The E-3 Visa for Australian Professionals

E-3 Visa Definition:

The E-3 visa is for the professional employment of Australian nationals in the United States.

To Qualify for E-3 Visa:

1. You must be a citizen of Australia.
2. You must have an offer of employment from a US business for a job in a particular profession and you must meet the education and/or licensure requirements for that profession.

E-3 Visa Length:

E-3 visas are valid for 2 years at a time and can be renewed indefinably.

Advantages of the E-3 Visa:

A benefit to this status is that it can be used as an alternative to the H-1B (the primary professional visa) which is subject to numerical caps and frequently is used up early. Another benefit is that the Australian national's spouse can obtain an unrestricted work permit while his or her spouse is working in the US with an E-3 visa. This visa can be obtained at a US consulate abroad or one can apply for change to E-3 status in the United States. Finally, the E-3 visa does not carry with it the very expensive filing fees associated with the H-1B (which could be up to $2,190). There is an annual limit of 10,500 new visas per year. However, since only Australian nationals can apply for this visa, it remains to be seen whether the numerical limit will ever be reached before the end of the fiscal year.