How to Sponsor a Foreign Worker for a Green Card

The United States was built through the hard work of immigrants and almost every person in this country descends from immigrants.

If you are a business owner, you may want to continue this tradition by sponsoring a foreign worker for a green card to come work for you.

However, immigration laws today are not what they used to be. In fact, it can now be prohibitively difficult for many employers to hire foreigners.

Generally, to bring a foreign worker directly into this country with a green card, you'll not only have to show that the foreign worker is qualified for the position, but also that there are no Americans qualified for the job. If there is not a visa immediately available, you may have to wait years for the worker to come over.

The worker must be awfully special for you to jump through all these hurdles.

Let's assume that the foreign worker has all the qualifications you need. In order to bring the worker over on a green card, you'll typically then need to prove to the government that the prospective immigrant will not be stealing a job from an American. This is done through a labor certification where you'll have to prove that you advertised the job and interviewed qualified candidates, if any.

Getting a labor certification can be difficult because it won't matter if the foreign worker is the most qualified worker. You'll have to hire the American so long as the American meets the minimum qualifications.

Bringing a foreign worker directly over on a green card is difficult and can be an expensive process for employers. If you want to sponsor a foreign worker, you may want to contact an immigration attorney to ensure that you meet all the legal requirements.

Related Resources:

• FindLaw's Green Card Section (FindLaw)
• Obama's Startup America Helps U.S. Entrepreneurs (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
• Employers Targeted by Immigration Officials (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)