One of the main H-1B eligibility requirements is that beneficiaries hold a bachelor’s degree or higher or its equivalent in the field of the H-1B job. However, highly skilled individuals often have non-traditional educational pathways and many qualified hires do not have any college credit at all.
Does this mean no chance at a visa? Of course not! But it will take extra steps and a good deal of USCIS handholding to make your case.
USCIS accepts that three years of progressive work experience in the field of the H-1B job is equivalent to one year of college credit in the associated major. Progressive work experience means that education took place on the job as evidenced by the nature of the work becoming increasingly complex and specialized, with the employee taking on progressively more responsibility. A professor authorized to grant college credit for work experience can write this work experience conversion. To account for all four years of a bachelor’s degree, the beneficiary must have twelve years of progressive work experience to meet this academic equivalency.
If this is your situation, or your employee or client’s situation, you will need to include a credential evaluation that includes this work experience conversion with your initial petition. This will clearly show USCIS that the beneficiary has the educational equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in the field of the H-1B job in terms of US academic value.
At CCI TheDegreePeople.com, each credential evaluation is written uniquely to fit the job, the education, the work experience, and the visa of each client. We work with professors authorized to grant college credit for progressive work experience to write the credential evaluation you need for visa approval.
Let us review your case for free. Visit www.ccifree.com and we will respond in four hours or less.
Sheila Danzig
Sheila Danzig is the director of CCI TheDegreePeople.com. Sheila specializes in overturning RFEs and Denials for work visas.