Coming to Work in America
For tradespeople moving to the US - visas and work authorization, getting credentialed, your rights, and settling in.
20 guides in this section
Guides in this section
Can a non-citizen hold a US contractor or trade license?
In many states, yes, but "holding a license" and "being allowed to work" are two separate legal questions, and you need to keep them apart. Whether a state...
Can Canadians and Mexicans use the TN visa for the trades?
For a hands-on trade, almost never. The TN visa under USMCA is only for citizens of Canada and Mexico, and only for a fixed list of about 63 mostly...
Can I get a US visa by starting my own contracting business?
Possibly, through the E-2 treaty investor visa, if you are a citizen of a country that has an investment treaty with the US and you put real, at-risk money...
Can I move to the US to work in the trades?
It is possible, but be honest with yourself going in: it is slow, it is expensive, and it almost always depends on a US employer wanting you specifically....
Can my children attend US public school regardless of our status?
Yes. Every child living in the United States has the right to free public education from kindergarten through 12th grade, regardless of their own or their...
Can my spouse and children come, and can my spouse work?
Your family can usually come with you, but whether your spouse can work depends entirely on which visa route you are on. On the EB-3 green card route, your...
What is the EB-3 skilled worker green card, and how does it work for tradespeople?
The EB-3 skilled worker green card is the main permanent route into the US for a qualified tradesperson. A US employer sponsors you for a permanent...
What is the H-2B seasonal visa, and can a tradesperson use it?
The H-2B is a temporary US visa for genuinely seasonal or peak-load non-farm work, and for the trades it mostly means landscaping and groundskeeping. It...
What will moving to the US for trade work actually cost me?
Far more than the visa fees, and it takes longer than most recruiters admit. Beyond the government filing costs, budget for re-qualifying in your state...
How do I get a US employer to sponsor me for a visa?
You get sponsored by making a specific US employer want to hire you for a role they genuinely cannot fill locally, and then having them commit to the...
How US health insurance works when there's no NHS
There is no NHS in the United States. Healthcare is mostly private and employer-based, and being uninsured is a serious financial risk, so arranging coverage...
Is there a US construction visa lottery, and how do I avoid a fake job offer?
No. There is no US construction visa lottery and no skilled-trades visa lottery. It does not exist. Anyone who offers to enter you into one, guarantees you a...
Know your rights if immigration enforcement approaches you
Certain constitutional rights belong to everyone physically present in the United States, regardless of immigration status: the right to remain silent, the...
Your rights on site, whatever your immigration status
Core US labor protections apply to every worker on a construction site, regardless of immigration status. You are legally entitled to be paid at least...
SSN vs ITIN: what's the difference, and which do I need to work?
To be employed by someone in the US you need a Social Security Number, and behind it, work authorization. An ITIN is a tax-filing number only. It is not work...
How much will I actually take home after US taxes?
Expect to lose roughly a quarter of your gross pay to federal income tax and payroll tax in a state with no income tax, and closer to a third once you add a...
Which trades do US employers sponsor a foreign worker for?
Electricians, HVAC mechanics, and plumbers or pipefitters are the trades where a US employer is most likely to sponsor a foreign worker, because those are...
Will my overseas trade qualification be recognized in the US?
Not automatically, and usually not the certificate itself. The US has no national trades authority and no federal system that converts a foreign license into...
How US work authorization works: the I-9, the EAD, and E-Verify
Every new hire in the US goes through the same paperwork: you fill in your part of a Form I-9 on your first day, your employer checks your documents within...
Your first weeks in the US: the arrival checklist
Get these done in roughly this order: Social Security Number first, then a bank account, then your driver's license, health insurance, and the start of your...