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The Office of Academic Personnel (OAP) and UW Human Resources (UWHR) are collaborating on visa sponsorship for staff positions. For more information, click here. |
Overview
The purpose of the E-3 visa is to admit Australian temporary workers pursuant to the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. E-3 status generally has the same eligibility requirements as the H-1B temporary worker visa; therefore, UW will only sponsor E-3 status for individuals eligible for H-1B sponsorship.
Though the E-3 may occasionally be a useful alternative to the H-1B, the H-1B is often the better option. Before agreeing to sponsor an Australian citizen for E-3 status, email International Scholars Operations (ISO) to discuss. Positions must be full-time and paid a UW salary that meets the Department of Labor’s wage requirements. Without exception, E-3 Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) and petitions based on offers of UW employment are processed through ISO on behalf of the Office of Academic Personnel.
Depending on the process chosen, units may have to pay filing fees of up to $460 to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and processing can take up to a year or more, depending on various U.S. agency processing times.
The E-3 can be issued in increments of up to 2 years. Although the regulations do not limit the number of years that the E-3 may be used, E-3 is a nonimmigrant status which does not permit “immigrant intent” (intent to reside permanently in the U.S.). When applying for a visa and/or entry to the U.S., the beneficiary must convince U.S. agencies including the Department of State and Customs and Border Protection that their plans to live in the U.S. are both temporary and short-term. If the job is a permanent faculty appointment leading to UW-sponsored Permanent Residence, the H-1B visa is the suitable visa option.
Eligible Titles
E-3 can be an appropriate visa classification for full-time, UW-salaried academic personnel, including:
- Postdoctoral scholars who graduated from U.S. schools or who are currently working in the U.S.
- Graduates of U.S. schools must exhaust their eligibility for Optional Practical Training or Academic Training before changing status to E-3
- J-1 exchange visitors must exhaust their 5 years of J-1 eligibility before changing status to E-3
- Acting instructors
- Lecturers full-time temporary
- Acting assistant professors
- Permanent, full-time professional staff titles approved for sponsorship by UWHR
- Graduates of U.S. schools must exhaust their eligibility for Optional Practical Training or Academic Training before changing status to E-3
Contact for Questions
E-3 beneficiaries should review relevant content prior to starting in their position and can contact ISO with any questions.
Units considering E-3 sponsorship can also contact ISO with any questions about E-3 sponsorship or other visa options.