The E-3 classification applies only to nationals of Australia. You must be coming to the United States solely to perform services in a specialty occupation.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for an E-3 visa, you must demonstrate, among other things, that you:
- Are a national of Australia.
- Have a legitimate offer of employment in the United States by an employer in U.S. or its agent.
- Possess the necessary academic or other qualifying credentials of bachelor’s degree or equivalent based on progressive experience or training.
- Will fill a position that qualifies as a specialty occupation.
Specialty occupation: means an occupation which requires theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in fields of human endeavor including, but not limited to, architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, business specialties, accounting, law, theology, and the arts, and which requires the attainment of a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent, as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.
The specialty occupation position must also meet one of the following criteria to qualify as a specialty occupation:
- Bachelor’s or higher degree or its equivalent is normally the minimum entry requirement for the particular position.
- The degree requirement is common to the industry in parallel positions among similar organizations or, in the alternative, the job is so complex or unique that it can be performed only by an individual with a degree
- The employer normally requires a degree or its equivalent for the position
- The nature of the specific duties is so specialized and complex that the knowledge required to perform the duties is usually associated with the attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree.*
For a person to qualify to perform services in a specialty occupation one must meet one of the following criteria:
- Hold a U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree required by the specialty occupation from an accredited college or university
- Hold a foreign degree that is the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree required by the specialty occupation from an accredited college or university
- Hold an unrestricted state license, registration, or certification that authorizes you to fully practice the specialty occupation and be immediately engaged in that specialty in the state of intended employment.
- Have education, specialized training, and/or progressively responsible experience that is equivalent to the completion of a U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree in the specialty occupation, and have recognition of expertise in the specialty through progressively responsible positions directly related to the specialty.
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