Alternatives to H1-B visas for people wanting to work and settle in US

After questions are being raised that the Donald Trump’s administration may limit the scope of H1-B visas, there are some visas people aspiring to work and get a permanent residency in the US can apply for.

They could opt for the EB-5 Investor Visa program, which allows entrepreneurs to apply for permanent residence (green card) along with their spouses and dependent children under the age of 21. To be eligible for this, they need to invest $1 million or $500,000 in a business in a Targeted Employment Area in the US, and create 10 full-time jobs for American citizens (either directly or indirectly). Applicants of this visa program would be able to get a green card in less than 24 months, unlike with an EB2 or an EB3 visa which when filed along with an L1B or an H1B visa could take more than 10 years.

The second option is an L1 Visa, an intra-company transfer visa, that lets businesses transfer employees to America for setting up operations there by opening a subsidiary or an affiliate office or a branch. Eligible for L1A Visas are managers and executives. L1A visa holders are eligible to apply for green cards in the EB1C category. They can then obtain a green card within 12 months, says Business Insider.

The L1B Visas are granted to professionals with specialised knowledge. The visa holders of L1B must apply for a labour certification along with their permanent residency application. Here, the onus is on the visa holder’s employer to prove that they are unable to find a US worker with similar skills. For this, the green card should be applied for in the EB2 category, but this process may take several years.

O1 Visas are for individuals who demonstrate special talent in the field of arts, the sciences, education, sports or movies or television.

With an E2 Visa, a national of treaty country — a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation — is allowed into the US to invest a considerable amount of money in a business there or start an American business from the scratch. Even if India is not a treaty country, Indians can do so by obtaining citizenship of a US treaty country to be eligible.

If you are looking to Immigrate to the US, get in touch with Y-Axis, a consultancy firm for immigration services, to apply for this visa.