Most of the time, when a company wants to hire a worker from another country for a job, they will secure a visa that will temporarily permit someone to work in that job in the United States. If that newly hired international worker turns out to have the right skills for the job and the right personality for the company’s culture, the business may decide that hiring them permanently is in its best interests.
Accepting a permanent job offer in the U.S. can mean that a foreign worker will have to plan to live here permanently. Both parties will need to take steps to finalize a permanent job offer. Specifically, the employer will likely need to secure a labor certification in order to proceed with a permanent hire.
What is a labor certification?
A labor certification is a way for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to validate a company’s claim that international hiring was necessary to fill the position in question. A shortage of workers in the U.S. who meet the criteria or have the educational background necessary for the position can justify outsourcing a domestic position to an international employee permanently.
Typically, the Department of Labor (DOL) will have to provide a labor certification. The DOL can approve or deny a certification. It will advise the USCIS about whether or not there are already sufficient domestic workers with the proper skills to fill this and similar positions. For jobs with more demand than workers, a labor certification can help with international hire.
As a foreign national temporarily living and working in the U.S., a labor certification can be a stepping-stone toward permanent residency here. It’s always a good idea to understand more about the process.