There are several immigration categories available to non-immigrants who possess the knowledge and professional skills gained by receiving a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.
Many professionals with U.S. university degrees are offered sponsorship in the United States under the H-1B temporary worker visa category. The employment must be in a "specialty occupation." A "specialty occupation" is one which requires theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge to fully perform the occupation and which requires a bachelor’s degree or higher in a specific field as the minimum requirement for entry into the occupation. In addition, the applicant must hold the specific degree required for the “specialty occupation.” The General Information on H-1B Status handout provides more information on this status.
Helen Konrad & Mark Rhoads, Attorneys at Law with the firm of McCandlish Holton, have prepared a guide, Hiring Foreign Graduates, which outlines the H-1B process for prospective employers.
Non-immigrants should also be aware of the immigration categories which may be available to them. Please see our handout: General Information on Work-Related Visas in the United States. More information on these and other immigration categories is also available on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.