 For a business looking to fill a specialized position in your company, you may have to look internationally for the right candidate. If you find the best employee for the job outside the United States, they must have the right immigration status to legally work for you.
Fortunately, you’ve got options. For decades, the H-1B visa has been popular with employers and employees alike because of its accessibility, broad requirements, and long duration. The H-1B visa allows a U.S. company to sponsor a highly educated nonimmigrant worker for an initial period of up to 3 years. The H-1B visa offers advantages for both employers and employees. As an employer, you get access to a much wider pool of candidates – literally the best in the world. Meanwhile, the H-1B visa allows an employee’s family to come with them. Plus, they can pursue dual intent for legal permanent residency while they work for you. Of course, the H-1B visa comes with drawbacks, too. For one, approvals are granted by random lottery and there’s a yearly limit – with few exceptions. Whether you choose to pursue an H-1B visa compared to others like the E-2, J-1, O-1, or TN classification depends on what’s best for your business. A local business immigration lawyer can evaluate your situation to come up with a solution catered to your needs. Your lawyer can then help you execute the visa sponsorship and approval process. At Holmes Business Law, we handle business immigration needs for Philadelphia area companies who’re looking to hire international talent. Call us now at 215-482-0285 to talk to a qualified Philadelphia business immigration lawyer about your best options moving forward. Pros and Cons of H-1B Visas for Employers What Are the Benefits of Hiring H-1B Workers? One of the greatest benefits of the H-1B visa is how broadly it applies to workers. Other comparable visa classifications require the employee to invest thousands of dollars, have managerial experience, or hold a master's degree or higher to qualify. On the other hand, the H-1B visa only requires that the candidate:
The bachelor’s degree requirement allows you as the employer to hire a broader field of candidates who might not necessarily have more specialized degrees. H-1B visas are often used by companies in the fields of medicine, technology, engineering, business, and law. As the employer who’s creating the job position, you control the job description. In order for an H-1B employee to qualify for the position, you must write the job requirements in a way that meets both the bachelor’s degree and “specialized knowledge” conditions for H-1B visas. In addition to its broad application, the H-1B visa offers an initial term of up to 3 years, which is generous compared to some other options. For example, the B-1 visa only grants 6 months and the J-1 as little as 1 year. That might work for short-term projects but not for longer employment contracts where you want your employee to grow with the company. At the end of your employee’s first visa period, they can renew their H-1B for another 3 years, allowing for a total of 6 years. This extension may be used just once, with limited exceptions. After that, your employee will have to seek another type of visa. Some other visas may be extended indefinitely – your business immigration lawyer can help you decide which option is the best way forward for your company and the employee’s future. Limitations & Disadvantages of H-1B Visas The biggest drawback of the H-1B visa is its lottery system. H-1B visa candidates are picked at random, with a cap on the number of visas approved every year. Because the H-1B visa is so accessible and popular, the number of petitions far exceeds the cap every year. In 2021, the H-1B visa limit is a total of 85,000. As an employer, you can avoid this limit only if you fall into a cap-exempt category. This usually covers government research organizations, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations. As a result, despite all your best efforts – your chosen candidate may be denied their H-1B visa based purely on luck. If your petitioner isn’t selected, they’ll have to wait until the following year to reapply. There's no telling how long approval may take. Because of the lottery process, H-1B visa applications also have strict deadlines. You must wait until April 1st to file your petition and you cannot begin work until after October 1st that year. H-1B Visa Requirements, Sponsorship, and Approval ProcessWhen you hire an H-1B visa employee, you're not just investing in that worker’s future with your company. You’re also responsible for paying all the fees in the immigration petition process. That includes a $460 filing fee plus any additional program fees that can total anywhere between $500 to $4,000 based on the nature of your company. The H-1B visa process proceeds in the following order:
Immigration issues can be complex, but a business immigration lawyer can help you get the best talent for your team without the hassle. Whenever you apply to sponsor an H-1B visa, you put in a large investment towards hiring that worker. You want to give yourself the best chance at approval from the beginning so that you don’t waste your time and resources. That means providing accurate and comprehensive information in your application and petition documents. Call the Philadelphia offices of Holmes Business Law now at 215-482-0285 to get started on your H-1B petition the right way.
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Another common question we get, "How Do I Hire Employees?"
First, if you are a business expanding and hiring employees, congratulations! It's a huge step toward growth to hire your first employees. Secondly, many people are very confused by the legal and tax issue surrounding a new hire. There are a variety of issues to consider, from payroll, to I-9 forms, non compete, wage and hour laws and basic HR considerations. Each state has its own set of employment regulations, including wage and hour laws, overtime, sick time and discrimination laws. Plus, there are employment laws at the federal level you have to be aware of as well. Check out this video to learn some basics about hiring employees. If you need help getting the legal blocks in place to hire employees, give our Philadelphia or main line lawyers a call at: 215 482 0285  Covid-19 has affected business owners across the United States.
Many are unsure of how to cope, how to communicate with staff and how to keep everyone safe and healthy. Being able to weather the current crisis requires some important skills and shifts in how one does business. Grab a copy of our free ebook, How to Keep Your Business Healthy During a Crisis. We hope this will help business owners emerge from the current crisis stronger than ever.  You've poured time, money, sweat, and love into building your company. Now, you’re ready to sell your business and reap the benefits of all your hard work.
The right business purchase transaction can sell your business at a profit while the wrong approach can leave you worse off than you’d hoped. Although your business is a professional venture, building something from the ground up makes for a personal and emotional undertaking. Most business owners feel some pride of ownership over what they’ve accomplished – and rightfully so, as building a successful business is anything but easy. You must do your due diligence before you sign away your business rights to someone else. The last thing you want is to have your hard work stripped from you without proper credit or compensation. You want to make sure all the important issues have been considered and addressed before the ink dries on your business purchase agreement. The best way to protect your interests in a Philadelphia-area business sale is to hire a local business lawyer to help with the process. Your attorney can help:
Preparing to Sell Your Business The process of selling your business can be time-intensive, emotional, and filled with ups and downs. A business lawyer can help make the process go smoother from the beginning. Starting on the right foot can position you for the best success. First, you should establish why you're selling your business. Any potential buyer will want to know and the answer will set the tone for your negotiations.
You can show documentation to prove:
It's never too early to start planning to sell your business if that's your ultimate goal. The sooner you get started, the better you can develop your business strategy, record-keeping practices, customer engagement, and management operations to that end. Valuing Your Business for Sale Business negotiations start and end with price. How much do you sell your business for? A prospective buyer will approach you with a Letter of Intent (LOI) that includes their offered price. How you respond depends on how you value your business. When it comes to appraising the value of your company, accuracy is key. Pricing too low can cheat you out of the profits you deserve while pricing too high can derail the deal. Valuation involves looking at both the intrinsic aspects of your business and any relevant extrinsic factors out in the world. When valuing your company, you must consider:
Your lawyer will help assess your situation and make the best decision that matches your goals. While a business broker can help find a buyer for your business, your legal team makes sure your interests are represented in your business purchase agreement. That means drafting the terms of your agreement according to the outcome of your negotiations. Other Considerations for Selling Your Business Selling your hard-built business to someone else can be a challenge, not to mention an emotional experience. If you're closing your business and selling your assets, you may not care who buys them as long as the deal is quick and profitable. But if you care about the company continuing your vision, you may want to sell only to someone you trust. This is especially true if you expect to enter into a partnership or shareholder agreement under the terms of the sale. You may have a buyer in mind already – maybe even an employee who’s ready to take over for you. When it comes to buyers outside your company or industry, you should investigate their background as much as they evaluate your business.
Ready to get started? Call Holmes Business Law today at 215-482-0285 to talk to a Philadelphia lawyer about your options for selling your business. |
AuthorSarah E. Holmes is a Philadelphia business attorney and strategist that helps start ups and established businesses looking to expand, protect their assets and increase their profits in an approachable, down-to-earth way. When you're looking for a business lawyer in Philadelphia, the Main Line or New Jersey, we can help. Categories
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