Nonimmigrant visa

Nonimmigrant visa

Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers

Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge

Landscapers, Hospitality workers, Construction workers, Technicians, Retail staff

Specialized knowledge employees

• Employers must demonstrate a temporary need, which is limited to up to three years for a one-time need or 10 months for seasonal, peak load, or intermittent needs.

• Employers must provide evidence that there are no U.S. workers who are willing, qualified, and able to perform the temporary work.

• Employers must certify that hiring H-2B workers will not negatively impact the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

• The U.S. position must require specialized knowledge (expertise that is distinct, advanced, and critical to the employer's operations).

• The U.S. sponsor must belong to a multinational group with a corporate presence in the U.S. and at least one other country.

• You must have been employed abroad as a manager, executive, or specialized knowledge worker by an entity of the multinational group for at least one year within the three years immediately preceding the visa application.

• Does not focus on individual credentials, making it accessible to a wide range of applicants.

• Allows U.S. employers to address temporary labor shortages in non-agricultural sectors.

• Flexible in meeting seasonal, peak load, and intermittent labor needs.

• Enables international companies to transfer key employees with technical or proprietary knowledge that is hard to find in the U.S.

• Facilitates a smooth transition to permanent residency.

• Focuses on the employee's role within the company rather than their overall career accomplishments.

• Subject to semi-annual quotas and a rigid lottery-based application process.

• Employers must undergo a rigorous certification process to prove the unavailability of U.S. workers.

• Spouses and dependents do not receive work authorization.

• Offers fewer green card pathways compared to the L-1A.

• Requires at least 1 year of prior employment within the same corporate group, making it unsuitable for new hires.

• Maximum renewals are capped at 5 years.

• New companies are granted only a one-year initial visa, which must then be renewed.

• Employment is limited to the same corporate group, with no options to switch employers.

Required

Required

Duration of labor certification, up to 1 year, renewable for a total of up to 3 years

1-3 years

Renewable up to 3 years

2-year increments¹

5-6 months

1-3 months

15 business days

15 business days

No

Yes

-

¹Up to a total of 5 years in L-1B status.