The E-2 Investor Visa offers an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs from treaty countries to build and expand businesses in the U.S. However, did you know that E-2 visa holders can also bring essential employees to the U.S. to support their business operations? Here’s everything you need to know about the E-2 Essential Employee Visa and how to qualify.
Who Qualifies for an E-2 Essential Employee Visa?
To bring an employee under your E-2 Investor Visa, the employee must meet the following criteria:
- Same Treaty Country: The essential employee must be a national of the same treaty country as the investor.
- Essential Skills: The employee must possess specialized skills that are critical to the operation of the business. For instance, if you’re running a mechanical workshop, you might bring a skilled mechanic from your home country who has unique expertise in your industry.
Determining Essential Skills
To qualify as an essential employee, you need to demonstrate that the employee has specialized knowledge or skills crucial to your business that can’t be easily found in the U.S. Here’s how you can show that:
- Prior Experience: The employee has worked in a similar business or role in your home country, ideally with experience in the specific niche or operations of your company.
- Specialized Expertise: The employee’s skillset should be unique, making it challenging to replace them with a U.S. worker.
How to Prove Essential Skills
When applying for the E-2 Essential Employee Visa, you’ll need to create a business plan that outlines the importance of the employee to your business. This plan should include:
- Reason for Hiring: Explain why the employee’s skills are necessary for the success of the business in the U.S.
- Duration of Stay: Specify how long the employee will be needed based on the company’s growth and operational needs.
Timing and Process
You can only apply for the E-2 Essential Employee Visa after you have obtained your own E-2 Investor Visa. The E-2 visa allows you to bring an unlimited number of essential employees, depending on the size and nature of your business.
Key Benefits of the E-2 Essential Employee Visa
- Flexibility: There is no cap on the number of essential employees you can bring, making it easier to scale your business operations.
- Family Business Opportunity: If you have children over the age of 21 who have worked in your business abroad, they may also qualify as essential employees.
Conclusion
The ability to bring essential employees to the U.S. under the E-2 Visa is an incredible opportunity to help build and grow your business. If your employee brings specialized skills critical to your company’s success, you can strengthen your team and expand operations more efficiently.
NPZ Law Group is here to help guide you through the E-2 Visa process and determine eligibility for your essential employees. Contact us today for expert advice on the E-2 visa for investors and essential employees.