Employment

For over forty years, Tidwell, Swaim & Farquhar has been pioneering the development of immigration options across every type of employment case for employers and employees.

From start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, we have provided the highest level of analysis, strategies and case preparation for all types of employment categories, including H-1, L-1, E-1, E-2, E-3, TN and F-1, CPT, OPT as well as Labor Certifications and all categories of I-140 petitions for green cards.

We have set up corporate transfer programs for domestic and international operations. We offer one of the most successful labor certification and immigrant visa programs in the U.S., successfully represented over 30,000 nonimmigrant and immigrant employment cases. Our I-9 review and audit assistance programs provide peace of mind and strategies for compliance.

Tidwell, Swaim & Farquhar has a 95% success rate for H-1B Specialty Occupation and Level I wage issues.

EMPLOYMENT BASED TEMPORARY VISAS/STATUS

Temporary worker visas are for those who want to enter the United States for employment available only for a limited period of time and are not considered permanent or indefinite. Each of these visas, except for the TN Visa or Status, requires the prospective employer to first file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

H-1B Specialty Occupation and Level I wage issues
H-2B Seasonal Workers
H-3 Trainees
B-1 (in lieu of H-1)
F-1 Students, CPT, OPT, STEM Extensions
J-1 Waivers – 212 (e)

J-1 Exchange Visitors
L-1A Managers/Executive Intra-Company Transfers
L-1 Specialized Knowledge Transfers
O-1 Extraordinary Ability
P-1 Performing Artists / Athletes
R-1 Religious Status/Visas

TN-1/TN-2 Canada/Mexico Trade Professionals
I-9 Maintenance for Employers
Immigration Audits
Change of Status/Consular Possessing

EMPLOYMENT BASED PERMANENT RESIDENCE

Permanent residence status, or the “green card,” are for those who want to remain permanently in the U.S. Most of these immigrant petition categories require a petitioning employer and, in some cases, many years of processing.

EB-1(a) Extraordinary Ability
EB-1(b) Outstanding Researcher
EB-1(c) Manager/Executive Transfer
EB-2 National Interest Waivers
Labor Certifications for EB-2 and EB-3 Categories

EB-2 Positions Requiring Master’s Degree or PhD
EB-3 Bachelor’s degree or two years of experience
EB-3 “Other” Workers
EB-4 Special Immigrants/Religious Workers

I-9 Maintenance for Employers
Immigration Audits
I-140 Petitions
Adjustment of Status/Consular Processing

COLLEGES / UNIVERSITIES

Tidwell, Swaim & Farquhar works with most of the colleges and universities in Texas and surrounding states to assist their faculty, researchers, F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors. We represent not only the individual faculty and students at these schools but, in some cases, the university itself, such as Texas A & M University, its system universities, the University of Texas system, Texas Christian University and Baylor University.

As part of our long-time legacy in supporting universities, we have given annual seminars on U.S. immigration law to numerous universities, their faculty and students: the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas Tech University, the University of North Texas, Texas Christian University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, West Texas A & M University, Texas A & M University at Commerce, the University of Arkansas, New Mexico State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and Tulsa University.