Work-based immigration brings skilled, educated and experienced workers to the United States. Companies that struggle to fill positions with domestic talent can hire internationally instead.
Part of that process involves securing a labor certification before assisting a worker in their pursuit of a visa. Organizations may need to do a little research before they begin hunting for talent on the international market.
What is a labor certification?
Immigrants coming from less-developed countries with fewer opportunities are often eager to gain legal entry into the United States. They might accept low wages or a lack of benefits in scenarios where domestic workers would hold their ground and demand more from employers.
To prevent employment immigration from undermining the domestic employment market, validating a lack of appropriate talent is necessary. During the labor certification process, employers provide information about how long they have had a listing open and the difficulty experienced while trying to find the right candidates to fill those positions. They also need to affirm that the organization pays an appropriate wage based on current market circumstances.
The research involved in labor certification helps protect domestic employment opportunities and limit the potential for the abuse of international employees. Organizations broadening their talent search to include foreign professionals typically need to complete the labor certification as part of that process.
Once regulatory agencies have affirmed that a company has made a reasonable attempt to hire domestically and there isn’t enough domestic talent to fill the role, the company can then assist a worker as they begin the process of pursuing a work-based visa. Learning about labor certification and other aspects of employment immigration can help businesses to be as effective as possible. International talent can be a particularly appealing solution for companies that need to onboard workers with experience or advanced degrees.