E-3 Visa for Australians

E3 visa for Australians is the new visa program for the Australians introduced by the US congress. It was announced in May 2005 which permits the creation of 10,500 new E-3 visas for Australians. E3 visa for Australians is a work permit for Australians in the US with more flexibility than the H1-B quota with some of the features of ‘E’ treaty visas.

The E3 visa for Australians applicants must be a national of common wealth of Australia and must serve in a specialty occupation. You must have theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge and must have attained a bachelor degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty to work in the United States.

Though there is no age limit for getting an E3 visa, yet you have to show the job that you are going to work for in the United States and you can not go to US and then find a job there.

E3 visa for Australians is available for employers too. The employer has to file an application with the secretary of labor. This application is known as labor condition application, ETA Form 9035 or ETA Form 9035E. The process of this application is similar to the H1-Bs as in the case of attestations regarding the paying the prevailing and original wages. The same conditions also apply to not breaking up strikes and maintaining public access files.

The number of E3 visa for Australians is 10,500 for a fiscal year which runs from October 1 to September 30. You can have your children and spouse accompany you. But they would not come into the count for the 10,500 visas. Your spouses can also work in the US provided they get a work authorization through EAD or Employment Authorization Document or form I-765.

The duration for E3 visa for Australians is usually 24 months which can be renewed indefinitely.

The application fee for E3 visa for Australians is $100 with no special fees. The form DS-156 is the application to be filed. You need to take all the supporting evidence on the day of the interview. In addition, male applicants of the age 16-45 have to file an application DS-157.

You also have the flexibility of changing employers provided your new employer files a LCA or Labor Condition Application and the switching of jobs should not take more than 10 days.