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Transferring Executives, Managers & Specialists to the U.S.
It is one of the most strategically valuable tools in business immigration, supporting global talent mobility and, for executives and managers, providing a direct pathway toward permanent residence.
L-1A: Executives and Managers
To qualify for L-1A status, the employee must be coming to perform services in an executive or managerial capacity. A managerial role may involve supervising and controlling professional employees or managing an essential function, department, or component — not merely supervisory responsibility over clerical or administrative staff. An executive role involves directing the organisation or a major function, with wide discretion and latitude in decision-making.
L-1A status is particularly valuable as a green card pathway: L-1A holders who have worked in a qualifying executive or managerial role for at least one year may file for an EB-1C immigrant visa, which does not require PERM labor certification and is generally faster than other employment-based categories.
L-1B: Specialised Knowledge
L-1B is available for employees with a special or advanced level of knowledge about the sponsoring organisation’s products, services, research, equipment, techniques, or management. USCIS applies a rigorous evidentiary standard to L-1B petitions, requiring detailed documentation of the nature and uniqueness of the claimed specialised knowledge. Our attorneys craft L-1B petitions that anticipate and address the government’s scrutiny through precise and well-supported evidence.
Prior Employment Requirement
Before being transferred to the United States, L-1 beneficiaries must have been employed continuously by the sponsoring company — or a qualifying related entity — for at least one full year within the three-year period immediately before the petition is filed or the most recent U.S. entry.
Duration
Initial L-1A approval is for three years (or one year for new offices), extendable in two-year increments to a maximum of seven years. L-1B approval is for three years (or one year for new offices), extendable to a maximum of five years.
