University Sponsored Permanent Resident Status Policies
A foreign national employee may obtain legal permanent resident status in the U.S.
based on employment at the University of Florida with the support of a department or center. All University sponsored permanent resident status cases must be coordinated by the Faculty & Scholar Services (FFS) section in the University of Florida International Center (UFIC). This sponsorship is undertaken through cooperative efforts of the individual, the hiring department, and UFIC.
College of Medicine
The College of Medicine through its Office of the Dean provides liaison services to its foreign national employees with FSS on all permanent resident status cases submitted by the College.
The Coordinator, Immigration and Licensure Programs in the Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Affairs (http://www.med.ufl.edu/admin/support/ ) should be contacted for information about sponsorship through the College of Medicine.
University Sponsorship Requirements
The University will support petitions for permanent residency under the following
conditions:
- The position offered is permanent.
Tenure-track positions are, of course, permanent. Non-tenure-accruing faculty positions may be the basis for sponsorship if the department verifies that the position is permanent and that its intent is to employ the individual permanently by issuing an annually renewable contract for an indefinite period of time (see section entitled Letters of Offer .) - The position is full-time.
- The faculty member intends to remain in the position for an indefinite period and meets the
criteria established by immigration law. - The hiring department or center is willing to devote the staff time necessary to undertake
the process, which includes completing forms and generating documents, with guidance and services provided by the International Center.
Tenure-track faculty positions and permanent non-tenure track and academic positions meet the requirements for University sponsorship. There is also a select category of TEAMS and USPS positions which meets the qualifications for University sponsorship—those that require the incumbent to possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Postdoctoral, medical resident or trainee positions do not meet the qualifications. However, because of the complexity of this matter, please contact the Coordinator for Faculty and Scholar Services before beginning the recruitment/advertisement processes associated with filing a Permanent Labor Certification application.
The assistance of the International Center with regard to employment-based immigration issues is made available to the departments, faculty and professionals associated with the University. The International Center is assigned the responsibility for reviewing, signing, and filing all ETA Form 9089 applications and Form I-140 petitions. The availability of these services, however, does not preclude an individual from seeking private legal counsel and services; this said, responsibility to act on behalf of the University as the employer remains solely with the International Center.
Non-University Sponsored Employment-Based Petitions for Immigrant Status
Non-immigrant employees may personally file Form I-140 petitions with USCIS; such petitions would be for employment-based classifications that do not require sponsorship by an employer, such as Extraordinary Ability (EB1-1) and National Interest Waiver (NIW). Of course, private legal counsel and services may be retained by non-immigrant employees for these cases. For these cases, University departments/centers may provide a copy of the current offer of employment letters and/or a confirmation of current employment letters. However, due to University policy regarding employment appointments, departments/centers are not permitted to issue letters that indicated that an employee will be offered employment on a permanent basis.