Once the decision has been made to extend an offer of employment (or continued employment) to a foreign national, it is imperative that the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) be notified as early as possible in order to obtain the appropriate work authorization on behalf of the foreign national.
ISSS will work closely with the department contact to obtain the appropriate work authorization on behalf of the foreign national. Please note, however, that U.S. immigration laws are quite complex and subject to change. Regardless of an individual's qualifications, it is not always possible to obtain work authorization, depending upon the foreign national's immigration history and individual circumstances.
Depending upon the visa status requested, the time required to obtain appropriate work authorization may vary significantly, from a few weeks to several months, and even longer in the case of petitions for employment-based permanent resident status.
To initiate the visa application/work authorization process, the department should complete and submit the application materials listed below:
If you require assistance in completing either of these forms, please contact us.
The department is required to pay the filing fees for H-1B petitions. The required filing fees for new H-1B employee and for nonimmigrants who already hold H-1B status and are currently employed at UM St. Louis are available at the USCIS website under "Checking Filing Fees". For more information on this policy, please contact ISSS.
There is also a required filing fee for accompanying nonimmigrant dependents (whether 1 dependent or several dependents). It is left to the department's discretion whether they will pay this fee on behalf of the employee's family. PLEASE NOTE: If the employee's family is abroad when the nonimmigrant petition is filed, no dependent filing fee is required.
If you have any questions regarding the H-1B application process, please contact us at global@umsl.edu.
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