When you’re looking to hire the top talent, sometimes you need to look further afield than your national candidate pool. Overseas professionals often bring unique expertise or experience, diverse and fresh ways of working, and—if they come from a country more advanced in your field than your own—a competitive advantage. It’s not the most straightforward process to hire internationally; for someone to legally work in America, you’ll have to sponsor them and provide them with a working visa. From the H1-B to the L-1, here are three of the most common types of employment visas corporations are using today.

3 Visas Used for Hiring Overseas

1. L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visa

If you wish to transfer an employee who already works for your company but in another country, you can do so by putting them on an L-1 visa. The employee must have been in a leadership position for at least one out of the last three years and will need to demonstrate that they bring with them skills and expertise missing in the current employee set. The advantage of this visa is that family members can come over on the same application via L-2 visas.

2. H1-B for Specialty Workers

If you’re recruiting for a specialty position—one that requires a bachelor’s degree to work in that field and that demonstrates a specific skill set—you’ll need to look at an H1-B visa. Once awarded, it allows the visa holder to stay in the country for up to six years, followed by a possible extension.

As the employer, you’ll need to receive a Labor Condition Application (LCA), covering four attestations: wages, working conditions, confirmation that no work stoppage action is taking place, and confirmation that you’ve notified all current employees of the hire.

3. E-1 Investor Visa

If you require an international investor to be in the country for business, they can file for an E-1 visa. The candidate must be from a country that has a treaty trade agreement with the United States. They’re allowed to be in the country solely for international trade negotiations, and as such, there isn’t a timeline for how long they can be here if they can prove that negotiations are still taking place.

If you’re hiring and need more information on a visa, LOIGICA® in Miami, FL, can provide you with all the legal support you need. These highly experienced practitioners in immigration law have a bilingual, multicultural team based across their three offices in Miami, Bogota, and Barcelona. Being immigrants themselves, they’re well-versed in the intricacies of international relocation and can draw on their unique experiences to make the H1-B, L-1, or E-1 process painless and straightforward for you. Go online or call them today on (786) 292-9704 for a free consultation or drop by their offices to speak to someone in person.