Sponsoring foreign workers can be an expensive, complicated, time-consuming and, at times, a frustrating endeavor. In many instances, employers must deal with three or more separate yet equally overburdened state and federal agencies in their attempts to fill crucial positions. Factoring in business deadlines and processing delays, timing issues often become critical. Failing to spot what may appear to be a minor technical issue until the final stage of the process may result in a waste of precious time and money.
With meticulous detail, we represent employers and employees from initial filing through consular processing abroad and also assist employers and foreign workers in obtaining extensions of existing work authorization and revalidation of expiring visas. Our immigration clients range from large institutions to small seasonal employers from Maine to Idaho to Louisiana. Working closely with our clients’ HR professionals, our Immigration Practice focuses on representing foreign professionals and their employers in securing employment authorization. In particular, we have assisted many foreign physicians and their employers in securing J-1 waivers, H-1B status, and green cards.
Because of our experience representing management in employment law matters, we are uniquely positioned to anticipate and identify employment issues and offer businesses practical advice on the employment law considerations surrounding sponsorship. In addition to navigating the procedural maze of the Maine and U.S. Departments of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, and Department of State, we regularly advise our clients concerning ongoing compliance with complex immigration laws that affect their businesses. Our proximity to Canada makes it easy for us to represent Canadian professionals and businesses seeking to do business in the United States and we often accompany them at the border.
In addition to our employment-based Immigration Practice, we also advise clients with regard to family-based immigration issues and prepare and file immigrant petitions and adjustment of status/visa applications on their behalf. Depending on client preference and the complexity of the case, our involvement may extend from the filing of the initial paperwork all the way through the USCIS interview and beyond.
Our practice has the resources that enable our attorneys to serve clients efficiently and effectively. We maintain an extensive in-house immigration law library and immigration software to facilitate forms preparation.
To learn more about our Immigration services or to schedule a meeting with an Eaton Peabody attorney, please contact us.