Companies looking to hire skilled, experienced and educated workers often need to look abroad. There is a shortage of certain types of skilled staffing in the domestic labor market, which can make it hard to hire the right talent for particular roles.
International employment arrangements are one of the ways that companies can connect with the talent they need without waiting months or years to hire the right candidate. Of course, there are numerous challenges inherent in hiring international talent as well, not the least of which is the need to secure a visa for someone hoping to work at a domestic company.
Workers considering a job opportunity in the United States may have questions about the timeline or the costs involved in relocating. They may also worry about the impact the move would have on their relationships. Most people don’t relish the idea of a multi-year separation from their community and family members. Thankfully, those who secure work visas can generally travel with certain members of their family when they enter the United States.
There are subordinate visas available
Employers seeking to attract international talent will need to know what those workers can expect during the immigration process. Those with a familiarity with family visas associated with employment visas can help convince someone that taking this job might be an opportunity not just for them but their entire immediate family.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will grant visas to specific immediate family members of workers who obtain employment-based visas. Generally, only those in the primary household of the worker can apply for of visa.
Their spouse and their unmarried minor children can potentially obtain visas to enter the country with them and remain in the United States for as long as they do. Of course, those immediate family members will also need to submit paperwork, provide medical records and undergo background checks to qualify for their visas. For many families, employment visas are the beginning of a lengthy immigration journey that will see their grandchildren born as citizens in the United States.
Knowing about family immigration opportunities can help employers assuage the concerns of prospective foreign workers that the company might hire for a domestic vacancy.