L-1 Visa Job Titles: Which Roles Qualify?

Introduction to the L-1 Visa for Intracompany Transfers

The L-1 is a nonimmigrant visa allowing international companies to transfer employees from a foreign office to a U.S. office. Most L-1 visas are filed for employees at companies with an existing presence in the U.S., but the L-1 can also be used to establish a new base in the U.S. via a new office L-1.

There are many advantages to the L-1 visa, both for employees and employers. Employees favor the L-1 because it is one of the few U.S. visas with employment authorization for spouses. The L-1 is also great for employers since larger companies can easily file blanket petitions. Without a lottery or cap, the L-1 process is predictable and smooth for both employees and employers.

Overview of the L-1 Visa Requirements

There are specific requirements that a company must meet to sponsor an L-1 visa. Likewise, the employee must qualify under the L-1A or L-1B visa criteria.

Company Requirements:

• The company must have (1) a foreign entity that has been established for at least a year and (2) a U.S. company with a qualifying relationship (parent, subsidiary, brand, affiliate, or sister company of your foreign company).
• The U.S. company must have a physical office space or be willing to set one up.
• The company must be able and willing to continue business operations in the U.S. and at least one other country throughout the duration of the L-1(s) you want to file (usually one year to start).

L-1 Criteria for Employees: 

There are two types of L-1 visas: L-1As for managers and executives and L-1Bs for specialized knowledge workers. The company requirements are the same for L-1A and L-1B, but the employee criteria differ.

L-1A Visa for Managers and Executives 

To qualify for the L-1A, an employee must:

1. Have worked in an executive position or managerial role at the foreign entity for at least one continuous year within the past three years; and
2. Have a job offer as a manager or executive at the company’s U.S. entity.

L-1B Visa for Specialized Knowledge Workers

To qualify for the L-1B, an employee must:

1. Have worked in a specialized knowledge capacity at the foreign entity for at least one continuous year within the past three years; and
2. Have a job offer at the company’s U.S. entity in a role related to their specialized knowledge area.

L-1 Visa Job Titles

Let’s explore examples of job titles that satisfy the L-1 requirements. What types of positions count as managerial or executive? What constitutes specialized knowledge?

L-1A: How to Qualify & Example Job Titles

Even if you don’t have a traditional manager or executive job title, you can still qualify for the L-1 if your job description indicates you hold an executive or managerial position. 

An L-1A manager supervises and controls people or critical functions within the company. An L-1A executive is someone who works in an executive capacity.

Examples of L-1A managers and executives include:

• C-suite executives: CEO, COO, CFO, etc.
• V.P.s: V.P. of Sales, V.P. of Operations, V.P. or Product, etc.
• Directors: Director of Engineering, Director of Marketing, Managing Director, etc.
• Managers who control the work of 10+ employees
• Functional managers who do not manage people but oversee essential company functions

L-1B: How to Qualify & Example Job Titles

An L-1B specialized knowledge employee is someone who:

• Has a unique level of knowledge about the company’s product, service, research, equipment, techniques, management, or its application in the international market; or
• Has advanced knowledge of the company’s processes and procedures.

Examples of L-1 specialized knowledge worker roles include:

• A Brand Strategist with a high level of knowledge of the company’s brand and marketing strategies.
• A Senior level Software Engineer who invented the company’s patented software.
• A researcher with an advanced knowledge of critical aspects of the company’s research processes.