Employee, Scholar and Visitor Visas

The Office of International Students, Scholars & Programs (ISSP) manages the visa sponsorship of international faculty, staff, scholars and visitors to the university. Below is information on types of position and sponsorship options. With few exceptions (interns, musicians and artists), the individual must hold at least a bachelor's degree to be eligible for sponsorship. ISSP staff will advise on the most appropriate visa type for a particular position. Some of these options can take months to be approved, so we encourage you to reach out to our office as soon as you are able.

Visa Types for Sponsorship

Position classifications and visa options

table with types of visas available to different classifications of employees
Type	EAD*	J-1	H-1B**	O-1	TN	PR**
Tenure eligible faculty	X		X	X		X
Non-tenure eligible faculty	X	X	X	X	X	X
Professional	X	X	X	X	X	X
Operational	X	X	X	X	X	X
Hourly	X	X			X
Intern or Visiting Scholar	X	X
* EAD = Employment Authorization Document **For H-1B and Permanent Residency sponsorship, the position must be full-time. For H-1B, the position must meet the definition of a specialty occupation. Not-all NTE, professional and operational positions are eligible for PR sponsorship.

Visa Sponsorship Not Needed

Some international hires may already have work authorization:

EADs (Employment Authorization Document) are not obtained through university sponsorship. They are obtained directly by the employee from Immigration through processes such as OPT (Optional Practical Training for F-1 students), dependent work authorization (e.g. J-2), and adjustment of status.
STEM OPT. This work authorization is a type of EAD obtained by the employee, but the hiring department will have some paperwork and reporting requirements

Although some international hires may already have work authorization, we still encourage hiring departments to contact our office, as in some cases the work authorization may eventually expire. In cases like this, we can help develop a long-term plan, and advise on possible timelines for work authorization renewal. Getting new work authorization can take months, so being in touch with new hires at the beginning of the process will ensure a smoother outcome for all.