Guides to U.S. work visas

A summary of how each visa works, who can apply and what to watch for. General information, not legal advice.

H-2A visa: temporary farm work

H-2A lets U.S. farm employers hire foreign workers for temporary or seasonal farm work (harvest, planting, livestock, greenhouses). There is no yearly…

H-2B

H-2B visa: temporary non-farm work

H-2B is for temporary non-farm work: landscaping, hotels and resorts, restaurants, seafood processing, amusement parks, construction and more.

EB-3

EB-3 green card: including jobs without a degree

EB-3 is a green card (permanent residence) sponsored by a U.S. employer. It has three types: skilled worker (at least 2 years of experience or trainin…

H-1B

H-1B visa: degree professionals

H-1B is a temporary visa for jobs that require a college degree (bachelor's or equivalent) in the field, such as tech, engineering, healthcare, financ…

J-1

J-1 visa: exchange programs (au pair, intern, summer)

J-1 is the exchange visitor visa. Some programs include work: au pair, Summer Work Travel (for college students), intern and trainee, camp counselor, …

TN visa: for Mexican and Canadian citizens

TN comes from the U.S.–Mexico–Canada trade agreement (USMCA, formerly NAFTA). It allows work in professions on the agreement's list, such as engineer,…

L-1

L-1 visa: transfer within the same company

L-1 is for people working for a company abroad who are transferred to a related U.S. office (branch, parent or affiliate).

O-1

O-1 visa: extraordinary ability

O-1 is for people with recognized distinction in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics, film or television.

E-2

E-2 visa: treaty investor

E-2 is for people who invest in a U.S. business and will run it. It is only for citizens of countries with a treaty with the U.S.

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