U.S. Start-up Visas

There are new immigration legislative measures (U.S. Start-up Visas) recently announced by President Obama created to help bring and keep people from other countries. The focus is on individuals who will provide jobs through businesses and who will strengthen existing businesses with the level of skill they bring.

Eric Lanigan and Roddy Lanigan have been preparing employment visas for multinational corporations hiring foreign nationals. The Lanigans handle immigration cases.

Consult with the Lanigan about immigration when your business is trying to solve immigration issues and navigate the many rules, regulations and changes that are involved in the process of bringing foreign employees into the United States.

The Startup Visa is the name of the program with makes the H-1B program stronger. It includes providing green cards to foreign-born science, technology, engineering, and math graduate diplomas to help keep them working in the U.S.

The Obama Administration is trying to attract and keep highly-skilled immigrants which is described as critical to job creation and economic recovery. New jobs in the U.S. are created in start-ups and small businesses.

Statistics show that 25 percent of high-tech startups in the United States were founded by immigrants, leading to more than 200,000 jobs in America.

The following initiatives to change the H-1B program have been offered:

  • Allow spouses of F-1 students to enroll in part-time study courses
  • Allow spouses of H-1B holders (known as H-4 visa holders) who are waiting for USCIS action on an adjustment of status green card application to apply for work authorization after meeting a minimum period of H-1B status in the U.S.
  • Support employment-based immigrant visa applications for outstanding professors and researchers
  • Treat E-3 visa holders from Australia and H-1B1 visa holders from Chile and Singapore the same as related work visa holders allowing them to continue working for up to 240 days while petitions for extension of status are pending
  • Start an Entrepreneurs in Residence program to enhance current immigration laws’ that attract foreign entrepreneurial talent
  • A 17-month extension of optional practical training for F-1 international students with a prior degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics