In an effort to improve the efficiency of the employment-based visa process, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has unveiled a “known employer” pilot program to test a preapproval process for companies seeking to bring foreign workers into the U.S.
Under the pilot, nine companies will be preselected to file applications with USCIS requesting a predetermination that they meet certain requirements for the immigrant and nonimmigrant visa classifications.
The companies will create an online profile in the Known Employer Document Library, where they will upload documents fulfilling the requested information. The documents will then be reviewed by USCIS to determine whether the applicant meets the visa prequalification.
If approved, the employer may file petitions or applications for individual employees without needing to resubmit company information with each petition or application.
The pilot is aimed at creating a more efficient process that will reduce delays for employers seeking to hire foreign workers by driving down the amount of paperwork that must be filed with USCIS.
Once the year long pilot is finished, DHS plans to tweak the program and create a timetable for implementing a permanent version.
If you are interested in applying for an employment based visa, please contact our office to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys today!
