Stearns Weaver Miller’s Immigration group has nearly three decades of experience representing employers and investors in a wide-range of industries who seek assistance employing foreign nationals and structuring their business entities to facilitate the transfer of foreign personnel. The team has helped secure hundreds of visas to allow employers of all sizes to hire and retain foreign-born workers. We also regularly counsel clients regarding the rules and documents required to prove work authorization at the time of hire.
We represent large international companies in connection with the temporary employment of professionals and intra-company transfers, the entry of business visitors, and the permanent employment of foreign workers. We have extensive experience obtaining H-1B, L-1, and TN status for our clients’ foreign workers and then navigating our clients through the permanent residence process, including labor certification. We have assisted musicians, dancers, scientists, and business professional in obtaining O-1 visas as aliens of extraordinary ability and achieving permanent residence on such grounds and have helped professional athletes obtain P-1 visas. We have also assisted entrepreneurs in obtaining E-2 visas so that they can establish businesses in the United States. In addition, we provide guidance to employers regarding the I-9 employment verification process and immigration-related unfair employment practices.
In the event of a merger or acquisition, we also advise on the impact of the merger/acquisition on employees working on a visa and provide proactive steps that the acquirer or surviving entity may take to continue to employ the foreign workers in certain circumstances.
- Blanket L Petitions
- Family-based Permanent Residence
- I-9 Guidance: Audits, Inspections and Compliance Training
We advise clients regarding compliance with U.S. laws prohibiting the employment of individuals who are not authorized to work in the U.S. The process requires employers to complete a Form I-9 upon hiring any worker and examining documentation to verify the employee's identity and authorization to work. We help clients comply with the process and also represent clients who are audited or investigated by a government agency. - Naturalization
- Non-immigrant Visas
We have extensiveexperienceassiting clients obtain several non-immigrant visas including:- H-1B (temporary specialty occupation)
- H-2B (temporary nonagricultural workers)
- L-1 (intracompany visa)
- TN (work authorization status under NAFTA/USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens)
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
- P-1A (professional athletes)
- P-1B (members of internationally recognized performing arts groups)
- E-2 (treaty investors and qualifying employees)
- E-3 (Australian specialty occupation)
- Permanent Residence (Greencard) – Aliens of Extraordinary Ability, Multinational Executives and Managers & Labor Certification (PERM)
We guide clients through the permanent residence process, which often requires advertising the position and demonstrating that the employer could not find a qualified U.S. worker for the job. Most of our practice is business related, but we will help individuals seeking permanent residence based upon relationship to a U.S. citizen. - E-Verify Program Guidance
Publications:
Some Recent Developments in Employment Authorization: TPS Extension for Venezuela and Five-Year EADs
BeLabor the Point Blog|October 2023|Glenn M. Rissman
Publications:
Florida’s New E-Verify Law: Hidden Surprise for Private Employers
BeLabor the Point Blog|January 2021|Glenn M. Rissman
Publications:
DHS Extends Temporary Protected Status and Work Authorization
BeLabor the Point Blog|December 2020|Glenn M. Rissman
Events:
20 Days of March Immigration Madness - Preparing for the H-1B Visa New Registration Process
February 2020|Glenn M. Rissman
Publications:
USCIS Releases New Form I-9
BeLabor the Point Blog|January 2020|Glenn M. Rissman
Publications:
DHS Extends Temporary Protected Status and Work Authorization
BeLabor the Point Blog|November 2019|Glenn M. Rissman
Publications:
E-Verify a Victim of Partial Government Shutdown
BeLabor the Point Blog|January 2019|Glenn M. Rissman
Publications:
Continuing Work Authorization for Hondurans in Wake of TPS Termination
BeLabor The Point Blog|June 2018|Glenn M. Rissman