US Staffing Basic Training

 

Index – Topics Covered in Part 1

1. 1.       What is HR Means and Who is HR (Human Resources)? Page 02

   2.       What is Recruitment? Page 04

   3.       US Staffing (or) Recruitment Page 06

   4.       Overview of United States of America Page 08

   5.       Recruitment Life Cycle Page 13

   6.       Types of VISAS for US &

   7.       List of US non-immigrant and temporary visas Page 21

   8.       Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Codes Page 35

   9.       Student Visa - F1/CPT/OPT Page 39

   10.   MSP & VMS Page 53

   11.   Interview Questions and Answers Page 61

2. 
   

1. What is HumanResource?

   
   

   Human resources is used to describe both the people who work for a company or organization and the department responsible for managing resources related to employees. The term human resources were first coined in the 1960s when the value of labour relations began to garner attention and when notions such as motivation, organizational behaviour, and selection assessments began to take shape.

   Human resource management is a contemporary, umbrella term used to describe the management and development of employees in an organization. Also called personnel or talent management (although these terms are a bit antiquated), human resource

   management involves overseeing all things related to managing an organization’s human capital.

   
   

   A Closer Look at Human Resource Management

   Human resource management involves developing and administering programs that are designed to increase the effectiveness of an organization or business. It includes the entire spectrum of creating, managing, and cultivating the employer-employee relationship.

   
   

   For most organizations, agencies, and businesses, the human resources department is responsible for:

   • Managing job recruitment, selection, and promotion

   • Developing and overseeing employee benefits and wellness programs

   • Developing, promoting, and enforcing personnel policies

   • Promoting employee career development and job training

   • Providing orientation programs for new hires

   • Providing guidance regarding disciplinary actions

   • Serving as a primary contact for work-site injuries or accidents

     Human resource management is about:

     Addressing current employee concerns: Unlike company managers who oversee the day-to-day work of employees, HR departments deal with employee concerns such as benefits, pay, employee investments, pension plans, and training. Their work may also include settling conflicts between employees or between employees and their managers.

     
     

     Acquiring new employees: The human resource management team recruits potential employees, oversees the hiring process (background checks, drug testing, etc.), and provides new employee orientation.

     Managing the employee separation process: The HR management team must complete a specific set of tasks if an employee quits, is fired, or is laid off. Paperwork must be completed to ensure that the process was completed legally. Severance pay may be offered or negotiated, benefits must be settled, and access to company resources must be severed via the collection of keys, badges, computers, or sensitive materials from the employee.

     Improving morale: Effective HR teams encourage company employees to do their best, which contributes to the overall success of the company. Their work often involves rewarding employees for good performance and creating a positive work environment.

     
     

     Human resource management is therefore focused on a number of major areas, including:

   • Recruiting and staffing

   • Compensation and benefits

   • Training and learning

   • Labour and employee relations

   • Organization development

2. What Is Recruitment??

   In human resource management, “recruitment” is the process of finding and hiring the best and most qualified candidate for a job opening, in a timely and cost-effective manner. It can also be defined as the “process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating and encouraging them to apply for jobs in an organization”. In simple words I can say recruitment is nothing but, finding and hiring suitable candidate for the suitable position.

   
   

   It is one whole process, with a full life cycle, that begins with identification of the needs of the company with respect to the job, and ends with the introduction of the employee to the organization.

   
   

   When we speak of the recruitment process, we immediately think of activities such as the analysis of the requirements of a specific job, attracting candidates to apply for that job, screening the applicants and selecting among them, hiring the chosen candidates to become new employees of the organization, and integrating them into the structure.

   
   

   Obviously, the main reason why the recruitment process is implemented is to find the persons who are best qualified for the positions within the company, and who will help them towards attaining organizational goals. But there are other reasons why a recruitment process is important.

   
   

   To ensure proper alignment of skill sets to organizational goals.

   Through recruitment, organizations make sure that the skill sets of the staff or manpower of the company remains aligned to its initiatives and goals.

   
   

   In the event that they notice some positions do not really contribute to the advancement of the organization towards its goals, then it can take the proper action to correct this,

   probably through job redesign, restructuring of the workforce, or conduct of job enrichment programs.

   
   

   To ensure effective and efficient recruiting.

   Effective recruiting means that the person employed for the job is the best possible candidate for it, with all the required skills, talents and qualifications of the job. Efficient recruiting, on the other hand, means that the process has been carried out without incurring a lot of costs on the part of the organization. By following the process, there is a greater chance that the human resources department can get the best possible person for the job.

   
   

   Organizations may carry out their hiring processes their own way, but without a system or set guidelines in place for its conduct and implementation, there is a risk that the company may incur more expenses than necessary.

   
   

   The company will also end up wasting its resources if the wrong or unqualified person was actually hired. Not only will this create problems for the company in the long run, particularly in the attainment of its goals, but it would mean that the organization would also have wasted its resources in training an employee that is not right for the job after all.

3. US Staffing (or) Recruitment

   This term is commonly used in 'US Staffing' industry that is supported through Recruiters in India (Used across the globe in fact). Requirements from IT/Non IT domain are fulfilled by Recruiters who go on and hunt for the best match possible for clients in US.

   Recruitment: Recruitment is the process of finding and attracting capable applicants for employment. Recruitment refers to the process of sourcing, screening, and selecting people for a job or vacancy within / for an organization. In other words, recruitment is about finding the right talent, for the right job at the right time.

   
   

   US Recruitment: US recruitment is the selection process of consultant (candidate) for the US companies or clients from the home town. US Staffing is a Talent Acquisition Industry which brings together HR Departments of the Clients, the VMS and the managers of staffing companies to hire the best talent for the vacant jobs in shortest possible time

   
   

   Key Participants in US Staffing:

   Following are the people who play major role in US Staffing industry.

   • Client

   • Account Manager or Delivery Manager (Onshore Coordinators of Staffing Agency)

   • Consultant / Candidate

   • VMS/MSP Portals

   • Recruiters

     
     

     Some facts about US Staffing:

   • After the great recession of 2009, US Staffing industry has created more jobs than any other industry.

   • This happened because staffing and recruiting industry is more resilient to any other industry when it comes to economic expansions and contractions.

   • The other main reason why staffing business is ever so expanding is because of exponential rise in demand of contractual workers.

   • The average tenure of an employee within staffing and recruiting industry is around about 24-36 months which is 35 to 40% higher than the average tenure of an employee within any other sector.

   • The above statistics are just few pointers which indicate what is in store

   • for people who are willing to make a career in this industry.

     
     

     Some facts about U.S.

   • It is commonly known as US, United States, America or States.

   • It is the world’s economy with a GDP of $15.11 trillion with per capita income being six highest.

   • With a diverse population ethnicity, most of the residents are Native American, Europeans, Asians and Caucasians.

   • Some of the global industry giants have their headquarters in this country like Apple, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, UPS, Google, Facebook, Boeing, Colt etc to name a few.

   • It is the home to several well-known federal agencies in the world like the FBI, NASA, White House, UN, World Bank etc.

     
     

     To know more about US Recruitment, we need to know some basics information about US now.

     
     

     Coming to USA (United States of America), It is a Country in North America. The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions.

     
     

     At 3.8 million square miles (9.8 million km2), it is the world's third or fourth-largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe. Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico. With an estimated population of over 328 million, the U.S. is the third most populous country.

     The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City.

4. Overview of United Statesof America (USA)

   
   

   USA MAP with State Names and Capitals

   In USA there are 50 States and 9 Times Zones are there.

   There are 3 different images I mentioned below, which can help you to understand better and more about the total number of States, Capitals and Short forms.

   
   

   United States Time Zones

   The United States uses Nine (9) standard time zones. From east to west they are

   1. Atlantic Standard Time (AST)

   2. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

   3. Central Standard Time (CST)

   4. Mountain Standard Time (MST)

   5. Pacific Standard Time (PST)

   6. Alaskan Standard Time (AKST)

   7. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST)

   8. Samoa standard time (UTC-11)

   9. Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10)

   
   

   The concept of Daylight Saving Time is the practice of advancing of clocks so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. In this, typically clocks are adjusted one hour forward at the start of spring and are adjusted one hour backwards near the start of autumn. Normally in US, the daylight saving is applied or starts at the last week of February and ends at the end of last week of October following

   Halloween’s day.

   Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. local time on the second Sunday in March. On the first Sunday in November areas on Daylight Saving Time return to Standard Time at 2:00 a.m. The names in each time zone change along with Daylight Saving Time.

   Eastern Standard Time (EST) becomes Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), and so forth. Arizona, Puerto Rico, Hawaii,

   U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa do not observe Daylight Saving Time.

   
   

   
   

   Below are the Total 50 States, their short forms/Codes and Capitals

   
   

   States	Codes	Capitals
   Alabama	AL	Montgomery
   Alaska	AK	Juneau
   Arizona	AZ	Phoenix
   Arkansas	AR	Little Rock
   California	CA	Sacramento
   Colorado	CO	Denver
   Connecticut	CT	Hartford
   Delaware	DE	Dover
   Florida	FL	Tallahassee
   Georgia	GA	Atlanta
   Hawaii	HI	Honolulu
   Idaho	ID	Boise
   Illinois	IL	Springfield
   Indiana	IN	Indianapolis
   Iowa	IA	Des Moines
   Kansas	KS	Topeka
   Kentucky	KY	Frankfort
   Louisiana	LA	Baton Rouge
   Maine	ME	Augusta
   Maryland	MD	Annapolis
   Massachusetts	MA	Boston
   Michigan	MI	Lansing
   Minnesota	MN	St. Paul
   Mississippi	MS	Jackson
   Missouri	MO	Jefferson City
   Montana	MT	Helena
   Nebraska	NE	Lincoln
   Nevada	NV	Carson City
   New Hampshire	NH	Concord
   New Jersey	NJ	Trenton
   New Mexico	NM	Santa Fe
   New York	NY	Albany
   North Carolina	NC	Raleigh

   
   

   North Dakota	ND	Bismarck
   Ohio	OH	Columbus
   Oklahoma	OK	Oklahoma City
   Oregon	OR	Salem

   Pennsylvania	PA	Harrisburg
   Rhode Island	RI	Providence
   South Carolina	SC	Columbia
   South Dakota	SD	Pierre
   Tennessee	TN	Nashville
   Texas	TX	Austin
   Utah	UT	Salt Lake City
   Vermont	VT	Montpelier
   Virginia	VA	Richmond
   Washington	WA	Olympia
   West Virginia	WV	Charleston
   Wisconsin	WI	Madison
   Wyoming	WY	Cheyenne

5. Recruitment Life Cycle(US)

   
   

   (To understand more I have collected few images from different sources)

   
   

   Steps in Recruiting Life Cycle

   • Client

   • Account Manager

   • Assignment of Requirement to recruiter

   • Requirement Understanding

   • Formulating Search String (Keywords, Boolean Search)

   • Calling up candidates

   • Getting updated resume

   • Checking the Quality of Resume and Matching it to the Requirement

   • Format the Resume and Submitting the resume to Account Manager

   • Account Manager consults the candidate for further clarifications, if required.

   • Resume is submitted to the client.

   • Client provides feedback / interview request.

   • Recruiter arranges the interview and confirms it with the client.

   • Closure.

     
     

     
     

     (All the above steps and procedures we are going to discuss in detail now)

     Recruitment/Staffing Company and Roles in company

   • Recruitment/Staffing Company

   • CEO/Founder

   • BDM

   • BDE

   • Account Manager

   • Team Leader

   • Sourcing Coordinator

   • Recruiter

     1. IT/Non IT Recruiters

     2. Bench Sales Recruiters

     3. OPT Recruiters

        
        

        What is a Staffing Agency?

        A staffing agency is an entity that has employees that can be hired out for temporary or long term work. A staffing agency is also referred to as an employment agency. It provides temporary workers. Some agencies are industry focused or specialized. Staffing agencies are different from placement agencies or retained search services. Placement agencies collect a fee to recruit a full-time employee. Those employees belong to the client company – not the agency.

        How Do Staffing Agencies Work? Staffing agencies conduct both the hiring and firing of employees. They also pay for the employment taxes, Medicare, Social Security, etc. The client company specifies the amount of temporary workers needed and the hourly rate. Frequently, the agency specifies the hourly rate for each worker, but it is negotiable.

        
        

        Why Hire a Staffing Agency? One would hire a staffing agency if they need employees now and they want to offset employment costs (benefits, employment taxes, etc.). There is either a time constraint or a resource contract. Some of the benefits include getting a number of employees quickly and knowing that they are qualified for the position.

        Oftentimes, agencies have run credit reports, criminal background checks, and drug tests on those employees so the client never has to worry.

        Detailed explanation about Recruiter Roles and Responsibilities

        
        

        Screen, interview, hire and repeat. That could be the shortest job description for a recruiter. But a glimpse at a recruiter’s typical agenda shows that their day-to-day tasks are not as simple as you might think.

        Here are recruiters’ top responsibilities broken down by stages of the hiring process, along with advice on how to be a successful recruiter at each stage:

        
        

        At the beginning of the hiring process:

        
        

        Meet with the hiring manager

        Intake meetings with hiring managers kick off a smooth hiring process. For an effective recruiter-hiring manager collaboration, make sure you:

        
        

        Agree on qualification criteria. Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves and decide on deal-breakers early on,

        so that you’re both on the same page.

        
        

        Communicate regularly. Whether in-person or via email, communicate during all hiring stages. Keep hiring managers updated on how many candidates you interviewed, how many you’ve qualified and when candidates complete assessments.

        
        

        Be consultative, especially to less experienced hiring managers. Offer advice on how to evaluate candidates and make sure they steer clear of illegal interview questions.

        
        

        Write job descriptions : A clear job description will attract qualified candidates and reduce the number of non- qualified applicants. To write a good job description:

        
        

        Use job description templates as an inspiration. You can customize job duties and requirements based on the scope of responsibilities of your role.

        
        

        Revisit job ads you’ve published in the past. Update old job descriptions for the same role and modify them with new tasks and benefits, if they have changed.

        
        

        Double-check role-specific terms with hiring managers. Buzzwords and jargon fail to describe what the position is about and may turn candidates off. Instead, use clear phrasing to help your audience understand the job’s requirements.

        
        

        Publish job ads: Once your job description is ready, you will need to upload your ad to job boards and your careers page. To do this, make sure you:

        Set up accounts with job boards. Enrol or renew your subscription to job boards and follow necessary guidelines for publication approval.

        
        

        Make your ads social media-friendly. Customize your job ads for posting on social media (use less text and more visual aids and link to full job description.)

        
        

        Use niche recruiting channels. Consider local job boards and industry-specific platforms to narrow down your audience, like Dribble and Stack Overflow.

        
        

        During the hiring process, Source passive candidates

        Proactive candidate sourcing brings you in front of potential hires who mightn’t be actively looking for a new job opportunity. It can also help you reduce your overall cost and time to hire. Here are some sourcing tips:

        
        

        Set aside time to source. Book timeslots in your schedule (e.g. two hours per week) to focus on candidate sourcing. Browse LinkedIn profiles, search on professional networks and craft personalized recruiting emails to potential candidates.

        
        

        Diversify your sourcing. Mix up your sourcing channels depending on the role. For example, GitHub is a good place to look for developers, while you can use Behance to evaluate designers’ portfolios.

        
        

        Invest in software that makes sourcing easy. Consider tools that help you find potential good fits online and

        manage candidates’ profiles all in one place.

        
        

        Screen resumes and applications

        Resume screening can be time-consuming, especially if you receive many applications for a role. Here’s how to

        improve your efficiency with this task:

        
        

        Use knockout questions in your application forms. They’ll help you eliminate candidates who lack minimum requirements.

        
        

        Set – and stick with – an ‘apply by’ date. Schedule a deadline for applications to be submitted by, and start reviewing them after that date. This way, you’ll resist the temptation to show favouritism toward people who applied early in the hiring process.

        
        

        Speed up the hiring process by using a mobile ATS. Review applications on the go and contact the rest of the hiring team from anywhere, so you can reach a hiring decision more quickly.

        Ask for referrals: Employee referrals help you hire faster and better. Here’s how to make the most out of your referral system:

        
        

        Get everyone involved Send a “Refer a friend” email to all employees to announce an opening and enable them to upload referred candidates’ profiles directly into your ATS.

        
        

        Offer incentives Consider implementing a referral bonus program to motivate your current employees to recommend qualified candidates.

        
        

        Cast a wider network Don’t limit your search to your existing co-workers. Ask for referrals from your external network, including clients and former colleagues.

        
        

        Interview candidates: Interviews are at the core of recruiting. They help you understand if candidates who are good on paper are also qualified for your open roles. To improve your interviewing skills:

        
        

        Come prepared with questions for each stage. Depending on your company and your role, you may be involved only in the first interview or in more interview rounds. Make sure you have appropriate interview questions for each stage that will help you understand whether your company and the candidate are a good match.

        
        

        Set aside extra time to research candidates and schedule interviews. Job interviews require more time than the actual interview duration. First, you need to schedule the interviews, then prepare for them by reviewing candidates’ applications and finally, keep notes and provide feedback to the hiring team after each interview.

        
        

        Make interview scheduling easier with email templates. If you find yourself sending similar emails to candidates to arrange or confirm interviews, use email templates to save time. Use pre-written messages with attachments when necessary (e.g. directions to your offices.)

        
        

        Prepare and send job offer letters: When the hiring manager and the CEO have made a hiring decision, it’s time to let the candidate know. Here’s how:

        
        

        Cover all the important points. A well-structured job offer email clarifies all employment terms. Include compensation and benefits, working hours and if applicable, contract length.

        
        

        Page | 18

        Be prepared for negotiations with candidates. If candidates want to negotiate their salary in the offer letter, talk to your Finance department to learn about your budget limit.

        
        

        Help the hiring manager personalize the offer. If you prefer to have your hiring manager extend the job offer, help them write the email or advise them on how to share the good news over the phone.

        
        

        At the end of the hiring process: Contact rejected candidates

        A rejection email or call mightn’t be a pleasant task, but it will go a long way towards leaving a good impression on candidates you might want to consider for future roles. A few pointers to help you reject candidates with grace:

        
        

        Customize your rejection emails based on hiring stage. If you turn down candidates after the screening phase, opt for brief yet polite messages. For candidates who reached the final stages of your hiring process, personalize your emails to maintain good relationships.

        
        

        Respond to requests for interview feedback. If candidates ask for interview feedback, explain why you didn’t select them. Stick to job-related criteria to avoid legal risks and, if applicable, suggest staying in touch for more suitable job openings in the future.

        
        

        Refer back to your interview notes. Interview scorecards will help you remember candidates’ answers and overall interview performance. This will come handy if you interview many candidates on a daily or weekly basis.

        
        

        Help on board new hires: Although the hiring manager and HR usually do the heavy lifting of on boarding, you

        can help them transition smoothly from candidate to employee. Here’s how:

        
        

        Enter the employee’s data into your HRIS. Or, provide new employees’ information (e.g. contact details, starting date, etc.) to the HR team so that they update internal databases.

        
        

        Let staff know about the new hire. Send a new hire announcement email to inform employees about their new colleague. Make sure that the IT team creates software accounts for the new hire, as needed. Also, contact the Accounting department so that they add your new hire to payroll.

        
        

        Schedule a meeting with new hires after their first week and month. Check in to see how they are adjusting to the role, whether it lined up to their expectations and get advice on how to improve recruiting processes in the future.

        Review recruiting metrics: Recruiting KPIs, like time to hire and source of hire, can reveal areas of improvement:

        
        

        Take a look into metrics two or three times per month. This will help you understand hiring trends and identify potential issues (e.g. the number of candidates for X role you evaluate in each stage.)

        
        

        Take action on trends. Simply tracking metrics is not enough. Interpret and act on data in ways that make sense for your recruiting strategy. For example, suggest re-adjusting your recruitment budget if you notice that one sourcing channel brings in more qualified candidates than others.

        
        

        Consider candidate-related metrics, too. Online reviews and candidate experience surveys can also prove insightful. Read what candidates have to say about your hiring process, as their opinions affect your employer brand.

        
        

        Build talent pipelines: Good relationships with past and potential candidates may help you fill future job openings. Here’s how to build talent pipelines for your hiring needs:

        
        

        Never stop networking. Always respond to potential candidates who reached out to you on social networks with queries about your job. And, proactively connect with people who might be good fits in the future.

        
        

        Meet people in person. Network in conferences and job fairs. These events offer you the chance to meet potential candidates and promote your company. You could also consider hosting recruitment events when you’re actively hiring.

        
        

        Create a talent pool. Keep high-potential candidates who you don’t have an immediate role for warm. Create a database of past applicants, complete with their profiles and a detailed history of your interaction, and let them know you’re going to consider them for future roles. This will come handy when you decide to contact them again.

        
        

        To become a most successful recruiter, please repeat the above procedure every time when you work on a new requirement

6. Types of VISAS for US & List of US non-immigrant and temporary visas:

   What Is Visa?

   Visa is an entry clearance certificate that is placed in a travel or passport document, which gives you permission to enter into applied country.

   
   

   Types of VISAS

   Visas are mainly classified into two major categories

   • Immigrant Visa

   • Non-immigrant Visa

     
     

     Immigrant VISA: This is for people who intend to live permanently in US. Types of Immigrant Visa

     Example - GC (Green Card): An official document issued by the US Government to alliance allowing them to work permanently in US.

     Non-immigrant VISA: This is for those people with permanent residence outside US but wish to be in US for a temporary basis- for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

     
     

     Other US Visas

     
     

     From the recruitment perspective, the following information about comparing US visas, differences between US visas and how US visas are related to employment (US TAX TERMS like 1099, w2, 1099) will help the recruiter to source profiles correctly for the client’s requirements or their own requirements. Moreover, it will help the candidates also to search the right employer and working on the correct tax term. We have provided the common visas used in IT recruitment.

     
     

     H1B: US Work Visa (Applicable to several countries). Validity Period can be extended also H1B1: For Singapore and Chile Citizens

     H4: Dependent to H1B, and H1B1. H1B Dependent Visa. Validity Period can be extended based on spouse’s visa.

     L1A: Intra Company Transfer

     
     

     L1B (L1 Blanket): Intra Company Transfer work visa L2: Dependent to L1A (with EAD, they can work) L2: Dependent to L1B (with EAD, they can work)

     F1(OPT): US Study Visa (Optical Practical Training). They will get EAD card. F1 (CPT): US Study Visa (Curricular Practical Training)

     F2: Dependent to F1

     
     

     TN: Canadian and Mexican Citizens TN1: Canadian Citizen

     TN2: Mexican Citizen TD:

     Dependent to TN E-3:

     Australian Citizens E-3D:

     Dependent of E3

     B1: Business Visa (Validity period based on visa stamping) B2: Visitor Visa (Validity period based on visa stamping) Green Card (EAD): Before getting GC, you can get EAD Green Card: Permanent residency visa

     USC: US Citizenship

     
     

     Depth analysis about all other visas

     Special category for Australian nationals who will work in a Specialty Occupation (Profession), Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21). It is called an "Australian H-1B".

     
     

     EB-5 Visa:

     Green Card for investors of $1 million or $500,000 in a "Pilot Program".

     1. Visa:

        Academic Student.

        
        

     2. Visa:

     Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     1. Visa:

        Principal Resident Representative of Recognized Foreign Government to International Organization, Staff, or Immediate Family.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Other Representative of Recognized Foreign Member Government to International Organization, or Immediate Family.

     3. Visa:

        Representative of No Recognized Non-member Foreign Government to International Organization, or Immediate Family.

     4. Visa:

        International Organization Officer or Employee, or Immediate Family.

        
        

     5. Visa:

     Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of G-1 through G-4 or Immediate Family.

     
     

     H-1B1 Visa:

     Professionals who come temporarily to the U.S. to perform a specialty occupation.

     
     

     H-1B2 Visa:

     Aliens who come temporarily to the U.S. to perform cooperative research and development projects.

     
     

     H-1B3 Visa:

     Aliens who come temporarily to the U.S. as a fashion model.

     
     

     H-1C Visa:

     Nurse coming to areas of health professional shortage.

     
     

     H-2A Visa:

     Aliens who come to the U.S. to perform agricultural labour or services of temporary or seasonal nature.

     
     

     H-2B Visa:

     Aliens who come to the U.S. not to perform agricultural labour or services but to perform work in temporary nature.

     
     

     H-2R Visa:

     Special type of H-2B visa which was temporarily provided as a way to bypass the quotas for the H-2B for individuals who had been previously issued H-2B status (enacted in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defence, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005, P.L. 109-13, 119 Stat. 231, signed into law by the President on May 11, 2005).

     
     

     H-3 Visa:

     Aliens who come to the U.S. to participate in a training program.

     H-4 Visa:

     Spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     
     

     I Visa:

     Representative of Foreign Information Media, Spouses and Child.

     
     

     1. Visa:

        Exchange Visitor.

     2. Visa:

     Exchange Visitor.

     
     

     1. Visa:

        Fiance(e) of United States Citizen.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Minor Child of Fiance(e) of U.S. Citizen.

        
        

     3. Visa:

        Spouses of a U.S. Citizen under LIFE Act.

        
        

     4. Visa:

     Children of K-3 under LIFE Act.

     
     

     L-1A Visa:

     Intracompany Transferee (Executive, Managerial) Continuing Employment with International Firm or Corporation.

     
     

     L-1B Visa:

     Intracompany Transferee (Specialized Knowledge Personnel) Continuing Employment with International Firm or Corporation.

     
     

     L-2 Visa:

     Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     1. Visa:

        Vocational Student or Other Non-academic Student.

        
        

     2. Visa:

     Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     
     

     N-8 Visa:

     Parent of an Alien Classified SK-3 Special Immigrant.

     
     

     N-9 Visa:

     Children under the age of twenty-one (21) of N-8 or of an SK-1, SK-2, or SK-4 Special Immigrant.

     
     

     NATO-1 Visa:

     Principal Permanent Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies) Resident in the U.S. and Resident Members of Official Staff; Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General, and Executive Secretary of NATO; Other Permanent NATO Officials of Similar Rank, or Immediate Family.

     
     

     NATO-2 Visa:

     Other Representative of member state to NATO (including any of Subsidiary Bodies) including Representatives, its Advisers and Technical Experts of Delegations, Members of Immediate Art. 3, 4 UST 1796 Family; Dependents of Member of a Force Entering in Accordance with the Provisions Status-of-Forces Agreement or in Accordance with the provisions of the Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters; Members of Such a Force if Issued Visas.

     
     

     NATO-3 Visa:

     Official Clerical Staff Accompanying Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies) or Immediate Family.

     
     

     NATO-4 Visa:

     Official of NATO (Other Than Those Classifiable as NATO- 1) or Immediate Family.

     
     

     NATO-5 Visa:

     Expert, Other Than NATO Officials Classifiable Under the NATO-4, Employed in Missions on Behalf of NATO, and their Dependents.

     
     

     NATO-6 Visa:

     Member of a Civilian Component Accompanying a Force Entering in Accordance with the Provisions of the NATO Status-of- Forces Agreement; Member of a Civilian Component Attached to or Employed by an Allied Headquarters Under the Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters Set Up Pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty; and their Dependents.

     NATO-7 Visa:

     Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, and NATO-6 Classes, or Immediate Family.

     
     

     O-1A Visa:

     Aliens possessing extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.

     
     

     O-1B Visa:

     Aliens of extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry.

     
     

     O-2 Visa:

     Accompanying Alien.

     
     

     O-3 Visa:

     Spouses or Children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     
     

     1. Visa:

        Athletes, Entertainment Groups and Support Personnel.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Artistic Exchange (reciprocal exchange program).

        
        

     3. Visa:

        Artistic Exchange (culturally unique program).

        
        

     4. Visa:

     Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     1. Visa:

        Participant in an International Cultural Exchange Program.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program (Walsh Visas).

     3. Visa:

     Spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     1. Visa:

        Aliens in a religious occupation.

        
        

     2. Visa:

     Spouses or Children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     
     

     1. Visa:

        Certain Aliens Supplying Critical Information Relating to a Criminal Organization or Enterprise.

     2. Visa:

        Certain Aliens Supplying Critical Information Relating to Terrorism.

        
        

     3. Visa:

     Qualified Family Member of S-5 or S-6.

     
     

     1. Visa:

        Victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Spouse of a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.

        
        

     3. Visa:

        Child of victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.

        
        

     4. Visa:

     Parent of victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons (if T-1 victim if under twenty- one (21) years of age).

     
     

     TN Visa:

     Professional Workers under NAFTA.

     
     

     TD Visa:

     Spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).

     
     

     TWOV Visa:

     Transit Without Visa Program (Passenger and Crew) SUSPENDED: this program was SUSPENDED at 11:00 a.m., Saturday August 2, 2003 (EST).

     
     

     1. Visa:

        Victim of Certain Criminal Activity.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Spouse of U-1.

     3. Visa:

        Child of U-1.

        
        

     4. Visa:

     Parent of U-1, if U-1 is under the age of twenty-one (21).

     1. Visa:

        Spouse of an LPR who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based petition (Form I- 130) which was filed prior to December 21, 2000, and has been pending for at least three years.

        
        

     2. Visa:

        Child of an LPR who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based visa petition (Form I- 130) that was filed prior to December 21, 2000, and has been pending for at least three years.

        
        

     3. Visa:

     The derivative children of a V-1 or V-2.

     
     

     TPS Visa:

     Temporary Protected Status.

     
     

     US Citizenship

     “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein there reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” - XIV Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

     -Citizenship of children by birth

     In the United States, nationality of children can derive from place of birth (i.e. jus soli) or ethnicity:

     • Birth in the U.S.: all persons born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens regardless of the status of their parents (except for children of diplomats)

     • Acquisition at birth: a child born outside the U.S. may be granted U.S. citizenship if one or both parents are U.S. citizen residents

     • Derivation through naturalization of Parents: In 2000, Congress passed the Child Citizenship Act (CCA) permitting any child under the age of eighteen (18) who is adopted by a U.S. Citizen and immigrates to the United States to be granted immediate citizenship.

       
       

       -Naturalization

       Naturalization: Process by which U.S. citizenship is conferred upon a foreign national after complying with the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

       
       

       What are the requirements for administrative naturalization?

     • Be a lawful permanent resident

     • Be eighteen (18) years of age or older

     • Residence and physical presence: reside continuously in the U.S. for at least five years (or three years for permanent residence obtained through marriage to a U.S. citizen) prior to filing

     • Be capable to speak, read and write in English

     • A knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the U.S. History as well as the principles and form of the U.S. government

     • Attachment to the principles of U.S. Constitution

     • Good moral character (alien showing he/she has never been convicted of murder or aggravated felony for five years or three years for an applicant married to a U.S. citizen or one (1) year for an applicant serving in the U.S. Armed Forces prior filing)

     • Oath of Allegiance: an applicant shall swear to:

       Support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States

       
       

       Renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title

       Bear arms for the U.S. Armed Forces or perform services for the U.S. government when necessary.

       
       

       After acquiring U.S. Citizenship, you are granted the following rights:

     • The right to obtain a U.S. passport

     • The right to vote in the U.S. elections

     • The right to participate in federal programs like Social Security

     • The right to qualify for some security clearances.

       Green Card

       The Lawful Permanent Residence (“Green Card”) allows an immigrant, i.e. a foreign national, to live and work permanently in the United States.

       A multi-step procedure

       To become an immigrant, you must go through a multi-step process:

     • An immigrant petition filed either by a relative or an employer must be approved by the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).

       
       

       How to become an immigrant through a relative? Preference Categories:

       Foreign nationals who want to become immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. Regarding the immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, i.e. spouses, parents, and unmarried children under the age of twenty-one (21), an immigrant visa number will become immediately available.

       However, the relatives in the remaining categories must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available according to the following preferences:

     • First preference: Unmarried sons and daughters (twenty-one (21) years old or older) of

       U.S. citizens.

     • Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents, their unmarried children (under twenty-one), and the unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.

     • Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens.

     • Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. Citizens.

     Once the immigrant visa number is available, he/she may adjust status if in the U.S.

     1. If the sponsor is a U.S. Citizen, he or she may petition for:

        • Parent (immediate relative category)

        • Husband or wife (immediate relative category)

        • Unmarried child under 21(immediate relative category)

        • Unmarried son or daughter over 21

        • Married son or daughter of any age

        • Brother or sister, if the sponsor is at least twenty-one (21) years old.

     2. If the sponsor is a lawful permanent resident, he or she may petition for:

        • Husband or wife

        • Unmarried son or daughter of any age.

          How to become an immigrant through employment?

          Five categories based upon employment allow foreign nationals to be granted lawful permanent residence. EB-1: Priority Workers: Extraordinary Ability or Managers and Executives transferred to the U.S. branch:

        • Aliens who possess extraordinary abilities (nationally or internationally recognized) in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics

        • Aliens who are managers or executives of a U.S. branch

        • Aliens who are exceptional researchers or professors.

          
          

          EB-2: Professionals with advanced degrees or persons with exceptional abilities:

        • Aliens "who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business and who are advanced will substantially benefit the national economy, cultural, or educational interests or welfare of the United States."

        • Aliens who have advanced degrees.

          
          

          EB-3: Professional, Skilled and Unskilled Workers:

        • Professionals with a baccalaureate degree

        • Skilled workers with at least two (2) years of experience

        • Others workers with less than two (2) years of experience.

          
          

          EB-4: Special Immigrants:

        • Priest of a religious denomination

        • Religious workers.

     
     

     EB-5: Investors:

     Pursuant to the section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8

     U.S.C. § 1153(B)(5), ten thousand (10,000) immigrant visas are granted annually to qualified persons who are engaged in a new commercial company. Five thousand (5,000) visas out of the ten thousand (10,000) visas are granted to persons who apply under a pilot program involving a designed “Regional Centre”.

     
     

     Purpose of Travel	Visa Category
     Athlete, amateur or professional (competing for prize money only)	B-1
     Au pair (exchange visitor)	J
     Australian professional specialty	E-3
     Border Crossing Card: Mexico	BCC
     Business visitor	B-1
     CNMI-only transitional worker	CW-1
     Crewmember	D
     Diplomat or foreign government official	A
     Domestic employee or nanny	B-1
     Employee of a designated international organization or NATO	G1-G5, NATO

     
     

     Exchange visitor	J
     Foreign military personnel stationed in the United States	A-2 NATO1-6

     Foreign national with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics	O
     Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Professional: Chile, Singapore	H-1B1 – Chile H- 1B1 – Singapore
     International cultural exchange visitor	Q
     Intra-company transferee	L
     Medical treatment (visitor for medical treatment)	B-2
     Media, journalist	I
     NAFTA professional worker: Mexico, Canada	TN/TD
     Performing athlete, artist, entertainer	P
     Physician	J , H-1B
     Professor, scholar, teacher (exchange visitor)	J
     Religious worker	R
     Specialty occupations in fields requiring highly specialized knowledge	H-1B
     Student: academic, vocational	F, M
     Temporary agricultural worker	H-2A
     Temporary worker performing other services or labour of a temporary or seasonal nature.	H-2B
     Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitor	B-2
     Training in a program not primarily for employment	H-3
     Treaty trader/treaty investor	E
     Transiting the United States	C
     Victim of Criminal Activity	U
     Victim of Human Trafficking	T
     Non-immigrant (V) Visa for Spouse and Children of a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)	V
     Renewals in the U.S. – A, G, and NATO Visas

     
     

     The chart below contains different purposes for immigrating to the United States, and the related immigrant visa categories for which information is available.

     Select a visa category below to learn more:

     Immediate Relative & Family Sponsored	Visa Category
     Spouse of a U.S. Citizen	IR1, CR1
     Spouse of a U.S. Citizen awaiting approval of an I-130 immigrant petition	K-3 *
     Fiancé(e) to marry U.S. Citizen & live in U.S.	K-1 *
     Intercountry Adoption of Orphan Children by U.S. Citizens	IR3, IH3, IR4, IH4
     Certain Family Members of U.S. Citizens	IR2, CR2, IR5, F1, F3, F4
     Certain Family Members of Lawful Permanent Residents	F2A, F2B
     Employer Sponsored – Employment
     Employment-Based Immigrants, including their preference group number (in square brackets): Priority workers [First] Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees and Persons of Exceptional Ability [Second] Professionals and Other Workers [Third] Certain Special Immigrants: [Fourth] Employment Creation/Investors [Fifth]	E1 E2 E3, EW SD, SR, SE, SQ, SI T5, C5
     Religious Workers	SD, SR
     Iraqi and Afghan Translators/Interpreters	SI
     Iraqis Who Worked for/on Behalf of the U.S. Government	SQ
     Afghans Who Worked for/on Behalf of the U.S. Government	SQ
     Other Immigrants
     Diversity Immigrant Visa	DV
     Returning Resident	SB

7. Employment Authorization Document(EAD) Codes

   EAD, or employment authorization document, is a document issued by USCIS that allows people who already hold a US visa to work legally in the US. The H-1B visa allows a highly qualified individual who holds a job offer from a US company to live and work in the US.

   Agencies verifying eligibility of applicants for benefits are frequently presented with an I-766 Employment Authorization Document (EAD). To assist agencies in determining the applicant’s eligibility, the following chart contains many of the EAD category codes and the provisions of the federal regulations to which they refer. The category code, found on the face of the EAD (see image, below), refers to the section of 8 CFR 274a.12 that is the basis for issuing the EAD. For example, the alien classification code “A03” refers to 8 CFR 274a.12(a)(3), which addresses refugees. The EAD Code Definition provides information regarding what categories of aliens or classes of admission (COA) fall under the particular EAD code. Please also refer to the document entitled “Class of Admission (COA) Tables” located in online resources for additional information about categories of aliens.

   I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

   
   

   
   

   EAD Code	EAD Code Definition
   A02	A lawful temporary resident pursuant to sections 245A or 210 of the INA
   A03	Refugee
   A04	Paroled as refugee
   A05	Asylee (granted asylum)
   A06
   A07
   A08	Citizen of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands or Palau admitted as a nonimmigrant
   A09
   A10	Granted Withholding of Deportation or Removal
   A11	Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
   A12	Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted under 8 CFR 244.12
   A13	IMMACT Family Unity beneficiary (Section 301 of the Immigration Act of 1990)
   A14	LIFE Act Family Unity beneficiary (Section 1504 of the Legal Immigrant Family Equity (LIFE) Act Amendments)

   • K-1 nonimmigrant fiancé(e) of U.S. citizen (USC)

   • K-2 child of K-1

   • N-8 Parent of international organization employee granted permanent residence

   • N-9 Dependent Child of international organization employee granted permanent residence

   • K-3 nonimmigrant spouse of USC

   • K-4 child of K-3

   
   

   A15

   • V-1 Spouse of Lawful Permanent Resident

   • V-2 Minor unmarried child of Lawful Permanent Resident

   • V-3 Minor unmarried child of V-1 or V-2

   A16	T-1 nonimmigrant (victims of severe form of trafficking)
   A17
   A18	L-2 spouse of an L-1 intracompany transfer (L-1: Individuals in the U.S. who have been transferred from a subsidiary, affiliate, or branch office overseas to the U.S. to work in an executive, managerial or specialized knowledge capacity
   A19	U-1 nonimmigrant (victims of certain criminal activity)
   A20
   C01	Dependent of A-1 or A-2 foreign government official
   C02	Dependent of TECRO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office) E-1 nonimmigrant
   C03A	Pre-completion OPT F-1 students
   C03B	Post-completion OPT F-1 students
   C03C	17 month extension for Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) OPT students
   C03(ii)	F-1 student offered off-campus employment under the Sponsorship of Qualifying International Organization
   C03(iii)	F-1 student seeking off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship
   C04	Spouse or unmarried dependent child of G-1, G-3 or G-4 nonimmigrant (Representative of International Organization and their dependents)
   C05	J-2 spouse or minor child of a J-1 exchange visitor
   C06	M-1 student seeking practical training after completing studies
   C07	Dependent of NATO-1 through NATO-7 nonimmigrant
   C08	Asylum applicant (w/ pending asylum application) who filed for asylum on or after January 4, 1995
   C09	Adjustment of status applicant
   C10

   • Spouse of E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader/Investor

   • Spouse of E-3 specialty occupation professional from Australia

   • U-2 spouse of U-1 aliens

   • U-3 children of U-1 aliens

   • U-4 parents of minor U-1 aliens (16 or under)

   • U-5 unmarried sibling under age 18 of U-1 alien under age 21

   • Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) section 203 applicants Applicant for suspension of deportation

   • Applicant for cancellation of removal

   
   

   C11	An alien paroled into the United States in the public interest or temporarily for emergency reasons
   C12	Spouse of an E-2 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) investor; eligible for employment in the CNMI only
   C14	Alien granted deferred action

   C16	Registry applicant based on continuous residence since January 1, 1972
   C17(i)	B-1 nonimmigrant who is the personal or domestic servant of a nonimmigrant employer
   C17(ii)	B-1 nonimmigrant domestic servant of a U.S. citizen
   C17(iii)	B-1 nonimmigrant employed by foreign airline
   C18	Alien with a final order of deportation/order of supervision;
   C19	Temporary Protected Status applicant under 8 CFR 244.5
   C20	Alien who has filed a completed legalization application for special agricultural workers
   C22	Alien who has filed a completed legalization application under INA 245A
   C24	LIFE legalization applicant
   C25
   C31
   C33	Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

   • T-2 spouse of T-1, victim of trafficking

   • T-3 child of T-1

   • T-4 parent of T-1 (if T-1 is under age 21)

   • Principal beneficiary of an approved VAWA self- petition

   • Qualified child of a beneficiary of an approved VAWA self- petition

   • An alien who has been granted Deferred Action for

8. StudentVisa- F1 / CPT / OPT

   
   

   What is an F1 visa?

   
   

   An F1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for those wishing to study in the U.S. You must file an F1 visa application if you plan on entering the US to attend a university or college, high school, private elementary school, seminary, conservatory, language training program, or other academic institution.

   
   

   There are a few exceptions, but in general anyone who intends to stay in the USA to study or live must obtain either a temporary or immigrant visa by the US Department of State. If you wish to study in the USA, you will most typically be issued a non- immigrant visa called an F1 (F2 for dependents) and can choose to attend one school types that are listed above.

   
   

   How Do You Get an F1 Visa?

   The F1 visa process is relatively simple but can be time consuming, so it’s important to start this process as soon as possible to ensure that any delays won’t affect your education. Perhaps one of the lengthiest steps towards becoming an international student can be applying to a US school that has been approved by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). It’s also important to keep in mind that while there are many great institutions across the country, not all are equipped to handle international students and the administration that is required, so it’s important to verify that the school you would like to attend is approved well before filling out any applications, writing any essays or providing references.

   
   

   After receiving acceptance by the school of your choice, you will be officially enrolled into the SEVP and are required to pay a one-time application fee. After all fees are

   paid and your account is in good standing, what is called an “I-20” form will be provided by your institution or educational program. This form will allow you to schedule an interview appointment with a local US embassy or consulate to be granted an F1 visa and officially become an international student!

   F1 Visa Qualifications

   Specific instructions for how to apply for your F1 visa will be listed on the website of the US embassy or consulate that you plan on visiting, but regardless of where your visa appointment may take place you will need to provide the same kind of documents and address the same kinds of questions.

   
   

   In order to qualify and as part of the F1 visa interview process, potential international students will need to prove the following:

   
   

   Official Residency in a Foreign Country and Intentions to Return Home

   Upon graduation it’s imperative that the international student plans on returning back to their home country. If an interviewer can tell that your intentions are to become a permanent resident of the United States, your visa will more than likely be denied. The intention a student visas is to further educate yourself and then bring your newfound knowledge back to your country of citizenship, not to remain in the US.

   Admission to an Approved School

   During your interview it is also imperative that you can prove acceptance by a US institution or language school previously approved by the SEVP.

   Sufficient Financial Support

   F1 visa holders must be equipped to cover their living and study expenses while in the US, as legal employment opportunities will be limited.

   Ties to Your Home Country

   Another important part of an F1 visa interview is proving strong ties to your home country, including family, job offers, bank accounts or other assets.

   Working on an F1 Visa

   Keep in mind that dependents of an F-1 visa holder - those with an F-2 visa - are not eligible for employment.

   It’s essential to remember that F1 visas are intended for full-time students and are not designed as work visas. With this in mind, international students are typically able to work 20 hours a week on campus when school is in session and full-time while school is in recess, but you may need to seek approval from the Department of Homeland Security and the International Office at your school first. Working illegally while on an F1 visa is a serious violation of the regulations, and could result in deportation.

   
   

   Additionally, F1 visa holders are eligible to apply for permission to work off campus for up to 12 months. This permission is called Optional Practical Training (OPT) and allows F1 students to train, and thus work, in a field that is related to their field of

   study. For more information, be sure to contact an international student advisor at your school, but OPT is traditionally used in the following situations:

   
   

   • part-time work during the F-1 student’s studies,

   • full-time work during periods of recess, or

   • after graduation in a field related to the program of study.

     
     

     Transferring Schools with an F1 Visa: Students on an F1 visa are required to study at the academic institution through which their visa application was filed and granted. However, in some situations international students are able to transfer institutions if the student completes or leaves their current program with confirmed plans to study at a different US institution the following academic semester.

     Returning Home: Students are not required to immediately return home upon completion of their program on an F1 visa. Instead, F-1 visa holders can remain in the US for up to 60 days after completing their academic program or OPT training. Any students wishing to remain in the States after their program must change their visa status, re-enrol in a higher program, or have the option to transfer to a new school and receive new visa documents.

     
     

     If you have any questions about the visa process, an academic advisor at your school can often be a great resource. In terms of ensuring you have adequate health insurance for your studies in the United States, be sure to contact us for plan suggestions and guidance.

     
     

     Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for F-1 Students

   • Overview

   • Types of CPT

   • Part-Time vs. Full-Time CPT

   • Eligibility Criteria

   • CPT During Final Term

   • Documentation Needed to Apply

   • Detailed Training Description

   • How to Apply for CPT

   • U.S. Department of Homeland Security Address Notification Requirement

   • CPT and Unpaid Internships

   • CPT Online Certification Course

     Overview

     If you wish to accept employment off-campus, you should pursue Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT is defined as employment which is an integral part of an established curriculum, including: “alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.” Source: [8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)]. CPT is available only prior to the completion of your degree program and you must have a job offer at the time of application. CPT employment may not delay completion of the academic program.

     Students must maintain full-time enrolment during fall and winter CPT. Full-time enrolment is 12 credit hours for undergraduate students, 8 credit hours for graduate students and 6 credit hours for Graduate Student Instructors and Graduate Student Research Assistants. Please note that Rackham 998 course is only 1 credit hour and is NOT an equivalent of full-time enrolment.

     The full-time enrolment requirement means that most students have to limit their CPT during the academic year to local jobs or to working for their employer remotely, usually on a part-time basis. There are some exceptions, notably PhD students who have completed all their coursework and are now registered for dissertation/research hours only. However, such exceptions are rare. Although full-time CPT is allowed during the fall and winter semesters, the full-time enrolment requirement makes employment outside of the Ann Arbour area highly impractical in most situations.

     Types of CPT

     There are two types of CPT: required and optional. Required CPT is when the academic program mandates practical work experience for all students in order to graduate. Optional CPT is work experience directly related to your field of study that is not required.

     
     

     Requirements for Non-Required CPT

     You must be enrolled in a CPT course. Designated CPT course are set up and approved by the U-M Office of the Registrar. See the list of List of Required Internships and CPT Courses for Optional Internships.

     Notes regarding CPT course enrolment:

     If your CPTemploymenttakesplaceduringwinter or fall term, youmust be registeredfor the CPT course during that term.

     If your CPT employment takes place during the spring/summer term, you may register either in the preceding winter term or during the spring/summer term.

     If your CPT employment takes place in both winter term and the following spring/summer term, you must register for the CPT course for both winter and spring/summer terms.

     Be aware that adding a CPT course may have an impact on your tuition and fees. Failure to complete the CPT course will result in your falling out of legal F-1 status. You must have declared a major.

     Students who are engaged in thesis/dissertation work and have finished their coursework are still eligible for CPT, only if the CPT is an integral part of their thesis/dissertation or research.

     Students are expected to maintain physical presence on campus during fall and winter terms.

     
     

     Part-Time vs. Full-Time CPT

     Part-time CPT: Employment for 20 hours or less per week is considered part-time. You must be simultaneously enrolled in classes full-time and be physically present on campus in order to maintain lawful F-1 status during fall and winter terms.

     Full-time CPT: Employment for more than 20 hours per week is full-time. Please be aware that 12 months or more of full- time CPT will eliminate your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT). During fall and winter terms, you must be enrolled full-time or have an approved Reduced Course Load (RCL).

     Eligibility Criteria

     To be eligible for CPT, you must: Have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one academic year (i.e. two full consecutive terms) unless your academic program requires immediate participation for all students.

   • Be in lawful F-1 status

   • Have U-M approved health insurance

   • Have a job offer

   • Not be enrolled in an intensive English language training program

     NOTE: CPT is processed and authorized term by term. Contact your academic department regarding your department's specific guidelines and follow those guidelines for CPT applications. Please note that your department has discretion in recommending CPT.

     CPT During Final Term

     During your final term of study, you must be enrolled at the University of Michigan and physically present on campus in Ann Arbor in order to comply with F-1 requirements. If you are enrolled part-time because you do not need a full course load to complete your remaining degree requirements, you must receive Reduced Course Load (RCL)& authorization from the International Centre.

     If you are in compliance with these enrolment and physical presence requirements, then you may pursue CPT during your final term of study. Please note that the latest possible end date for CPT authorization during the final term of study is the last day of classes (before Study Days and Examinations), as listed on the official U-M Academic Calendar.

     Documentation Needed to Apply

   • CPT Authorization Request Form

   • CPT Online Workshop Completion Email

   • Academic/Faculty Advisor Recommendation Form for CPT

   • If you are a Graduate Student (Master’s and PhD non-candidates) taking Rackham 998, your advisor must complete Part 1 and Part 2.

   • If you are a PhD Candidate, your advisor must complete Part 1 and Part 3. Additionally, your advisor must write an official letter recommending you for CPT and detail how the work is integral to your dissertation research.

   • Detailed training description from your company/employer meeting all criteria outlined below

   • Photocopy of your current I-20

   • Print out of your current I-94 or photocopy of paper I-94

   • Print out of your unofficial transcript from Wolverine Access showing CPT course enrolment

   • Please ensure all documents are complete- the IC will not accept invalid or incomplete CPT applications.

     Detailed Training Description

     Your employer or company must officially offer you a training opportunity. Ask your employer to write a Detailed Training Description. It must:

   • Be written on the company's letterhead

   • Be addressed to you

   • Include job title

   • Provide a detailed job description (at least a few sentences describing specific duties, tasks, goals, etc.)

   • Specify the street address where employment will take place (street, city, state, and zip code). If you will work remotely, the letter should specify this and list the company’s physical address.

   • Specify number of hours per week you will work

   • Specify start and end dates of CPT employment (keep in mind that CPT can only be authorized one term at a time).

   • A standard job offer letter may not contain the required information. We recommend your employer uses this sample Detailed Training Description. Please ensure your Detailed Training Description contains all details. If your current offer letter is missing only 1 or 2 details, we may accept one printed e-mail, addressed to you, directly from your employer containing the missing details.

     How to Apply for CPT

     Planhead. CPT authorization takes 1-2 weeks for the IC to process and requires several documents that may take you time to compile.

     Take the CPT Online Certification Course and print your CPT Online Workshop Completion Email Speak with your company/employer and obtain a Detailed Training Description

     Meet with your Academic or Faculty Advisor to discuss your CPT plans in detail. Show your advisor the Detailed Training Description, if they believe the training is integral to your curriculum, they may recommend you for CPT by completing the Academic/Faculty Advisor Recommendation Form. Your advisor may also help you enroll in a Registrar Designated CPT course (if applicable).

     Gather all required documentation. You may submit your CPT I-20 Request at the IC front desk (if you have NO questions). You must bring all required documents. The IC will not accept invalid or incomplete CPT applications.

     An International Student and Scholar Advisor will review your CPT application. If all requirements are met, the advisor will approve your CPT and create a CPT I-20 showing this approval. Normal processing time is 1-2 weeks. Expect processing time to be 2 full weeks during peak request times such as April, September and January.

     You will receive an e-mail once your CPT I-20 is ready. No work, paid or unpaid, may take place until your CPT I-20 is printed.

     Be sure to sign and date your CPT I-20 and keep all I-20s permanently in your personal files.

     If any details of your training opportunity change, please e-mail documentation verifying the changes to icenter@umich.edu so that we may update your CPT accordingly.

     U.S. Department of Homeland Security Address Notification Requirement

     You are required to update your address in Wolverine Access within 10 days of any change while you are in F-1 status.

     CPT and Unpaid Internships

     It is not uncommon for students to confuse unpaid internships with volunteering (and therefore conclude that no work authorization is necessary for engaging in an unpaid internship). However, there is a difference between volunteering and engaging in an unpaid internship. Volunteering refers to donatingtimewith an organizationwhose primarypurpose is charitable or humanitarian in nature, without remuneration or any other type of compensation. For more information about volunteering please see “Employment vs. Volunteering” section on the IC web site. Internships, both paid and unpaid, are primarily offered by the private sector and related to the intern’s major field of study. The

     U.S. Department of Labour has guidelines for those seeking an unpaid internship: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm

     The following six criteria must be met for an internship to be considered a legitimate unpaid internship (and not employment below minimum wage, in violation of Department of Labour laws):

   • The internship, even though it includes actual operation on the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;

   • The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;

   • The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;

   • Theemployer thatprovides thetraining derives no immediateadvantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

   • The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and

   • The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship

     
     

     Do F-1 students need CPT authorization to participate in unpaid internship?

     CPT authorization is strongly recommended for all unpaid internships, whether the student does or does not need to provide employment authorization documents to the company.

     The F-1 regulations are written in such a way that CPT is an authorization to do practical training as part of the curriculum for the academic program, and as such is significant in more ways than simply for the employer to verify employment eligibility. CPT authorization is more than just permission to get paid.

     You should have CPT authorization for unpaid internships for the following reasons:

   • CPT authorization by the university serves to demonstrate that this practical experience is part of the curriculum.

   • CPT authorization is a way of reporting in SEVIS the student's activity, employment, and location where they are working and therefore maintaining their status.

   • If ever a student is doing a job on an unpaid basis that someone would be hired and paid for, employment authorization in the form of CPT, OPT, etc. is advised.

   • If the unpaid internship at some point changes into apaid one (or if your employer decides to compensate you for your work in any way – for example, give you a monetary gift), you won’t be able to accept the payment if your internship was not authorized as CPT.

   • Please keep in mind that F-1 students cannot be retroactively remunerated or in any way compensated for work done in an unpaid internship if they did not obtain work authorization prior to when the work was performed.

     Based on the above, we recommend that you apply for CPT authorization if you have an internship offer (paid or unpaid) that meets CPT eligibility criteria.

     If the position is unpaid and for some reason it is not possible for you to obtain CPT authorization, please make sure that your prospective supervisor is aware of U.S. Department of Labour regulations concerning unpaid internships and that you have assurances (preferably written) to that effect before you accept the position. We also recommend that at the end of your internship you ask your employer to provide you with a letter confirming that there was no remuneration or any othertype of compensation provided in any formduring the datesyouwereparticipating in theinternship. Pleasekeep such a letter for your permanent records.

     Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students

     Optional Practical Training(OPT) is aperiodduringwhichundergraduateandgraduate studentswith F-1 status whohave completed or have been pursuing their degrees for one academic year are permitted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work for one year on a student visa towards getting practical training to complement their education.

     On April 2, 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoffannounced a 17-month extension to the OPT for students in qualifying STEM fields. To be eligible for the 12-month permit, any degree in any field of studies is valid. For the 17-month OPT extension, a student must have received a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degree as listed on the USCIS website.

     On May 31, 2008, the Immigration Reform Law Institute filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of various organizations and individuals challenging the validity of the 17 month OPT extension. A similar lawsuit in November 2014 challenging the STEM extension was successful, with the Court giving the US government up to February 12, 2016 to formulate new rules. The deadline was subsequently extended by three months.

     On March 11, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule allowing certain F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees, and who meet other specified requirements, to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion OPT, giving STEM graduates a total of 36 months of OPT. The 24-month extension will replace the 17-month STEM OPT extension previously available to STEM students (see 73 FR 18944). Eligible students may begin applying for a 24-month STEM OPT extension on May 10, 2016.

     There also exists a post-completion Optional Practical Training option for students on M-1 visas, but it is significantly more restrictive than that for F-1 students. Unless otherwise specified, Optional Practical Training is understood to refer to Optional Practical Training for F-1 students.

     Information in this section relates to standard Optional Practical Training (OPT). The following sections describe in detail the requirements for each level of the application process:

   • Applying for Optional Practical Training

   • OPT Online Workshop

   • After You Have Applied for Optional Practical Training

   • While You Are On Optional Practical Training

   • OPT STEM Extension

   • CAP GAP

   The following information is a short description and general criteria to consider before applying for OPT.

   Definition

   OPT is defined in the Federal Regulations as temporary employment directly related to a student's field of study. During OPT, a student remains in F-1 status. The end result of the OPT request process is an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS).

   Eligibility Criteria

   To be eligible for OPT, the student must: Be in legal F-1 immigration status

   Be a full-time student for at least one academic year Have U-M approved health insurance

   Note: Post-completion OPT applications are typically denied by USCIS if the Level of Education indicated in item #4 on the I-20 is “non-degree.”

   Maximum Length

   The standard OPT period is a cumulative maximum of 12 months. Part-time OPT is deducted from the 12-month limit at 50%.

   An F-1 may become eligible for another 12 months of OPT if he/she advances to a higher educational level. Some students may be eligible for an extension of their OPT based on a STEM degree.

   What is the Difference Between OPT and CPT?

   One of the most commonly asked questions by international students is, Can I Work in the USA While Studying? Fortunately, the answer is yes, but with some limitations.

   International students are allowed to work off-campus after completing their first academic year through specific programs. Two of those programs are Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training.

   Optional Practical Training (OPT)

   Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a program that temporarily allows international students with an F-1 visa in the United States to work up to 12 months in relation to their major of study. F-1 visa students are eligible for OPT after completing their first academic year. OPT can be completed both before or after completing your studies, but it’s important to remember that you are only allowed to work 12 months total.

   International students with an F-1 visa who have completed degrees in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are eligible for a 17-month extension for post-graduation completion of OPT employment. Beginning May 10th, 2016 students may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-graduation OPT employment. This will replace the 17-month extension.

   Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

   Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a program that temporarily allows international students with an F-1 visa to gain practical experience directly related to their major through employment, paid or unpaid internships, or cooperative (co-op) education. It must be part of an established curriculum. CPT must be completed before graduating. In addition, CPT can be part-time (20 hours or less a week) or full time (20 hours or

   more a week). Although, if you work full-time for 12 months in CPT, you will lose your eligibility for OPT.

   1. What’s the Difference Between OPT and CPT?

      The major difference between OPT and CPT is the time period in which you are eligible for these programs and the type of work allowed in each program. OPT can be completed before or after graduation, while CPT must be completed before graduation. CPT employment is part of your major curriculum that allows students to work in a paid or unpaid internship, practicum, or cooperative (co-op) education program. CPT must be required by your major and if it not, you must receive course credit. Only certain employers participate in CPT. Alternately, OPT is not employer specific and allows work, not an internship or co-op, and you do not need to earn course credit.

      Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

      • Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a program that temporarily allows international students with an F-1 visa to gain practical experience directly related to their major through employment, paid or unpaid internships, or cooperative (co-op) education.

      • It must be part of an established curriculum. CPT must be completed before graduating.

      • In addition, CPT can be part-time (20 hours or less a week) or full time (20 hours or more a week). Although, if you work full-time for 12 months in CPT, you will lose your eligibility for OPT.

        
        

        Optional Practical Training (OPT)

      • Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a program that temporarily allows international students with an F-1 visa in the United States to work up to 12 months in relation to their major of study.

      • F-1 visa students are eligible for OPT after completing their first academic year. OPT can be completed both before or after completing your studies, but it’s important to remember that you are only allowed to work 12 months total.

      • International students with an F-1 visa who have completed degrees in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are eligible for a 24-month extension (total 36-months) for post- graduation completion of OPT employment.

        
        

   2. What’s the Difference Between OPT and CPT?

      The major difference between OPT and CPT is the time period in which you are eligible for these programs and the type of work allowed in each program. OPT can be

      completed before or after graduation, while CPT must be completed before graduation. CPT employment is part of your major curriculum that allows students to work in a paid or unpaid internship, practicum, or cooperative (co-op) education program. CPT must be required by your major and if it not, you must receive course credit. Only certain employers participate in CPT. Alternately, OPT is not employer specific and allows work, not an internship or co-op, and you do not need to earn course credit.

      
      

   3. Difference Between OPT and CPT

      International students on F-1 visa have two options to work in the US. They are:

      
      

      • Optional Practical Training (OPT)

      • Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

   
   

   However, there are some differences between OPT and CPT, which a student on F1 visa must know before getting started.

   
   

   Optional Practical Training (OPT) Vs Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

   
   

   Optional Practical Training (OPT)	Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
   OPT is a temporary authorization offered to students on F-1 visa to work on their related field for a period of total 12 months.	CPT is a temporary work authorization provided to the students on F-1 visa, which is directly related to their majors for period of total 12 months.
   OPT Eligibility Requirement: The students must have been pursuing their course full-time for at least one full academic year.	CPT Eligibility Requirement: If the students complete their full-time CPT for a period of 12 months then they would be no longer eligible for OPT. Besides, the students must have been enrolled full time for at least one academic year.
   OPT in order to receive OPT authorization, students do not require any employment or job offer.	CPT: While applying for CPT, students require a job or employment offer.
   OPT program has two variants— Pre- completion OPT and Post-completion OPT. Students can pursue OPT while	CPT is for total 12 months and it can be either full-time or part time.

   
   

   there still on their academics with Pre- completion OPT. And, with Post- completion OPT students can start their OPT after their graduation.

   Students require OPT to work for a total period of 12 months (Pre or Post Completion OPT). Yet, students have an option to extend their OPT for another 17 months with STEM OPT extension; this is only applicable to certain majors.	Having CPT to work, students can be on job for a total period of 12 months. But, students will not have option to work on OPT once they complete their 12 month CPT.
   With OPT, students’ employment experience must be related to their majors or field of study and it doesn’t have to be a part of their academic curriculum.	With CPT, students’ employment experience must be directly related to their major or field of study. Plus, it must be a part of students’ curriculum; this implies, students’ employment experience must offer credits in their curriculum.
   OPT students can work part-time when University/ college is in term; during vacation students can work full-time.	CPT students can work part-time when University/College is in term; during off- session, students can work full-time.
   Students on OPT can work with any employer across the US as long as their OPT Jobs are related to their field of study.	Students on CPT can work only with employers those are on Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and I-20 list.

9. MSP&VMS

   
   

   What is MSP or VMS in staffing?

   What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and Vendor Management System (VMS) in staffing? If you work as a recruiter, contractor or hiring manager in staffing, you are bound to come across these terms.

   
   

   Defined: MSP, VMS

   Managed Service Provider (MSP): An outsourced agency that interfaces between a third-party supplier such as a staffing agency, online marketplace, or SOW supplier, and enterprise managers searching for talent.

   Vendor Management System (VMS): A software system—which is typically cloud- based—that helps facilitate the process of contingent worker procurement and management.

   
   

   What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?

   Businesses often turn to a third-party supplier such as a staffing agency, online marketplace, or SOW supplier when looking for independent contractors. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) acts as an outsourced agency that interfaces between the third-party supplier and the client’s enterprise managers in need of talent.

   With hopes of eliminating the administrative burden of finding, engaging, and managing independent workers, many companies rely entirely on MSPs to set up and manage their independent contractor engagement program. MSPs are geared towards a complex supply chain for enterprises, delivering value when it comes to reducing the cost of sales and providing compliance and consistency for managers. But when it comes to engaging an independent contractor—a supply chain of one—the scalability of a MSP can be a bit of a mismatch. MSPs are simply better suited to supporting a large supply chain rather than dealing with an individual.

   
   

   What is a Vendor Management System (VMS)?

   A Vendor Management System (VMS) is a software system—typically cloud-based— that helps facilitate the process of contingent worker procurement and management. A VMS can collect requisitions from managers, automate transactions, and facilitate on boarding. A VMS stores and collects all this data, along with metrics such as spend tracking, candidate information, and payroll and invoicing, to help companies better manage their workforce.

   A VMS is typically used to manage independent talent either by a company directly or by an MSP team on behalf of their client. Whereas an MSP is backed by people and supported by technology, a VMS refers to the technology used to engage and manage talent. The MSP may own a VMS or the client may use their own software. Keeping workforce data and metrics in a central, digital location helps to automate labour- intensive tasks such as time tracking and invoicing.

   
   

   A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is an outsourced agency that manages the contingent worker program (temporary staffing) of a client company (typically a Fortune 1000 company like Coca Cola or Citibank) by managing its preferred staffing agencies. It consists of a team of program managers and coordinators that help the client company source and manage temporary workers from their preferred staffing agencies.

   
   

   A Vendor Management System (VMS) is merely the software/website that the client company purchases or licenses to enable the MSP to run the contingent worker program by allowing all transactions to happen online. This involves distribution of temp requirements (reqs) to staffing agencies, collection of candidate submissions, interview scheduling and coordination, job offers, billing and timecards, etc.

   
   

   What's the difference between MSP and VMS?

   A MSP (Managed Service Provider) is a service provider which functions as an outsourcing option for all HR activities concerning recruitment, hiring, contracting, on boarding, off boarding, etc. A MSP continues to establish personal contacts between the client and its workforce suppliers.

   A VMS (Vendor Management System) is a web-based application that’s acts as a mechanism for business to procure and manage Contingent Workforce. It supports companies in structuring and optimizing all processes related to working with Contingent Workforce. VMS is a software tool that optimizes all processes concerning sourcing, contracting, tracking and invoicing for contingent workforce. Any company seeking to optimize these processes can make use of a VMS. In addition, service firms such as MSP’s, commonly make use of a VMS to focus on strategy instead of operational handlings. Next to that, it makes the relationship between a company and its suppliers tangible.

   A VMS is a modern digital solution to tackle some common challenges regarding contingent workforce staffing:

   • Staying competitive in a rapid changing market with a need for contingent workforce.

   • Growing share of Contingent Workforce continues to increase operational challenges related to managing these workers.

   • It is increasingly complex to operate in compliance with (inter)national laws concerning the hire of contingent workers.

   • Management of your hiring process requires an optimal and efficient working relationship between all departments involved.

   • Without a digital solution it is impossible to set up a completely neutral and transparent system for all stakeholders.

     
     

     A Vendor Management System provides you with specific benefits, which serve as solutions to current and future needs of a complex hiring process:

   • Improved Efficiency

   • Streamlined End-To-End Hiring Process

   • Transparency and Control

   • Clear Analysis and Reporting

   • Reliability and Compliancy

   • Modular and Personalized Implementation

     
     

     How Staffing Worked

     Large Fortune 1000 companies have always hired part of their workforce as contractors or temps. The process of bringing these temporary workers on board was very cumbersome and inefficient. The process would typically work something like this

   • A hiring manager (Sue) would get approval from her boss to hire a temp

   • Sue would search for a staffing agency by calling different agencies her friends or colleagues recommended or she found in the Yellow Pages

   • Sometimes, the company may have approved suppliers

   • The staffing companies would then source candidates and start sending Sue resumes

   • Sue would pick a candidate from those submitted

   • If the staffing agency was new, she would sign a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with them, and cut a Purchase Order (PO) to the new staffing vendor and contractor could start work

   • On the Sales side, staffing agency sales reps would be roaming the halls of her company dropping of their cards, meeting potential client managers, taking them out to lunch/golf. There was no consolidated requirement list at the company and no way to predict who might have the next requirement- so the best way was to ‘spray and pray’.

     
     

     If the company was large, there might be hundreds of such requirements every day making this process inefficient for the buyers and the sales people. There was also no good way to measure the quality of service that staffing agencies were providing. It also took a lot of effort from the client-side to manage the hundreds of staffing vendors the big company was using.

     Some of the common problems arising out of this were

   • Hiring managers being influenced and sending requirements to their favourite staffing suppliers

   • Staffing agencies that had more aggressive sales people would be knocking doors annoying managers that have no need for staffing.

   • Some staffing agencies would never hear back about candidates they proposed

   • Managers would be barraged by calls from staffing agency’s recruiters requesting meetings to discuss their requirements.

   • Managers complaining that the staffing agencies did not provide candidates on time, charging very high rates or submitting poor quality candidates- none of them backed by any facts

     
     

     Birth of Managed Services Provider (MSP) for Staffing

     In the mid-90s, some of these largest companies decided to make this process more efficient and reduce costs by outsourcing the management of this on boarding and management of temp workers to an outsourced agency in exchange for a few percentage points in cost. Thus the Managed Services Providers (MSPs) were born. A Managed Services Provider is a company (not a software) that is a specialist in managing such temp worker programs. They work for the client and act as an independent and unbiased management interface between the client's hiring managers and the staffing vendors. Leveraging the VMS for automated transactions, they manage the procurement process like umpires and coaches which typically means overseeing the following activities

   • Obtaining the requirements from the client managers

   • Transmitting the requirements to the staffing agencies

   • Ensuring the candidates are selected and on boarded

   • Collecting timesheets, getting approvals, payment and paying the agencies

   • Managing supplier performance with periodical scorecards

     Oftentimes the MSP may conduct a joint clarification call with the manager with all the staffing agencies listening in to enable all the staffing agencies to get the same information from the client.

     A lot of the earlier MSPs were divisions of staffing companies as they were born out of staffing agencies that had the expertise to manage such programs. However most are vendor-neutral these days which means they are not allowed to favour their sister or mother companies in any way.

     
     

     Client's managers input their reqs into the VMS system- which are passed on to the staffing agencies. Clients and Staffing agencies talk with the MSP (program team) only if they have any issues.

     
     

     Vendor Management Systems (VMS)

     VMS systems are software systems (websites) that allow the MSP to run the client's temp worker program. This may or may not belong to the MSP provider. The reason for this is that clients look at these two things differently. MSPs are selected for their Services and the VMS is selected for the software’s features.

     A VMS system typically performs these tasks

   • Interacts with the client’s HR system to pick new reqs

   • Blasts these reqs out the staffing agencies

   • Tracks metrics like- how many days staffing agencies take to submit candidates, what their rejection rate is, if selected- if the candidates back out, whether the agencies rates are in the ballpark of the agreed to rate card, etc.

   • These metrics are reviewed often by the MSP and the badly performing agencies are warned/booted out and new agencies are brought in to replace them

   • The most common VMS systems these days include Tapfin’s Econometrix, Workforce Logic, Agile- 1’s

   Acceleration VMS, Beeline, PrO Unlimited’s Wand and Fieldglass’s Insite

   
   

   Everything you ever wanted to know about MSPs in Staffing What are MSPs?

   Managed Service Providers or Managed Staffing Providers (MSP) are outsourced agencies that manage the procurement of contingent workers for large companies that spend over ~$25M in hiring contractors. MSPs program manage the process of sending requirements to the approved staffing agencies of the company. MSPs help buying companies with their staffing industry domain knowledge and experience from doing this for other companies.

   
   

   Why do Companies use MSPs?

   Unlike the old days, many large companies have decided that some tasks are better done when outsourced to specialists, so they can spend more time and effort on their own core competencies. Just as they don’t want to own trucks to ship goods or hire cooks for their cafeteria- outsourcing the hiring of contractors through staffing agencies to MSPs is natural, especially as the legal, HR, compliance regulations, and overhead involved in keeping abreast of all the latest changes in laws and regulations is too burdensone. MSPs also offer other benefits like reduced cost and better insights.

   
   

   What does an MSP engagement look like for a client

   For a given client, the MSP is a small team consisting of a PM who oversees the program, a few category specialists to make sure every open position is getting attention and administrative personnel to take care of paperwork of selected contractors and payments to staffing agencies. The MSP team uses a VMS system like Beeline to conduct all communication.

   Who selects the staffing agencies in a MSP program

   MSPs don’t select staffing vendors normally exclusively. They are usually given a list of approved staffing agencies by the client’s category manager for contingent staffing based on past performance, some strategic reasons or a selection of diverse vendors the client wants to keep. MSPs can sometimes influence the client to use their own vendors that they have had experience with or have niche skills or are diverse.

   Does the MSP select the individual contractors from those submitted or is it the hiring manager?

   No. The selection of contractors is done by the client’s hiring manager. The MSP’s role is like a gate-keeper and although they may be responsible for the quality or speed of sourcing, screening or selecting candidates, their role is like an enforcer. They'll stay out of the way if everything is working fine but if the program is not working well, they may start micromanaging the process and vendors, replace staffing agencies or advise the client on how to improve things.

   
   

   Pros of MSPs

   MSPs make it easy for large companies to stay compliant with labor regulations as they distribute the cost of staying up-to-date with new regulations across many clients. MSPs can be more knowledgeable about the staffing industry than most category managers as they do these activities for hundreds of companies.

   MSPs can benchmark and keep vendors honest as they are aware of market conditions. MSPs can also bring the new vendors to the program that they find from other programs.

   MSPs even the playing field for staffing agencies by inserting themselves between hiring managers and staffing agencies.

   MSPs can be good for pay rolling pre-identified contractors by the client for very low mark-ups. MSPs can reduce costs for their clients by leveraging best practices and staffing market knowledge.

   
   

   Cons of MSPs

   MSPs are not directly responsible for the candidate quality, rates, candidate selection and as such can only act as an overseer of the staffing program. If things go wrong they can lay the fault on the client of the staffing agency or the client.

   MSPs commoditize staffing agencies whose only job now is to source candidates based on a common job description sent to multiple agencies at once. Staffing agencies often can't provide any extra value in understanding the requirements and often get no feedback on why their candidates are not making it. Many staffing

   agencies refuse to work with or just do the minimal amount required to stay as active vendors.

   MSP's have caused staffing agencies with low cost offshore recruiting operations to do well. They can afford a lot more recruiters-and subcontractors- many working on contingent basis, pay their recruiters less, scrape job boards, spam candidates as they are less worried about CAN-SPAM, and submit candidates with minimal vetting with the hopes of getting lucky with one of their submissions. While this is cost efficient for the MSPs and clients, it makes the contractor candidate experience really bad as can be seen from their comments about these staffing agencies. MSPs can also unfairly benefit from learning about a staffing agency’s competitive secrets including its strategy of finding candidates, quality, rates, markups. The risk is that an MSP employee can join a staffing competitor in the program with all the insights and what makes another competitor successful.

   When MSPs take their best performing staffing vendors from one program to another they could be doing a disservice to their client who may have groomed the staffing vendor. Having that staffing vendor now work for their competitor decreases the advantage the client company had.

   The MSP is considered as the main vendor of the client and the staffing agency providing the contractor is a sub vendor. In addition to being demoted and cut-off from the actual hiring manager, staffing agencies often face trouble getting visas approved in these situations.

   
   

   What do MSPs charge?

   At a typical Fortune 1000 company, the MSP charges a standard 2-5% of the Staffing Spend. This is added to the supplier’s invoice to the client. So the client (or contractors if you look at it another way) end up paying for the extra cost.

   
   

   How profitable are MSPs?

   Most MSPs are private companies or divisions of public companies so it's hard to say exactly. MSP’s contracts with the clients are volume (cost) based and not success (deliverable) based. Their focus is low risk-high efficiency and a small but assured margin. This is the opposite of their competitors- BPOs or consulting companies that take on staffing projects in an outsourced (SOW/deliverable) basis with a high risk- high variability- high reward strategy. For example- If a company spends $100M/year to hire 1,000 contract workers, $3M of it goes to the MSP. The MSP will need a 5-10 member MSP team costing them ~$1M for a $2M gross margin and a $1M net margin.

   
   

   What is the future for MSPs in staffing?

   MSPs are very established in companies, so they are likely to stay around in one form or another. The structure of these MSP engagements could change very rapidly though as staffing companies trying to become MSPs themselves. Ont he other hand large outsourcing and consulting companies have been entering into the staffing space

   though SOWs to avoid the client's co-employment risks and allowing contractors to work for many years without having to take an artificial break for a few months. Other threats are Freelance Management Systems (FMS) and client companies themselves looking into self-sourcing contractors. There is a lot of inefficiency and friction in this staffing space still and a great model is yet to emerge. Our guess is there will be multiple models working at the same time.

   
   

   Top MSPs in Staffing

   Agile-1 - Main Customers include- PGE

   KellyOCG - Major customers include- Apple, Microsoft, Sony

   Pontoon - Main customers include- Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, IBM, American Express, Google

   Staff Management | SMX - Major customers- Amazon, HP for warehousing

   Geometric Results, Inc. (GRI) - Major customers- Apple, Ford, General Motors, Gap

   
   

   Summary

   VMS and MSP programs are now said to exist in 50-60% of Fortune 500 companies. While they have been shown to increase efficiency, reduce cost and increase competition, they are often despised by some staffing agencies who feel commoditized by the new system. Critics say hiring managers are often on a ‘do not contact’ list for

   recruiters (meaning the recruiters can’t call them to clarify or seek feedback) which reduces the ability of a good staffing agency to find the best candidate by focusing only on speed and cost. Supporters say everyone has the same information so the playing field is level and the most competitive vendors are winning.

10. US-Recruitment InterviewQuestions And Answers

1. How many states are there in US? 50 States are there in US

   
   

2. How many time zones are there in us?

   There are 9 time zones by law in the USA and its dependencies, however, adding the time zones of 2 uninhabited US territories gives 11 time zones in total. The 4 Major US contiguous Time zones followed by EST, CST, MST and PST

   
   

3. What are major portals you have used sofar?

   Monster, Dice, Techfetch, Jobdiva, Linkedin and Careerbuilder etc.;

4. Did you worked with any non IT requirements?

   Answer may be Yes/No Depends upon your exposure to knowledge and work experience on Non IT Requirements.

   
   

5. What are the requirements you worked on so far?

   All the regular IT Technologies like, Java, .Net, QA, ERP Technologies like SAP, Peoplesoft and Datawarhouse technologies like ETL, Business Analyst, Project Manager, Informatica, Datastage, Teradata and also database technologies like SQL, Oracle and DB2. worked with the operating systems Linux, Unix, Windows and also network admin and network engineer requirements and etc;

6. How do you start your work?

   • Once i start my computer i will get open requirements to my official id from my account manager

   • After getting requirement from my account manager i will start analysing the requirement clearly.

   • If i will get any doubts regarding the requirement, i will directly ask my account manager to clear my doubts.

   • After getting clear idea about the requirement, i will start working on the requirement.

   • I will prepare the Boolean search string according to the requirement and also according the skill set, then i will copy search string from my notepad and will paste it on the job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder.

   • If I’m getting good profiles, then that will be fine i will pick up the best profile, i will try to reach that consultant, and communicate with that particular consultant through phone by explaining about the Job Description clearly,

   • I will discuss about the JD with consultant. If he is comfortable with the requirement then i will send rate confirmation then I will submit him

   • After getting rate confirmation and complete details from the consultant, i will forward it to client through my A/C Manager.

     
     

7. What is RTR(Right to Represent)?

   An RTR is, in simplest terms, a contract between a candidate and a recruitment agency which tells the hiring company that the recruiter has found a candidate suitable for the role and that the candidate agrees to be represented for a specific opportunity by the recruiter

   The Right to Represent gives the Recruiter the EXCLUSIVE RIGHT to represent you to a given company for the purposes of a job. After you sign this, that company now acts as your personal agent with that given company for a certain period of time - varies by contract and by state

8. What is NDA?

A non-disclosure agreement (NDA), also known as a confidentiality agreement (CA), confidential disclosure agreement (CDA), proprietary information agreement (PIA), or secrecy agreement, is a legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish to restrict access to or by third parties. It is a contract through which the parties agree not to disclose information covered by the agreement. An NDA creates a confidential relationship between the parties to protect any type of confidential and proprietary information or trade secrets. As such, an NDA protects non-public business information. NDAs are commonly signed when two companies, individuals, or other entities (such as partnerships, societies, etc.) are considering doing business and need to understand the processes used in each other's business for the purpose of evaluating the potential business relationship. NDAs can be "mutual", meaning both parties are restricted in their use of the materials provided, or they can restrict the use of material by a single party. It is also possible for an employee to sign an NDA or NDA-like agreement with an employer. In fact, some employment agreements will include a clause restricting employees' use and dissemination of company-owned confidential information.

09) How to screen a candidate /how to identify fake candidate?

By asking few questions like about his DOB, when did he entered into US? And through which visa he entered in US, when did he got his H1-B, LinkedIn ID, and some questions related to his experience and also by taking 2/3 official references from consultant from his last 2 projects.

1. What are the tax terms are in US? W2, 1099 and Corp-Corp

   
   

2. What are things /information you will collect while doing a submission?

Depends upon the company this information will be changed. For Example:

Full Name
Last 4 digits of SSN
DOB
Current Location
Home Phone & Cell Phone
E-mail address
Current Employer
Work Authorization
Total yrs of IT exp
Skills
Expected Salary/ Rate
Relocation ( Yes or No)
Availability/Notice period
Preferable time for discussion
Reason of looking out for change
Any vacation plans in first year?
2) What is the max validity of a H1'B? he general rule is that the maximum period of stay in H1B otal maximum stay of six years. The six-year limit 3 Official references from your last 3 projects	Official References Includes: Name Of The reference: Company Name: Designation or Role of visa straetfuesries nsicxey:ears. H1B visa holders are Personal Contact Number: Official mail id:

1

T eligible for

a t

includes time spent on the H1B visa with another employer. The initial H1B petition may cover a period up to three years.

1. What is EAD?

   EAD, or employment authorization document, is a document issued by USCIS that allows people who already hold a US visa to work legally in the US. The H-1B visa allows a highly qualified individual who holds a job offer from a US company to live and work in the US.

   
   

2. What are different types of VISA'S are there in USA?

   F1, CPT, OPT, EAD, H1B, L1, H4, L2, GC, GC-EAD, TN1, TN1, E-3 and US Citizen

3. What is the max validity of a H1'B?

   The general rule is that the maximum period of stay in H1B visa status is six years. H1B visa holders are eligible for a total maximum stay of six years. The six-year limit includes time spent on the H1B visa with another employer. The initial H1B petition may cover a period up to three years.

4. What is meant by Boolean Search String?

   String is nothing but a, its a type search criteria to find out the resumes from Job Portals using “and”/ “or” and “andnot” operators.

   
   

5. Can we consider a H1'B consultant for a W2 requirement?

   Generally, we can’t consider a H1-B Candidate for a W2 Requirement, but if he/She is ready to transfer his/her H1-B to our Payroll, then we can consider him/her.

   
   

6. Can we consider a 'OPT' consultant for C2C/W2/1099?

   We can’t consider a 'OPT’ consultant for 1099 but we can consider a OPT candidate for C2C and W2, That’s all

   depends upon the client.

7. What is SSN?

   In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number issued

   to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(2). The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an independent agency of the United States government. Its primary purpose is to track individuals

   for Security purposes.

   A Social Security number may be obtained by applying on Form SS-5, "Application for A Social Security Number Card".

   
   

   Example of SSN Number: 721-07-2456

   
   

8. What is W2, C2C and 1099?

W2: Form W-2 is an Internal Revenue Service tax form used in the United States to report wages paid to employees and the taxes withheld from them. Employers must complete a Form W-2 for each employee to whom they pay a salary, wage, or other compensation as part of the employment relationship. A W2 hire by a company is a direct permanent hire and W2 refers to the IT form that is filled out by the company and handed over to the employee when its time to file the taxes for the year.

C2C: C2C is basically the sub-contractor format of hire where a comp routes the hire thru' a consulting company and a retainer or a certain amount of money, often called the "contracted amt" , is given by the company to the consulting company. The consulting company would be paying its employee who works for the company, an amount after deducting taxes,its rate of profit for the contract and any other legal charges. Essentially, the employee is an employee of the consulting comp and he or she will get a W2 from the consulting company.

1099: A 1099 is also a an IT form like the W2 that is used by direct contractors - ie not by those who are going thru' consulting companies. The 1099 is given to the direct contractor by the company that uses his or her services.