An Employment Visa or Work Visa generally describes a category of nonimmigrant visas that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. Requirements vary by type of Visa, but the process is generally the same for the US Employer and foreign employee appicant. 

H Visas are for temporary workers of several categories. 

• The H1B for Specialized Professionals is available to those who have a minimum of a bachelor‘s degree or equivalent experience in the specialty field for which they are applying.
• H2A is for temporary Agricultural workers from specific countries.
• H2B is for non-agricultural workers from specific countries.
• H3 is for Special Education Visitors obtaining specialized training that is unavailable in their country of origin but does not qualify for a Student Visa.
• H4 is for dependents of other H Visa holders including their spouse and unmarried minor children.

L Visas are for Intra Company Transfers

To be eligible for an L Visa the applicant must have worked for at least One (1) year of the last three (3) years outside the United States for a company that has a branch, affiliate, subsidiary, or parent company in the United States to which you have been transferred.  The employee must be a Manager, Executive, or have some type of unique specialized knowledge, training, or experience that uniquely suits them for the role in the United States.  Not all employees from international countries are eligible.

• L-1A is for the intra-company transfer of employees in a managerial or executive position.
• L-1B is for employees with some type of unique specialized knowledge, training, or experience.

P Visas are for Athletes, Athletic Teams and Entertainment Groups invited to perform in the United States.

• P-1A is for individual athletes or athletic teams of international acclaim who have been invited to participate or compete in America at an event of distinction in their field (and their direct support staff).
• P-1B is for members of entertainment groups (individual entertainers do not qualify) who have been invited to perform in the United States.  There are unique qualifications for some types of groups.  You may need to have achieved international acclaim and your group may need no less than 75% of the members to have been actively involved in the group for at least one (1) year.

Before the foreign employee can apply for any of these Work Visas, the employer must first submit a petition, which will define the conditions of the event or performance, establish proof of the applicants’ international distiction and/or commercial success, including the contract between the two parties and the itinerary for the events and duration of their stay. Certain Visa types will also require the employer to file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the U.S. Department of Labor. After the LCA is approved, the employer can then submit the petition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).