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H Regulations & Policies
Comparing Types of Work Visas: H, F, J, O, TN
H-1B is a common status for nonimmigrants with a Bachelors degree or higher to accept temporary employment, but there are other nonimmigrant statuses that permit professionals to work in the U.S. Following are brief descriptions of various visa types or you can click on this link to see: Employment-based Visas: Comparison Chart.
F-1: F-1 students are usually eligible for 12 months of “practical training” work permission after (and sometimes before) graduation.
J-1:J-1 students are sometimes eligible for 18 months of academic training or 36 months in a post-doctoral research position with permission from the J-1 visa sponsor.
A J-1 scholar may be employed as a non-tenure track teacher or researcher at his/her host institution, usually a university or research laboratory. The J-1 scholar visa is most often used for exchange visitors coming from and returning to their home countries
Note: Persons in J status may be subject to the 2-year Foreign Residence Requirement, which prohibits them from changing to another nonimmigrant status in the U.S.
J-2: Dependents of J-1s may apply for (and may or may not receive) general work permission from USCIS.
O-1: Used by persons of extraordinary ability; normally a recent university graduate would not meet the criteria set by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
TN: (NAFTA Treaty) This status can be used by professional employees who are Canadian and Mexican citizens. Unlike the H-1B, there is no wage requirement and no petition to submit. Thus, the application procedure is much faster than an H-1B. The occupations covered are restricted to those allowed under NAFTA.
Note: Mexican nationals need to apply for the TN visa stamp in their passport while Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement.
Contact ISSS staff for further information or go to “Visa Options for Hiring International Faculty and Staff”.
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