Colorado Business & Employment Immigration Lawyers

Confidence In Your Business Growth

Employers need to be able to hire the best of the best, regardless of where those highly qualified employees may be in the world. As a law firm focused on immigration law, Smith Knudson offers sound advice and reliable legal services to represent your company in transferring valued employees to the United States, whether it is for a special project, a company initiative, a temporary assignment, or a permanent position.

Helping Employers and Employees

At Smith Knudson, our team supports individuals and businesses at every stage of the employment immigration process, including:

• Employers wanting to develop a global workforce.
• HR teams managing compliance with federal regulations.
• Businesses needing help maintaining a key employee’s status.
• Skilled workers and their employers working on a green card through PERM.
• H-1B applicants and workers planning for a stable future.
• Entrepreneurs, investors, and those with extraordinary work records building a legacy in the United States.

From the initial application to maintaining legal status, our firm is here to guide you.

Our Comprehensive Employment Immigration Services

Immigration laws in the United States provide opportunities to petition to bring foreign workers on a temporary or more permanent basis. Employment-based applications are often particularly difficult to obtain because U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) scrutinizes these petitions at length. Smith Knudson has the experience and knowledge to get these tough cases approved. Some of the more common temporary visa categories include:

• H-1B visas for individuals in “specialty” or professional occupations. They are available only once yearly and may be gone in one day, so planning is essential.
• L-1A for intracompany transferees who have been employed abroad by an affiliate of the U.S. company and are coming to work in executive or managerial positions.
• L-1B for employees who have been employed abroad for at least one year at an affiliate company and have “specialized knowledge.”
• P-1 for athletes and entertainers with international reputations.
• E visas for entrepreneurs and investors who have either made a substantial investment in the U.S. or are engaged in trade with a country that has a treaty of friendship and commerce with the U.S. 
• TN for certain employees from Canada and Mexico coming to perform services for U.S. companies.
• O for individuals with extraordinary ability in their field.
• H-2B for temporary or seasonal workers.
• H-2A for seasonal agricultural workers.

There are also categories of benefits available for certain employees to become lawful permanent residents of the U.S.

Do You Want to Grow with Employees Who Have Extraordinary Ability?

Smith Knudson is experienced in bringing individuals of Extraordinary Ability, those who have risen to the very top of their respective fields, to the United States as lawful permanent residents. The categories are as follows:

• EB-1A for individuals of extraordinary ability in science, art, athletics, business, or education. Individuals of extraordinary ability are considered first preference under U.S. immigration laws due to their high level of achievement and recognition nationally or internationally. They may petition for themselves without needing a job offer or have a U.S. employer petition for them. USCIS awards this classification sparingly.
• EB-1B for outstanding professors and researchers who have achieved sustained international recognition and have risen to the top of their fields. This category requires a U.S. employer.

Our firm prepares thorough, extensively documented petitions to provide our clients with the best chance of success.

Lawful Permanent Residence Through Employment

Employers may also petition for their employees to gain lawful permanent residence. Some of the other classifications available for permanent employees are as follows:

• EB-1C for multinational managers and executives who have been employed abroad at an affiliate for at least one year and are coming to the United States to fill a manager or executive position. These employees are also afforded first preference status under U.S. immigration laws and generally do not have to wait as long to become lawful permanent residents.
• EB-2 for exceptional-ability employees in the arts or sciences or those with advanced degrees or five years of comparable progressive experience. These petitions generally require following strict procedures and working with multiple government agencies to determine if qualified U.S. workers can fill the position before sponsoring the foreign employee. There are some exceptions to the recruitment requirement, as employees may get a National Interest Waiver if their work would substantially benefit the country. 
• EB-3 for skilled workers, employees with bachelor’s degrees, and workers with less education to become lawful permanent residents.

When needed, Smith Knudson can help you with the complex process of obtaining a PERM labor certification and qualifying the foreign employee for the U.S. position. Our employment immigration lawyers can advise on key timing and strategy considerations to best benefit your company as you engage in the employment immigration process.

I-9 Compliance Audits

Our office has worked with employers of all sizes facing scrutiny of hiring documents. Federal law requires employers to complete an I-9 form for each new employee hire within 3 days of employment. We can suggest how best to keep these records and complete the forms to minimize risk to your business. We encourage businesses to educate and prepare on the front end by training human resource personnel on I-9 requirements to avoid problems before they occur; however, we also regularly advise businesses facing audits of their files by the Department of Homeland Security.

Why Choose Smith Knudson for Employment Immigration?

Employment immigration moves fast, and one error can stall a hire or a whole business operation. Employers trust us to keep their talent pipeline secure with:

• Full-service, focused support under one roof: From visa petitions and employer sponsorship to I-9 compliance and audits, we handle every stage of your immigration needs without piecing together outside help.
• Strategies built around your business: We take the time to understand your industry, hiring timeline, and goals, then tailor a plan that fits how your company actually operates.
• Consistent communication in English and Spanish: Your team and your employees stay informed at every step, with clear communication that keeps petitions on track and deadlines from slipping.
• Accessible, responsive counsel: You get straight answers and open communication throughout the process, so you always know where your filings stand.

Contact Us for Trusted Immigration Solutions

Smith Knudson has helped employers and workers obtain temporary visas, specialty occupation visas, training visas, and more. Whether your needs are temporary or permanent, our office can help you examine your options and make cost-effective, short- and long-term plans for each situation. We will help you match your business goals with immigration solutions. Please contact us if we can help your business obtain visas for qualified workers or audit your hiring compliance procedures.

FAQs about Employment-Based Immigration in Colorado