions that can be approved each year.
As the U.S. Department of State explains, there are several temporary visa categories:
- H-1B: Work in a specialty occupation — This visa requires a higher-education degree. It includes government-to-government research and development, and projects administered by the U.S. Department of Defense.
- H-2A: Temporary agricultural workers — This visa is designed for temporary or seasonal agricultural work and can be limited to citizens or nationals of designated countries.
- H-2B: Temporary nonagricultural worker — This visa is designed for temporary or seasonal work that is nonagricultural and can be limited to citizens or nationals of designated countries.
- H-3: Trainee or special education visitor — This visa is designed for individuals seeking training not available in their home country or for those who want to join training programs in the education of children with disabilities.
- L: Intracompany transferee — This visa allows an employee to work at a branch or affiliate of their current employer in a managerial or executive capacity, or in a position requiring specialized knowledge.
- O — Individuals with extraordinary abilities or achievements in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics or entertainment industry are eligible for this visa.
- Q-1 — This visa is necessary for participating in an international cultural exchange program.
An experienced Florida attorney in immigration law can assist you with any type of visa question.