Hiring H-1B Workers

H-1B temporary worker visa status is used for employment in specialty occupations. A specialty occupation is defined as a position that requires at least a Bachelor’s degree in a specific field and theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in order to perform the job duties. Jobs that require any Bachelor’s degree do not qualify.

The H-1B Visa is employer, job, and location-specific and requires an employer to file applications with the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) and U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to sponsor an employee. This visa allows for an individual to work for up to six years.

The entire H-1 process can take six months or more to complete. Therefore, please allow ample processing time.

You can learn about Georgetown University’s H-1B sponsorship policy and process on this webpage and in our online Canvas course. You can directly enroll in the course by logging into Canvas, clicking “Enroll in Course”, “Go to the Course”, “Modules”, and then “H-1B Temporary Worker Visa Sponsorship”. There you can view short videos on H-1B Visa Sponsorship at Georgetown (10 minutes) and the H-1B Department Request (20 minutes). It is highly recommended that Departments sponsoring employees for H-1B visas watch these videos.

OGS Department Trainings Course in Canvas

University H-1B Sponsorship Policy

Georgetown University sponsors certain faculty, researchers, and specialized staff for H-1B Temporary Worker status. The following criteria must be met for an individual to be sponsored:

  • The position must require at least a Bachelor’s degree in a specific field and specialized training or knowledge, and the employee must meet the minimum requirement at the time of application. Positions that require any Bachelor’s degree or no degree at all do not qualify.
  • The position cannot be a temporary position. The benefits offered to employees in H-1B status must be the same as those offered to other employees in similar positions.
  • The position must be full-time. Exception: Part-time positions that are paid hourly do qualify for sponsorship if the employee works at least 20 hours per week. Salaried part-time positions (including adjunct faculty) do not qualify for sponsorship due to the requirement to keep track of the actual number of hours worked each week.
  • Employees need to maximize their initial work status (OPT, STEM OPT, J-1, etc.) before being considered for H-1B sponsorship. H-1B sponsorship will only be initiated 6 months prior to the expiration of the OPT/STEM OPT, 5 years in J-1 status, or expiration of another type of work authorization. Requests for exceptions need to be submitted in writing by the hiring Department to OGS with a valid reason for the exception.
  • Similarly, if a candidate offered a position at Georgetown is outside the United States and qualifies for J-1 status (NTL Professor, Postdoctoral Fellow, etc.) and the scholar is not subject to any sort of bar on repeat participation as a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor, then OGS will sponsor a J-1 rather than an H-1B visa. Requests for exceptions need to be submitted in writing by the hiring Department to OGS with a valid reason for the exception. 
  • The Department must cover all USCIS fees relating to the application. Exception: If the request for premium processing is for the employee’s personal reasons, the premium processing fee can be paid by the employee.
  • The approval of the Department Chair, supervisor and Department Administrator must be obtained. Although general information may be discussed beforehand, the Office of Global Services (OGS) will not initiate Georgetown-sponsored H-1B applications until approval is received from the Department.
  • The Department agrees to pay the reasonable costs of the foreign national’s return transportation to their home country should the Department terminate their employment before the expiration of the employment approved by USCIS.
  • The Department understands that USCIS can conduct site visits to verify the information submitted on the H-1B petition and agrees to inform OGS of any changes related to the employment to ensure we remain in compliance.

Please note that Human Resources and/or Faculty policies with regard to employment apply, and nothing in this policy implies otherwise.

All paperwork related to Georgetown-sponsored H-1B petitions must be filed by OGS to ensure accuracy and consistency of University information that is sent to the U.S. government. Use of outside attorneys is not permitted.

Initiating Sponsorship Procedures
The hiring Department and the employee each complete portions of the request form, and each submits their form to OGS per the form’s instructions.

The Sponsorship Process

There are three steps in applying for H-1B temporary worker status.

OGS determines the prevailing wage for the position using DoL data. The salary offered must meet this prevailing wage to qualify for H-1B sponsorship. If the wage offered does not meet the prevailing wage, OGS will be in touch with the Department to discuss options.

OGS files a Labor Condition Application with DoL certifying the working conditions. Processing takes 7 business days.

OGS files an I-129 petition with USCIS. Processing times fluctuate. Regular processing averages 5-6 months. Premium processing shortens USCIS processing to 15 business days for an extra fee. Please note that the premium processing fee only shortens the processing time at USCIS. OGS needs approximately 8 weeks to receive an H-1B approval.

This information is intended to provide basic, general information only and should not be used as a substitute for professional advice from qualified immigration specialists.

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