Job Offer Requirements for ‘Specialty Occupations’ Under the H-1B Work Visa USA

Overseas workers can enter USA on a temporary basis to pursue specific jobs, provided there are no available U.S. workers who are qualified and willing to occupy that position. Most temporary (nonimmigrant) visas require the employer to petition for the worker. People with a valid job offer from a U.S. employer in certain ‘specialty occupations’ can apply for the highly coveted H-1B Work Visa USA, which allows eligible foreign nationals to live and work temporarily in the USA.

In order to qualify as a ‘specialty occupation’, foreign jobs must fulfil any one the following conditions:

• The minimum entry requirement for the position is a Bachelor’s degree, or a higher academic credential, or its equivalent.

• The degree requirement is a common industry standard, or the role can only be performed by a person who has a degree, owing to the complex and unique nature of the job.

• The employer typically demands that the person hired for the position should have a degree or an equivalent credential.

• The specific job duties are so complex and specialized that the knowledge necessary to perform such duties is associated to the completion of a Bachelor’s degree or higher qualification.

Since the H-1B Visa is one of the most popular US Work Visa types, there are detailed selection processes in place, so that only the best and brightest prospects are selected. In order to accept a job offer in a specialty occupation, a foreign worker must satisfy any one of the following eligibility parameters:

• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher qualification required to practice the specific specialty occupation, from an accredited college or university in the USA.

• Have completed a degree from an educational institution outside the USA, which is equivalent to the U.S. Bachelor’s degree or higher qualification required for the specialty occupation.

• Possess an unrestricted state license, certification, or registration that authorizes the worker to fully practice the specialty occupation, and be engaged in that occupation in the state of intended employment.

• Have training, progressively responsible work experience, or education in the concerned specialty, which is equivalent to the required degree – and have recognized expertise in the occupation, evidenced by having held progressively responsible job positions related directly to the specialty.

It is important to note that only those who have a job offer that meets the aforementioned requirements can petition for the H-1B Work Visa USA. In order to obtain a valid offer of employment, job seekers can seek the assistance of an online job portal or international recruitment agency that connects them with overseas employers looking to hire foreign workers. This arrangement creates a strong foundation for success in the immigration process, and a viable future in the United States.