The H1B nonimmigrant work visa allows a company to hire a foreign worker for up to six years. This is the most common of all visa categories that grants permission to work in the United States.

The H1B visa is designed to bring into the country specialists with valuable knowledge. Applicants must possess at least a bachelor’s degree in the field they wish to pursue in the United States. This degree must also be accompanied by relevant work experience. This requirement can be met by three years of relevant work experience after completing their studies. The applicant’s diploma must be recognized in the United States.

The process of bringing educational documents into compliance with American standards is called evaluation or nostrification. A completed education may not be required if the applicant has sufficient work experience and has received good recommendations from previous employers. An individual without a college degree can be hired in the United States on an H1B visa if they can demonstrate that they are a specialist based on at least twelve years of experience in the relevant economic sector.

For work outside their specialty, or if the candidate lacks qualifications or work experience, an H2B visa can be applied for instead of an H1B work visa. The disadvantage of the H2B visa is that obtaining a visa requires a labor certification—an expensive and time-consuming process that involves posting a job opening and proving that there are no American workers available to perform the job offered to the immigrant. Furthermore, H2B visas are initially issued for only one year, with the option to extend for up to three years.