The O-1A visa is designed for individuals who possess extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, business, athletics, or education. To be eligible for this visa, you must meet certain criteria, including demonstrating that you have commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services, in relation to others in the field. Our immigration attorney at the Chicago law office of Zneimer & Zneimer provide information how to meet this criterion.
This criterion requires evidence that the applicant has commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services, in relation to others in the field. Here’s what you need to know to demonstrate your eligibility:
- Determine whether your salary or remuneration is high relative to others in the field: Evidence regarding whether your compensation is high relative to that of others working in the field may take many forms. Examples may include, but are not limited to, geographical or position-appropriate compensation surveys and organizational justifications to pay above the compensation data.
To meet this criterion, you should provide evidence that demonstrates that your salary or remuneration is high in comparison to others in the field. This may include salary surveys, compensation reports, or other documentation that compares your compensation to that of others in similar positions in the same industry or geographic location.
- Three websites that may be helpful in evaluating the evidence are the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Department of Labor’s Career One Stop website, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification Online Wage Library. It is important to note that applicants working in different countries should be evaluated based on the wage statistics or comparable evidence in that country, rather than by simply converting the salary to U.S. dollars and then viewing whether that salary would be considered high in the United States.
At Zneimer & Zneimer, our team of experienced immigration attorneys can help you gather the necessary evidence to demonstrate that you meet the O-1A criteria, including the criterion related to commanding a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to others in the field. We understand the complex requirements of the visa application process and can guide you through each step to ensure that your application is strong and convincing.