The most common types of work visas issued by the US Government are the TN Visa, H1B Visa, L1A Visa, L1B Visa, H2A Visa and the H2B Visa. This is a brief summary of each:

• TN Visa – This is a work visa for professional workers who are citizens of Mexico or Canada.
• H1B Visa – This is a work visa for people working in a specialty occupation, which means a professional level job. This visa requires that a prevailing wage be paid to the H1B visa holder.
• L1A Visa – This is work visa for intra-company transferees continuing employment with an international corporation. The L1A Visa is for executives and managers.
• L1B Visa – This is a work visa for intra-company transferees continuing employment with an international corporation. The L1B Visa is for workers with specialized knowledge, including knowledge about a company’s products, research, techniques or procedures.
• H2A Visa – This work visa is for temporary workers performing agricultural type work when a shortage of agricultural workers exists in the USA.
• H2B Visa – This work visa is for temporary workers performing non-agricultural type work when a shortage of such workers exists in the USA

What is a Work Visa?

A work visa is a document which allows people from outside the USA to be lawfully employed in the USA. There are many types of work visas, each with its own unique requirements. Citizens of foreign countries wishing to work in the USA, must apply for a work visa before commencing employment. After obtaining a work visa, a Social Security Number, which is another requirement to be lawfully employed in the US, is easily obtained.

What is a Work Permit?

This document is often known as an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and is issued by USCIS. Work permits are most frequently issued to persons while their Green Card application process is pending. They have also been frequently issued to the spouses of L1A, E2 and E1 visa holders, as well as to DACA recipients.