When companies consider bringing on a foreign national employee, there are many factors to consider. Many employers may be intimidated by the process, while others may welcome the challenge.  Regardless of which side of the coin you’re on, below you will find a few honest points to consider when deciding if this process is right for you.

Consider your industry.  The biggest reason many employers expand their applicant search to foreign nationals is because there is such a lack of qualified available candidates for the highly specialized positions they’re hoping to fill.  While, at the same time recognizing that many students studying in these specialized areas are foreign nationals.

The cost of applying. There are various employment-based processes that a company can pursue.  But on average, for an H-1B petition, an employer will pay $1,710 to $2,460 in filing fees (not including attorney fees or premium processing).  For many small companies, this financial gamble is not possible.  For others, the talent is so great, that the sacrifice is small compared to the potential benefit.  

The cost of opportunity. When considering a new employee, seasoned is always the popular choice.  But with seasoned, comes the six-figure salary request.  While the requirement of a Labor Condition Application assures a fair wage and working conditions for the foreign national, employers may get the opportunity to offer a more competitive but modest salary for new employees entering the job market.  This may make the investment worthwhile.

The time commitments.  Again, various processes have separate timelines, but in staying with the H-1B example, the typical timeframe for applying and receiving a response is 15 days (with premium processing at a cost $2,500).  Without it, a response can take up to or more than 30 days.  A good rule of thumb is for employers to petition six months in advance of the employee’s potential start date.

Another time frame to consider is that of the employee’s commitment. If approved, the worker will be admitted for a period of up to three years. For some, the time period may be extended, but generally cannot go beyond a total of six years (per USCIS website).

What makes this worthy is a good candidate that will be an essential, cost-effective, part of your team for an adequate amount of time.