Growing companies often need to have a broad approach to securing the best possible talent for open positions. In some cases, that could mean hiring workers from another country to fill a skilled role within your business. Whether that person has an existing relationship with your company or is a new hire, securing a work visa is only one critical step to hiring an international worker.
One of the biggest concerns for people from other countries considering a job in the United States of America is the potential for long-term separation from their families. Thankfully, most of the professional visa programs do have special processes in place to allow for family members to accompany workers with a valid visa during their time in the United States.
Workers who secure an H-1B visa can get H4 visas for family members
The H-1B visa program is one of the most competitive visa programs in the country. This program allows for companies to hire international workers for specialty occupations. Typically, this means a role that requires at least a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and an employee with a valid degree and relevant experience in the field. There are a limited number of these visas allocated each year, and they allow for workers to stay for up to three years. Renewals are possible, but the general limit is sex years.
That would be a long time to be away from a spouse or minor children. Thankfully, dependent family members can apply for admission to the United States under the H-4 non-immigrant classification. It’s important to understand, however, that potential changes in the vetting and visa approval process under the current administration could complicate the process of applying for and receiving these family-related visas.
Compliance is critical with any employment-related immigration issue
Understanding the program requirements and accurately fulfilling your obligations as an employer or sponsor are important. Failing to properly follow requirements could result in the denial of the initial H-1B visa for your worker or the H4 visa application for his or her spouse. Those kinds of mistakes could damage your company’s reputation and result in a loss of the time and resources allocated toward hiring an international worker.
Your company should always do everything in its power to carefully and accurately process every visa application it handles for potential workers. Proper guidance and advice can make a big difference when you’re competing for one of a limited number of visas in any given year. You should make sure that prospective new hires understand the potential of not receiving a visa or their family members not receiving a visa. Creating a company policy that addresses these potential issues could protect your company from conflict and other issues in the future.
