Many people seek out different means to try to find work when they first come to the U.S. in hope of finding some financial security and one of the best pathways to citizenship. However, navigating the different ways to get work in this country can be difficult, especially when you factor in language and cultural barriers. Here’s how to get things started.
First, you need to decide exactly what type of arrangement you are looking for. Are you just coming to the U.S. temporarily to hone certain skills, or do you plan on making a permanent move? No matter what you do, you will need a visa. Temporary workers will need one of the following:
- L-1 Visa
- E2 and E1 visa permit
- H-1B visa permit
- H-2B visa permit
So, which of these meet what needs? Well, it varies. For example, the L-1 is best suited for foreign workers and owners. Those who get these generally do so when they plan on transferring to a U.S. business that is either just starting up or already established. By comparison, the E2 and E1 are designed more for investors and traders.
Those with permanent plans will need a proper green card, which is one of the following options:
- EB-1 Green Card: This is known as the “Einstein visa.” Generally, it’s designated for people who have extraordinary abilities. Despite the name, it can apply not only to sciences but to education, the arts, and business as well. Over the years, there’s been some controversy about who exactly can qualify, as there is a level of discretion involved.
- EB-2 Green Card Permit: This green card also focuses on people with special skills and abilities, but there is special preference given to advanced degrees.
- EB-4 Green Card Permit: This covers special cases. People like religious workers, military translators, and government employees will apply for this type of visa, as well as those who may not fall under the aforementioned categories.
There are other green cards as well, but the requirements are generally slight variations of what you’ve already seen. So, with this in mind, how do you go about finding the jobs that can actually get you these visas and green cards? Some companies target immigrants specifically with immigration ads. These are common in certain industries with a high immigrant population, like computer sciences, financial services, and manual labor.
Of course, there are many different things you need to keep in mind when it comes to immigration ads, as it’s not exactly the same thing as your traditional job ad. For starters, you need to know what the needs of your industry are. In some cases, you may even be better served putting your ad copy in multiple languages. The good news is that there are plenty of advertising companies with experience in this area.
