It’s time to thank President George W Bush for something. The E-3 visa.
Born out of negotiations for the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement, the E-3 visa was signed into law by President George W Bush in 2005.
The E-3 visa is exclusively available to Australians who are qualified to fill specialty occupations. 10,500 E-3 visas can be issued each year. That is estimated to be up to 15% of the total number of US visas issued to candidates for specialty occupations from around the world!
Why is an E-3 visa such an advantage to Australians?
- As previously mentioned, the E-3 visa is only accessible by Australian citizens.
- There are currently far less than 10,500 applications for the E-3 visa each year. Therefore all eligible applications will be granted a visa.
- Unlike the H1-B and other non-immigrant visas for the US, there are no restrictions on the ability for the spouses of E-3 visa holders to work.
- Your spouse and children are not required to be Australian citizens.
- The E-3 visa can renewed indefinitely in 2 year increments. If your career takes off and the sponsoring company is satisfied then you are highly likely to be able to remain in the US.
- Costs of application for an E-3 visa are not significant and the application time is streamlined relative to other US visas.
Define specialty occupation?
There is no definitive list of occupations eligible for the E-3 visa.
The definition of “specialty occupation” is one that requires:
- A theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge; and
- The attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.
It should be noted that in cases where the applicant is not tertiary educated, work experience in excess of 10 years in the specialty occupation may be deemed to be adequate.
Subject to your interest and experience, BettingRecruitment will identify roles across the US sports gambling market that are likely to satisfy the ‘specialty occupation’ requirement.
What are the other qualification requirements to get an E-3 visa?
- Legitimate offer of employment from a sponsoring entity in the USA
- Proof of Australian citizenship
- Proof of academic or other qualifying credentials required for the role
- Demonstration that the stay in the US will be temporary
A number of standard employer requirements are also associated with the E-3 visa. The employers must meet U.S. corporation and immigrant-employment regulations. They need to pay requisite E3 visa filing costs and offer the candidate a satisfactory salary. Further, the employer must prove that hiring a foreign national isn’t going to negatively influence the labor conditions of similarly employed workers — particularly in terms of wages, hours worked, etc.
How to apply for an E3 Visa
In summary the key steps of application are:
- Receive a letter of offer from a prospective employer in the US.
- Collect all the information which demonstrates you meet the qualification requirements outlined above.
- Complete a certified ETA 9035 form, pay the application fee and file the application at your local US consulate.
BettingRecruitment will not only find you a role but work with employers to provide you with all the expertise and support needed to put you in the best position to secure an E-3 visa.
Please contact BettingRecruitment today at info@bettingrecruitment.com if you are interested in an exciting career in the US sports gambling market.
