Hiring International Employees

Departments wishing to hire a candidate that will need visa sponsorship from Drexel play an instrumental role in ensuring that there is sufficient time to complete all required processes and receive approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and, when applicable, the U.S. Department of State, for the candidate to be able to start working on anticipated employment start date.

Early collaboration with Human Resources and ISSS is crucial. As soon as the finalist for the position is identified, provided that the candidate indicated in their job description that they will need a visa sponsorship from Drexel, the department should submit the following two forms:

1. Position Review: This form must be completed by the hiring department.
2. Immigration Screening Questionnaire: This form is to be completed by the employee or a new hire, but it must be submitted to ISSS by the department at the same time along with the position review form.

All questions must be answered and all required documents must be attached. Incomplete forms cannot be accepted.  Submitting incomplete information will delay the process.

This information will help ISSS in determining whether the position and candidate are eligible for Drexel’s visa sponsorship. Following an initial review which typically takes five business days, ISSS will reach out to the department with a recommendation about the best path forward. ISSS’s recommendation is based on what immigration regulations allow and, if there is more than one possible immigration path, in the best interest of the department and Drexel. 

The initial review is only to ensure that the position AND the candidate are eligible for Drexel’s visa sponsorship. The formal immigration sponsorship process that starts after the candidate is cleared by HR includes several steps, including:

• Sponsoring department completing visa sponsorship forms
• ISSS reviewing departmental requests and, depending on the visa type, either processing immigration documents for incoming employees or forwarding requests to an external counsel for further processing.

Timeline:

To ensure sufficient time for processing, departments must submit their request six months before the anticipated employment start date. While ISSS will accept requests submitted less than six months before the anticipated employment start date, we cannot guarantee that the process will be completed and that the employee will have work authorization to start working on your preferred start date. The actual processing time is dependent upon the visa type, but also an individual employee’s immigration background. Both can have a significant impact on the processing time.  

H-1B Specialty Workers

An H-1B Specialty Workers classification applies to an alien who is coming temporarily to the United States to perform services in a specialty occupation that meets the requirements of that position and who will be paid the appropriate wage of that position.

J-1 Visiting Scholars

A J-1 Visiting Scholars visa is for visiting professors, research scholars and short-term scholars. These visas are sponsored by the University and common uses include participants who will collaborate on special research projects, teach a semester at a college or university, lecture, or consult or observe in a variety of settings in education and research.

O1 Extraordinary Ability

The O1 Extraordinary Ability visa category is reserved for individuals who have risen to the very top of their fields and can provide documentation that substantiates their extraordinary ability. This visa grants the bearer permission to work in the United States.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a work authorization benefit of the F-1 visa that allows F-1 students to work in their major field of study. It is limited to one year after degree completion. An extension is available for majors within STEM fields.

Permanent Residency

Permanent Residency, also called a "green card," is appropriate for tenure-track faculty and certain research positions who already have another legal status (visa, etc.) in the U.S.

Temporary Visitors: B-1/B-2 and WB/WT

B-1, WB, and GB visas or waiver programs are used for cases such as traveling for an educational convention, a conference, or negotiating a contract. These visas are not sponsored by the university. However, a letter of invitation from the hosting Drexel department should be provided. 

TN Professionals

The TN visa is an employment visa for Canadian and Mexican citizens in certain fields.