Employment Visa Attorneys

Learn More abOut Employment Visas

Comprehensive Visa Assistance applicant must secure an applicable offer of employment from a U.S.-based employer to obtain one of these visas. Employment visas can be granted to people living outside the U.S. and those currently in the country hoping to adjust their legal immigration status.


If you want to find work or advance your career in the United States, our Annandale employment visa lawyers can help you explore your options. Our team at Johnson & Masumi has served thousands of clients and is extensively familiar with a wide spectrum of employment visas. We are not afraid of complex cases and will work to identify solutions to help you achieve your immigration goals.

Employment-Based Green Cards

U.S.-based employers can sponsor prospective foreign workers for green cards, which confer lawful permanent residency if they fill permanent positions and obtain labor certifications. Five tiers of employment visas are issued each year, and each tier has criteria applicants must meet to qualify.


  • EB-1 visas have three sub-tiers and typically apply to people recognized as industry leaders, accomplished experts, or highly skilled professors.
  • EB-2 visas are designed for people with advanced degrees and specialized skills.
  • EB-3 visas are largely intended for professionals with bachelor’s degrees
  • EB-4 visas are issued to certain religious workers and immigrants in miscellaneous Special Immigrant categories.
  • EB-5 visas can be obtained by investors who measurably improve the U.S. economy through job creation. 


Some of these visas, such as the EB-2 visa, require sponsorship from a U.S.-based employer, while others do not. Our Annandale employment visa attorneys can determine which of these immigrant visas is right for you.

E-2 Visas

A visa enables foreign diplomats, officials, government employees, staff, and families to travel to and conduct official business in the United States. Work facilitated by A visas must be performed on behalf of the recipient’s home country. 

EB-2 visas are designed for people with advanced degrees and specialized skills. Holders must demonstrate at least a master's degree or equivalent, or exceptional ability in their field through recognized expertise. This category often requires a job offer and labor certification, though waivers are possible for those with national interest benefits.

EB-3 visas are largely intended for professionals with bachelor’s degrees. They also cover skilled workers with at least two years of training or experience, as well as other workers for unskilled labor positions. Like other employment-based visas, EB-3 typically involves a permanent job offer and labor certification to ensure no adverse impact on U.S. workers.

EB-4 visas are issued to certain religious workers and immigrants in miscellaneous Special Immigrant categories. Eligible individuals include ministers, religious vocations, and special immigrants like broadcasters, Iraqi/Afghan translators, and certain international organization employees. This visa prioritizes unique humanitarian or public interest cases, with a cap on annual issuances that can lead to backlogs.

E-2 visas allow treaty investors to temporarily live and work in the United States to support a business they have invested in. To qualify, an applicant’s home country must maintain a trade treaty with the United States, and they must make a qualifying investment in a U.S.-based enterprise with the intent to manage or direct it. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can accompany E-2 visa recipients, with spouses generally qualifying for work authorizations. Unlike the EB-5 visa, the E-2 visa does not confer lawful permanent residency but allows indefinite renewals if qualifications are met. This makes it ideal for those seeking semi-permanent U.S. residency without pursuing citizenship.

A Visas

A visa enables foreign diplomats, officials, government employees, staff, and families to travel to and conduct official business in the United States. Work facilitated by A visas must be performed on behalf of the recipient’s home country. An A visa can generally only be obtained through the cooperation of the United States and the applicant’s home country. These visas last for up to three years and can sometimes be renewed.

A visa enables foreign diplomats, officials, government employees, staff, and families to travel to and conduct official business in the United States. Work facilitated by A visas must be performed on behalf of the recipient’s home country. 

The A-2 visa applies to all other foreign government employees who intend to conduct business on behalf of their home country in the United States. This typically includes people employed at embassies, consulates, or military bases. The A-3 visa covers personal employees of A-1 and A-2 visa recipients. 

TN Visas

TN visas can be issued to individuals living in Mexico or Canada and planning to move to the U.S. to perform specific services. Eligible applicants must work in professions or possess special skills that meet the professional requirements of Schedule 2 of NAFTA. These visas are valid for three years but can be extended for additional three-year increments. TN visas may also be used to extend H-1 and L visas.

h Visas

Four types of H visas are potentially available to foreign nationals. All employment visa requests must be filed with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and each visa type has its application and distinct eligibility requirements.

Four types of H visas are potentially available to foreign nationals. All employment visa requests must be filed with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and each visa type has its application and distinct eligibility requirements.

H-2A visas apply to workers who take seasonal, temporary jobs in agriculture. These visas are specifically intended for agricultural workers to address labor shortages in the U.S. farming industry. Employers must demonstrate that there are insufficient U.S. workers available and that hiring foreign workers will not adversely affect local labor conditions.

H-2B visas apply to workers who take seasonal, temporary jobs in non-agricultural industries. These positions can include roles in hospitality, landscaping, or construction, among others. Like H-2A, employers must prove a lack of available U.S. workers and ensure no negative impact on local labor markets.

People pursuing special training in the U.S. – excluding graduate medical education or training – can apply for the H-3 visa. This type of visa must be used to facilitate education or training unavailable in the applicant’s home country. The training program must have a structured curriculum and a clear timeline, typically not exceeding two years.

The H-4 visa can be used by spouses and unmarried children under 21 of other H visa recipients, particularly those who obtain H-1B visas. H-4 visa recipients face certain work restrictions while present in the United States. Still, they can convert their status to other types of visas – including those that allow employment authorizations – if they qualify for those benefits later in their stay.

l Visas

L visas allow recipients to live and work in the United States for an extended period, making them highly desirable amongst eligible professionals. Three types of L visas are available. 

L-1A visas allow parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, or branches of companies based in the United States to transfer executives or managers from an overseas office to a U.S. location. This visa can also be used to transfer executives to establish an office in the U.S. if one does not already exist. The business must be functional during the visa recipient’s stay in the country, and applicants must submit evidence that sufficient office space has been secured.  




Employees traveling under an L-1A visa must have worked for their sponsoring employer for at least one of the preceding three years. The U.S.-based office must be able to support an executive employee within one year of the visa’s approval. Recipients of this visa are generally approved to stay in the U.S. for an initial period of three years, and a limited number of renewals are sometimes available.

L-1B visas are similar to L-1A visas in that they can be used to transfer an employee to a U.S. location or establish an office in the country. While L-1A visas are intended for executives and managers, L-1B visas cover employees with specialized knowledge. The sponsoring employer must prove that a prospective transferee’s specialized knowledge requires them to be in the U.S. for an extended time. They must also prove the company will provide services or produce and sell products.




Like with the L-1A visa, L-1B visa applicants must have worked for their sponsoring employee for at least one of the last three years. L-1B visas are valid for up to five years. 

L-2 visas allow spouses and unmarried children under 21 to accompany L-1 visa recipients to the United States. These visas remain valid for the same duration as the corresponding L-1 visa, and L-2 recipients can study and work in the United States. L-2 visa holders may also be eligible to apply for lawful permanent resident status. 

O Visas

L visas allow recipients to live and work in the United States for an extended period, making them highly desirable amongst eligible professionals. Three types of L visas are available. 

O-1 visas are issued to individuals with extraordinary or outstanding skills in specific fields. The O-1A visa is given to accomplished professionals in the sciences, education, business, or athletics fields, while the O-1B visa covers professionals in the film and television industries. 



Employees traveling under an L-1A visa must have worked for their sponsoring employer for at least one of the preceding three years. The U.S.-based office must be able to support an executive employee within one year of the visa’s approval. Recipients of this visa are generally approved to stay in the U.S. for an initial period of three years, and a limited number of renewals are sometimes available.

O-2 visas allow support teams to accompany O-1 visa recipients to the United States. O-2 visa recipients must either help O-1 visa holders complete their work or offer specialized skills or knowledge that is not available in the U.S. O-3 visas permit spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 of O-1 and O-2 visa holders to accompany their family members to the country.



Like with the L-1A visa, L-1B visa applicants must have worked for their sponsoring employee for at least one of the last three years. L-1B visas are valid for up to five years. 

Speak to an Experienced Employment visa Immigration Attorney

Applying for an employment visa may not be as straightforward as expected. Our Annandale employment visa lawyers are familiar with many hurdles immigrants routinely face when seeking these visas and can advise you throughout the application process. Johnson & Masumi is a full-service immigration law firm, and our team can also help with other types of benefits, including student visas, fiancé visas, naturalization, and more.

Contact us online or call at (703) 506-1400 to request a consultation.