The College of Engineering sponsors a variety of immigrant and non-immigrant intent immigration statuses for faculty and occasionally staff positions, including but not limited to:
- J-1
- H-1B
- Permanent Residency
- Eb-2
- Eb-1B
These statuses are processed through International Faculty and Staff Services (IFSS). UW-Madison may employee those on OPT but are unable to employee anyone on the 2-year STEM Extension OPT. For those under student categories such as F-1, the student must contact their home institution’s ISS office for support.
J-1
New J-1s should be initiated with the Dean’s Office at least 4 months prior to the employment start date. To initiate a J-1, the department should send the following documents to the CoE International Employment HR Specialist:
- J-1 New Sponsorship Request
- Appointment Letter
- Candidate’s CV
- $0 Honorary Appointments Only: Honorary Scholar Supervision Form
- Student Intern Category Only: Complete section 5 of the DS-7002
- Student Intern Category Only: Home institution attestation letter
Once the information is received, the International Employment HR Specialist will conduct a cursory review and then initiate the process with IFSS. The scholar will be contacted by the International Employment HR Specialist to determine how the scholar will meet the health insurance, financial support, and English proficiency requirements of the J-1 program.
H-1B
New H-1Bs should be initiated with the Dean’s Office at least 6 months prior to the employment start date. To initiate an H-1B, the department should send the following documents to the CoE International Employment HR Specialist:
- H1-B New Sponsorship Request
- Appointment Letter
- Candidate’s CV
- Export Control Form
- Request filing fee checks from the business office:
- Required: $460 filing fee
- Required: $500 fraud protection fee
- Optional $2,805 premium processing
Once all the information is received the CoE International Employment HR Specialist will conduct a cursory review and initiate an IFSS request through Terra Dotta. The employee will receive automated emails from Terra Dotta to complete their profile and upload the needed documentation. The International Employment HR Specialist will serve as the employees support contact but may be contacted directly by IFSS when appropriate. When preparation is completed, IFSS will submit the petition to USCIS for adjudication.
The department and employee will receive regular updates throughout the petition process.
Permanent Residency
EB-2
The EB-2 Special Handling Labor Certification is automatically initiated and only available to permanent full-time faculty positions. The Deans office will inform IFSS at the time the offer is extended to any candidate who is eligible for the Eb-2. The petition MUST be filed within 18 months of the initial offer date. The Deans office and IFSS will reach out to the department to collect necessary information once the department initiates the individual’s H-1B.
Eb-1b
The college rarely utilizes the Eb-1B category. The adjudication of this petition is highly subjective which leads to increased denial rates. Those attempting this petition must be internationally renowned in their field and considered the absolute elite. The Department Chair and Dean must both provide written approval for those seeking this category. Please reach out to the International Employment HR Specialist for consultation.