Some organizations need to bring in skilled workers from abroad because there simply are not enough specialized professionals in their industry to hire all-domestic talent. Highly-educated professions, like engineering and medicine, are so competitive that the best domestic talent may be hard to hire. Recruiting the brightest and best professionals who have achieved success in another country can help organizations that need talent in competitive employment niches.
Other organizations will turn to internal talent from their international operations when trying to grow their presence in the United States or mimic the success that they have had abroad domestically. Professionals already familiar with how the company operates will have an easier time replicating the same processes in the United States and won’t require as much training as a new hire.
If your organization operates in another country and has existing executives or managers that you believe could help improve your operations in the United States or would be critical for the establishment of those operations, then it may be time to look into the L visa program.
L visas are for intracompany transfers
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) oversees many visa programs that can benefit professionals from other countries and domestic businesses. Making a job offer to an immigrant often means waiting quite some time to help them secure a visa and postponing their starting date, and possibly progress on a project, until they get the visa they require.
Certain employee visas operate on a lottery system, which means it can take years for the company to secure the visa they need. Employers should explore all the different visa programs that could apply to find those with a better chance of success. Applying for an L visa is not quite as competitive as an H-1B visa, for example.
The L-1A visa program helps existing managers and executives transfer from a foreign office to a location in the United States. This program is an option for both companies with an established domestic presence and those hoping to build one. The L-1B visa allows for the transfer of a professional with specialized knowledge from a foreign office to work in the United States.
Helping talent secure employment visas requires professional help. Even if your company has its own council, it may not have the understanding of immigration law that is truly necessary to get an L visa or similar work-related visas for your existing staff. Consulting about your work-based immigration needs can help your company potentially secure an L visa when you need it.