Employers in New Jersey and around the country usually seek H-1B visas when they wish to hire foreign workers who have skills that job applicants in their local areas do not possess, but they may choose to apply for E-3 visas instead if the foreign workers they plan to hire are Australian citizens. The E-3 program issues up to 10,500 employment-based visas each year to Australian citizens who wish to work in specialized fields in the United States.
E-3 visa eligibility
In addition to being Australian citizens, E-3 visa recipients must be coming to the United States to perform highly skilled tasks in specialty occupations. They are also expected to have bachelor’s degrees in the field in which they work. These is the same eligibility requirements that H-1B visa applicants are required to meet. E-3 business immigration visas are valid for two years, but they can be renewed for a further two years an unlimited number of times.
Family members
When Australian citizens are granted E-3 visas, they may bring their spouses and children with them to the United States. Their spouses are usually permitted to work in America even if they do not possess specialized skills, but their children are not. Once a Form I-129 and the necessary supporting documents have been submitted to apply for an E-3 visa, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services usually issues an approval or denial in about two months.
Less competition and shorter waiting times
Employers should consider searching for skilled foreign workers in Australia because the E-3 visa program has much faster processing times than the H-1B visa program. There are also fewer employers seeking these visas. Attracting qualified Australian job candidates should not be challenging because the spouses of E-3 visa recipients are usually permitted to work in the United States.
