E-3 Visa: Australians

The E-3 Visa is a temporary visa for Australian professionals who wish to work in the US. One of the E-3’s major advantages is the ability to obtain an E-3 visa directly from a US consulate without first obtaining an approval from USCIS. This makes the E-3 a much quicker, less expensive option for qualified Australians. A disadvantage is that an E-3 must intend to leave the US following completion of

E-3 Visa: Basic Requirements

E-3 requirements mirror those for the H-1B visa. However, government fees are far lower. E-3 candidates may also file at a US consulate abroad instead of USCIS.

The E-3 Visa category requires the following:

• A job offer from a US employer.
• Salary offer at or above the prevailing wage (average wage for the job’s geographical region).
• Must have at least the equivalent of US bachelor’s degree in a field related to the job offered.
• The job offered must require a US bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a particular field of expertise.
• E-3 Visa applicants are not required to maintain a residence in Australia or outside of the US. But they must show ties to Australia or another country. They must also demonstrate an intent to return to Australia or another country outside the US once their E-3 work has finished.
• The annual quota for the E-3 Visa is 10,500 new visas per US Government fiscal year, and applies only to principal applicants, not to their spouses or children.
• Sponsoring employers must obtain and submit a certified Labor Condition Application (LCA) from DOL with their E-3 application.
• Employers must be careful to attend to various DOL and USCIS compliance requirements.

E-3 Dependents

E-3 visa holders may apply for visas for a dependent spouse and children. These E-3 dependents may work in the US.