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The visa sponsorship issue in the U.S. explained

I always get questions from students and professionals outside of the U.S. on whether sports companies are willing to sponsor visas. The answer is "yes and no". Not all companies do it but some companies do. Some will only do it for specific roles.


This answer makes it hard for anyone to even attempt to get a sports job in the U.S. if they are from another country.


So, whether you are from Canada, Europe, Asia, or anywhere else, here is what you need to know if you are looking for a sports job in the U.S. ⤵️


Canadian Citizens


TN Visa


Canadians may be eligible for a TN visa under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), now part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This visa is available for specific professions like accountants, computer scientists, engineers, graphic designers, management consultants, and more. You can apply for this visa on your own with just an offer letter from a U.S. company. Your organization does not need to sponsor this and this might be the easiest way to get a job in the U.S.


H-1B Visa


If you have a bachelor's degree and you get an offer for a position that requires a specialized skill, your employer can file for an H-1B visa for you. This process could take several months to years and is quite expensive for an employer which is why they lean towards hiring people with work authorization in the U.S.


Remote Work


If you physically live and work in Canada while employed by a U.S. company, and your work is truly remote with no presence or work activities in the U.S., you might not need a U.S. work visa. This means you can apply to any fully remote sports roles you see!


Everyone Else


If you are a citizen of Europe, the U.K., Asia, Latin/South America, Australia, or Africa, this is what you need to know.


H-1B


The H-1B visa (explained above) is the standard visa required to live and work in the U.S. Again, many employers choose against this option but some companies do make exceptions for people at senior levels or with specialized skills.


L-1 Visa


If you work for a multinational company that has offices in different countries, you may be able to apply for a transfer to one of their U.S. offices using the L-1 visa.


P-1A Visa


This visa is for internationally recognized athletes or athletic teams. It does require employer sponsorship and the time period granted is usually limited to the time required to complete the event, competition, or performance. People with this visa can usually bring their families with them.


Students


F-1 Visa


This visa is for students pursuing academic studies at U.S. universities, colleges, or other academic institutions. For the entire duration, you are in school, you can use this visa to intern at any U.S. company without needing sponsorship. You also get an Optional Practical Training (OPT) period of up to 12 months after graduation to work in the U.S. without needing sponsorship. After that 12 months, the company will need to sponsor you.


Lastly, you have the option to apply for a green card which will grant you permanent work authorization in the U.S. This is an extensive application process that you can obtain either through family sponsorship, employer sponsorship, or a lottery system.


All in all, if you are looking to work in the U.S. in sports and you are a citizen of another country, it's not impossible. Keep fighting for your dreams and I promise you will accomplish them! ✨


If you are looking for more personalized guidance, chat with our coach Aditya, an Indian citizen who attended school in the U.S. and landed a full-time role in Canada. He shares all his best practices for navigating visas. ⤵️



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