If you are a foreign national who wants entry to the US, you must first acquire a visa before traveling. A work visa is a document proving that you have an approved application to enter and work in the US.
You can get any of these two: immigrant visa, this is for permanent residence or a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay that will only last for a certain and amount of time. Both these visas will require your potential employer to submit a petition to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Only an accepted petition will be able to push through with the application. Here are just some of the more popular kinds of nonimmigrant (temporary) work visa you may obtain.
H-1B (Skilled Workers)
This type of visa is for specialized occupations that need skilled professionals with at least a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is also the most popular nonimmigrant-working visa. To be able to obtain one, an employer must sponsor you by filing an I-129 Petition with USCIS.
Because of its popularity, this type of visa is in high-demand but also has a cap of 65,000 visas issues per year.
H-2A and H-2B (Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Worker)
H-2A visas are available to foreign agricultural workers on a seasonal basis. H-2B visas, on the other hand, are for workers in the non-agricultural field, which include jobs at hotels, ski mountains, amusement parks, and beach resorts.
Both visas apply to foreign workers if there is a lack of domestic laborers for the said positions. Currently, there is a cap only 66,000 visas each year for the H-2B visa.
To apply for a work visa here in Provo, you must already have a prospective employer who is willing to sponsor you and fill out the necessary forms needed. You should have an approved petition by the USCIS.
Furthermore, the visa application steps may vary depending on which US Embassy or consulate you file your application, so you should check the website of the embassy or consulate where you wish to apply.