H-1B Faculty
Download H-1B application packet (for hiring departments and H-1B employees, both prospective and continuing)
Process
The International Faculty Advisor, working with hiring departments, files H-1B petitions on behalf of PSU employees. A foreign national may not self-petition. Since the H-1B is an employer-sponsored petition, the hiring department, and not the foreign national, should contact the International Faculty Advisor to begin the process.
Eligibility for H-1B status
Full-time position required. PSU files H-1B petitions for 1.0 FTE positions only.
J status and the 2-year home residency requirement. If the prospective H-1B employee is in J (Exchange Visitor) status and is subject to the 2-year home residency requirement, s/he must provide proof of a waiver of the requirement or evidence that the requirement has been fulfilled.
Length of Stay
The maximum stay permitted in H-1B status is usually 6 years, and the maximum period that can be requested in a single H-1B petition is 3 years.
PSU Processing Times
Hiring departments should contact the International Faculty Advisor as early in the hiring process as possible, preferably as soon as they are aware that an individual may require visa sponsorship.
To allow for sufficient government processing time, hiring departments should submit H-1B request materials to the International Faculty Advisor for a prospective H-1B employee 6-7 months in advance but no later than 45 days prior to the anticipated start of H-1B employment. If the beneficiary is overseas, please figure in additional time to allow the beneficiary to obtain an H-1B visa in order to enter the U.S. in H-1B status.
USCIS Processing Times
USCIS usually takes 3-6 months to adjudicate the petition under regular processing. Under premium processing, USCIS will adjudicate the petition within 15 calendar days of receipt. (This 15-day window does not include the time needed to review the H-1B request materials or the time it will take for delivery of the printed approval notice, so it is important to plan ahead even in the case of premium processing. Note that premium processing does not guarantee approval – USCIS could also respond within 15 calendar days with a request for additional information.)