Visa sponsorship for employment refers to the process by which a U.S. employer sponsors a foreign worker for a visa or green card to work or live permanently in the U.S. . The employer takes on the responsibility of demonstrating that there are no qualified U.S. workers available for the position and supports the foreign worker’s application for immigration benefits. Under employment-based sponsorship, the employer sponsoring the foreign worker is generally responsible for submitting the necessary forms, supporting documents, and fees to the U.S. government. One of the most common forms submitted for employment-based sponsorship is Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) . Visa sponsorship is typically associated with a petition, and the U.S.-based person or entity submits a petition on behalf of the foreign national. Visa sponsorship is not exactly a letter, but rather a set of documents that are submitted by the employer sponsoring the Visa to the US Government.

To sponsor an immigrant for work in the U.S., there are a number of steps required, including ensuring that the position qualifies as a specialty occupation, determining the rate of pay for the position, and filing a Form I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker) with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) . In most cases, obtaining a U.S. work visa typically requires a sponsoring employer. However, there are a few limited situations where individuals may be eligible for a work visa without a sponsoring employer, such as self-employment or entrepreneurship.