How an Employment Immigration Lawyer Can Help You Diversify Your Workforce
Unless you operate a small business that can easily be staffed on an as-needed basis, the hiring process is probably challenging for you. That’s because finding and keeping quality employees is perhaps the hardest part of being a business owner.
After all, you not only have to find people who are qualified and willing to work with your company, but you also need to make sure that they’re legally able to work in the U.S., among other things. Fortunately, an employment immigration lawyer might just be able to help you hire more skilled workers while also reducing your risk of liability.
An immigration attorney can assist with tasks such as ensuring that your new hires have legal authorization to work in the U.S., obtaining necessary visas and permits, or drafting employment contracts that address citizenship requirements and other pertinent details.
Let’s take a more detailed look at how an immigration attorney from Farmer Law PC can help you in this process.
Ensure That Employees Are Legally Authorized to Work in the U.S.
Your job as an employer is to make sure that you only hire people who are legally able to work in the U.S. To do this, you need to verify the authenticity of any documentation that an employee provides and ensure that it’s correct.
You can start by reviewing documentation requirements for certain work visas and work authorization documents. Ensure that you’re properly collecting the required documentation from each individual you interview. While you can’t legally refuse to hire a qualified candidate because of their national origin, it is your duty to ensure that your company operates within the law.
Help You Hire Foreign Workers
Not all international employees will stay in the U.S. long enough to obtain a Green Card. For the ones who do, the process can be long and arduous, often taking several years.
In the meantime, you need to ensure that your business can continue to operate while you wait for your employees to obtain their Green Cards, which means that you need to know how to help them stay in the U.S.
An immigration lawyer can help your employees stay in the U.S. lawfully by helping them apply for a period of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for each international student worker who has just graduated from a U.S. college or university, or by filing a Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129) for each employee on an H-1B visa.
Obtain Necessary Employment Visas and Permits for Your New Hires
Before you officially hire someone, you need to ensure that you can secure the right visas and permits for your new hires. While you can apply for a Green Card for an employee at any time, you need to obtain employment visas and permits before hiring someone.
Your immigration lawyer should know which work visas and permits your employees can apply for, including the federal agency or agencies responsible for processing your applications. They will also help you and your employees prepare your application materials carefully to avoid making any mistakes.
Summing It Up
Recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees can be challenging for businesses of all sizes. However, individuals eligible for employment immigration can provide your business with a better, more diverse workforce.
An employment immigration lawyer can help you determine if hiring an employee from another country will be a positive step for your business. They can help you understand if and when such an employee would be eligible to work in the U.S., which documentation will be required to support that application, how much time the process may take, and how much it might cost you.
If you’re ready to diversify your workforce using an employee from another country, enlisting the services of an experienced immigration attorney from Farmer Law PC is a smart first step.
