Visa Category | Class Admitted |
---|---|
H1-B | Workers in a specialty occupation |
L1-A | Intracompany transferees in managerial or executive positions. |
L1-B | Intracompany transferees in positions utilizing specialized knowledge. |
O-1 | Persons with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics and motion picture or TV production. |
O-2 | Persons accompanying solely to assist an O-1 nonimmigrant. |
P-1A | Internationally recognized athletes. |
P-3 | Artists or entertainers, either an individual or group, to perform, teach, or coach under a program that is culturally unique. |
R-1 | Religious workers. |
TN | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) temporary professionals from Mexico and Canada. |
Preferences | General Description | Labor Certification Required? |
---|---|---|
First Preference EB-1 | This preference is reserved for persons of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics; outstanding professors or researchers; and multinational executives and managers. | No |
Second Preference EB-2 | This preference is reserved for persons who are members of the professions holding advanced degrees or for persons with exceptional ability in the arts, sciences, or business. | Yes, unless applicant can obtain a national interest waiver (See the “Labor Certification” link to the right for more waiver information.) |
Third Preference EB-3 | This preference is reserved for professionals, skilled workers, and other workers. (See Third Preference EB-3 link on left for further definition of these job classifications.) | Yes |
Fourth Preference EB-4 | This preference is reserved for “special immigrants,” which includes certain religious workers, employees of U.S. foreign service posts, retired employees of international organizations, alien minors who are wards of courts in the United States, and other classes of aliens. | No |
Students and Exchange Visitors |
F-1 | Academic students |
F-2 | Spouses and children of F-1 |
M-1 | Vocational students |
M-2 | Spouses and children of M1 |
B-1 | Temporary business visitor to conduct activities of a commercial or professional nature. For example, consult with business associates, negotiate a contract, or attend a business conference |