2. International Employees at the University of Oregon
Speakers:
Jennifer Doreen, International Employment Specialist and Kate Comiskey, International Scholar Advisor

3. Temporary Visitors UO cannot sponsor independent visitors
Volunteers, Independent Researchers, Independent Contractors
Visitor is responsible for Immigration status
May be eligible for expense reimbursement
(with tax withholding)

4. Hiring Process Is it OK not to hire an international applicant?
What grounds are protected for international applicants?
Does the UO have to sponsor an international applicant?
How do I know if an applicant is international?
What can I ask international applicants?
What if the applicant tells me his/her immigration status?
What if I have the applicant’s immigration documents?
Who starts the immigration process?
When should the immigration process begin?
If you know you will have international applicants
If you have international applicants in the pool
If you have an accepted offer

5. Immigration Process
“Employment-Based” categories are based on the position
1) Best “short term” immigration category determined
Kate Comiskey
Based on position and employee’s immigration eligibility
2) Submit documents from application checklist
Department & Employee
3) Immigration petition prepared & filed
4) Immigration issues eligibility document
IF employee is outside of the US: Employee applies for a visa to enter the US
5) UO uses immigration document to complete an I-9
“Kate prepares immigration application to file”: I’m thinking of this VERY BROADLY. Thinking of the DS-2019 submission as TECHNICALLY an application filing

6. Immigration Process What can affect the timeline?
Less prototypical for the immigration category
USCIS processing times
Immigration Category
Changes to USCIS protocols & processes
Employee’s immigration history
Employee’s current location, immigration status, & employer
“Kate prepares immigration application to file”: I’m thinking of this VERY BROADLY. Thinking of the DS-2019 submission as TECHNICALLY an application filing

7. “Short-Term” Immigration Categories
J-1
Exchange & collaboration
UO Positions: Courtesy faculty, Pro-Tempore faculty, or Post- Docs
Max. Length: Up to 5 years
Benefits:
UO Filing Fees: 0
Fastest of the sponsored categories
Flexibility
Draw-Backs
2-Year Home Residency Requirement

8. “Short-Term” Immigration Categories
H-1B
Specialty Occupation
UO Positions:
MQs must be at least a specialized Bachelor’s
All Tenure-Track positions
Max. Length: Up to 6 years
Benefits:
Allows for filing of a (concurrent) permanent residency application
Draw-Backs
Wage requirements
Position specific
Processing times
Filing fees: $960 - $2,185

9. Permanent Immigration Categories
Permanent Residency, “Green Card”
Permanent US work & travel authorization
Parallel process concurrent to “Short Term” employment authorization (J-1, H-1B, etc.)
Many paths to permanent residency
UO predominantly uses the Labor Certification path
Family-Based, Refugee, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, Outstanding Professor/Researcher, Extraordinary Ability, National-Interest Waiver

10. Permanent Immigration Categories
Labor Certification
Certifying that hiring the employee will not detrimentally impact the US workforce
1) Wage Determination
2) Labor Market Test
Actual UO search; or
Recruitment-like labor market test
3) Labor Certification Application
4) Employer Application
5) Waiting List
Country of Citizenship
Type of Position
6) Permanent Residency Application
Employee’s Application
Family-Based, Refugee, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, Outstanding Professor/Researcher, Extraordinary Ability, National-Interest Waiver

11. Responding to Immigration Officers
Contact General Counsel Public Access File

12. Updates
Freeze on expedited H-1B processing

13. Resources
Immigration Updates List: