Hiring International Employees in the US

Audience: Department Admins & Hiring Managers

The Tufts International Center provides immigration services to departments and units seeking to hire employees who need US visa sponsorship in order to accept employment at Tufts. Such persons include non-US citizens or US permanent residents who will not have valid US valid employment authorization independently of visa sponsorship through Tufts. Positions open to visa sponsorship include most faculty and research appointments, as well as a limited number of administrative staff positions involving specialized duties. Visa options will vary depending on a variety of factors, including position qualifications, duties, and duration; offered wages; the employee’s current immigration status (if applicable); and the employee’s educational and professional credentials.

Department Hiring Resource Guide and International Center Contact Information

To assist departments with hiring procedures for international employees, the International Center has an online resource guide for departments.

For more information, contact the International Center at internationalcenter@tufts.edu or your contact your unit’s International Center scholar or employee advisor.

Key Issues

The information below summarizes key points in international employee hiring:

• When to Engage the International Center. Hiring units are encouraged to engage with the International Center as soon as a visa sponsorship need is identified in the search and recruitment process. The International Center can also advise departments on general visa sponsorship considerations when the hiring may still be prospective. Once an offer is made, and a visa sponsorship need is identified, the hiring unit should contact the International Center to initiate sponsorship procedures. As a general rule, departments should initiate visa sponsorship requests with the International Center at least 90-120 days prior to the anticipated start of employment; however, individual cases may need up to 150-180 days from start to finish.
• Most common visa options. The most common visa options used for employment include the J-1 Exchange Visitor visa for temporary appointments (including visiting professors, short-term scholars, and postdoctoral research scholars), the H-1B specialty occupation worker visa (for temporary and permanent faculty, researchers, and staff), and the TN Professional visa (for Canadian and Mexican citizens offered employment in specific professional areas). Details about the specific eligibility requirements, benefits, and restrictions for each can be found at International Center page for Departments.
• Sponsorship costs. Hiring units are responsible for International Center processing fees and US government filing fees for sponsored employees. Costs will vary depending on the visa type selected for the employee.

Specialized Visa Services

Labor Condition Applications (LCAs). The International Center maintains the University’s LCA public notices regarding offers of employment to non-US persons under the H-1B or E-3 visa programs.

US Permanent Residence. The International Center coordinates the University’s permanent residence (‘green card’) sponsorship policies, in collaboration with individual schools and administrative divisions. Hiring units that wish to support employees for permanent residence should contact the International Center Director for a review of University policy and procedure, or go to the International Center page for Permanent Residents.