Green card sponsorship is a great retention tool, as it encourages employees to stay with your company for the long haul. In fact, according to Global Talent Perspectives 2016, 70 percent of visa holders say the green card sponsorship policy of a company is very or extremely important in deciding whether they’d work for the organization.
Since green card applications are an added expense, you should first conduct an assessment of each employee to determine if they are optimal candidates. Use the questionnaire below to determine which sponsored employees should be offered permanent residency.
1. What has been the quality of the employee’s performance and work product?
2. Has the employee demonstrated the potential to contribute to and grow with the organization?
3. Has the employee exhibited company loyalty and a desire to work for the organization on a long-term basis? If so, how?
4. Is there a shortage of U.S. workers with the employee’s skills, knowledge and experience? If so, elaborate on why.
5. What is the feasibility of obtaining approval of the permanent residency application by the time the employee’s nonimmigrant status expires?
Conduct this assessment quarterly for any visa holders on your workforce. When you’re satisfied with a set of answers, then you’ve determined the employee will make a great candidate for sponsorship and investing in his or her future will likely result in positive results for your organization for many years to come.
Looking for tips on how to begin the permanent residency application process? Watch a recording of our recent How to Master the Green Card Process webinar.
