Every year, various Nigerians desire to move to the United States of America for work purposes, and as a skilled immigrant, it is mandatory to possess a Work Visa, also known as a Work Permit (Employment Authorization Document or EAD), before entering the country. This article will provide information on the various work visas and how to obtain one.
What Is a Work Visa?
The Work visa is issued to those who want to come and work in the USA temporarily. Two routes via which immigrants can gain employment in the United States of America is either as a temporary employee or as a sponsored/permanent employee.
The temporary employees will need to obtain US non immigrant visa, while the sponsored employees needs an Immigrant Visa. The temporary work visa is issued to those who want to work temporarily and common categories include:
- E-1 Treaty Traders
- E-2 CNMI Investor
- E-2 Treaty Investors
- E-3 Certain Specialty Occupation Professionals from Australia
- H-1B Specialty Occupations and Fashion Models
- H-2A Agricultural Workers
- H-2B Non-Agricultural Workers
- H-3 Nonimmigrant Trainee
- I Representatives of Foreign Media
- L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager
- L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge
The Permanent work visa is issued to skilled workers. This work visa is classified into give namely: Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1, Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2, Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3, Employment-Based Immigration: Fourth Preference EB-4, and Employment-Based Immigration: Fifth Preference EB-5.
Pathways Of Obtaining A USA Permanent Work Visa
According to Visaguide. world, the work visa is issued based on the intent of migration, and the various categories are:
- Diversity Immigrant Visa: The Diversity Immigrant visa, also known as the Green Card Lottery, is a program introduced by the US Government to allow a quota of immigrants[50,000] in the country every year.
- Family-Based Immigrant Visa: If you have a family member who is also a citizen of the United States of America, this option is the best one for you.
- K-1 fiancé(e) visas: This visa allows those engaged to US citizens to come to the country and get married. A petition must be filed by the person you’re engaged to and approved before the application for the visa can commence.
Eligibility For The USA Work Permit/Visa: What Are The Requirements
Below are some of the requirements applicants must possess to be eligible to apply for the Work Permit:
- A valid passport
- You must provide a confirmation page that you completed the Nonimmigrant Visa application form
- Application fee receipt
- Proof that you will return home after the visa expires
How To Apply For The USA Work Permit
To apply for a work permit, file an Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765). Before filling out the form, review the details and ensure you provide the requested information before submitting your application and paying the application fee.
The Employment Authorization Document(EAD) can be obtained for your spouse and it will be valid for as long as the visa is still valid. If you have any question, drop them in the comment section below.