There are a number of different business investment visas available for foreign workers who wish to come to the U.S. in order to set up a new business venture. The most popular are the E-2 visa and the L-1 visa.
While both types of visa can be used to bring employees to the United States, there are very specific rules surrounding the E visas. For example:
- There must be an existing treaty between the United States and the foreign employee’s country
- The company must be owned or controlled by nationals of the foreign treaty-abiding country
- Each employee who seeks E visa status must be a citizen of the treaty-abiding country
The E-2 visa can be limiting, as there are many countries that do not currently have treaties with the United States. The L-1 visa is a good alternative for companies in non-treaty countries who need to bring workers to the U.S., since it has fewer restrictions than the E visa, including:
- L-1 workers do not need to hold a degree
- L-1 companies do not have to attempt to fill the position with an American worker
- L-1 visas, unlike E-2 visas, can lead to a green card
