What are the E3 Visa Requirements?

Knowing about the E3 visa requirements is important for Australians who want to work in the United States. This visa category is only available for Australians and is similar to the H1-B visa. It is valid for two years, but you can renew it indefinitely.

E3 Visa Requirements

If you want to apply for an E3 visa, you should take note of the following requirements.

US-based Employer

One of the requirements for an E3 visa is that the employer sponsoring you has to be in the US. This does not mean that the business has to be one that originated in the US. Rather, it could be one that just has a business presence in the United States.

Specialty Occupation

The E3 visa is only available for people in a specialty occupation. These are professional job roles that require the practical or theoretical application of a body of knowledge in a specialty field.

Equivalent of a US Bachelor’s Degree

You also need to have the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree. The degree has to be one related to the specialty job role you are applying for. If you do not have a bachelor’s degree, showing that you have relevant work experience in that job role will be adequate.

Be paid a Prevailing Wage

Your employer has to prove that it pays the prevailing wage for that job role. It can either be equal to the wage of current employees or measured with stats from the Department of Labor.

In order to prove this, your employer will need to file and fill a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor. The LCA will also have to be posted at the workplace.

Work Limitation

This means that the only work you are allowed to do while you are in the US is the one you got your E3 visa on. Any other work like freelancing or self-employment is not allowed.

E3 Visa Application Process

The first step in getting an E3 visa is for your employer to fill the LCA and get it approved. This is usually a process that takes ten days.

After this, you can make an application at a US embassy or consulate by filing an I-129. You can decide to make the application from Australia or any other US consulate.

If you are within the US on another visa or want to extend your current E3 visa, you can file an I-129 with immigration. You should note that you also need to reapply for an LCA.

However, you should note that there is no premium processing service for an E3 visa. So, the process could take longer. It might even be better for you to go outside the US and make an application from a foreign US consulate.

The application process for an E3 visa is one that has its own fair share of complexities. Trying to navigate them yourself might be disastrous.