H-1B Process Overview Flowchart

The H-1B immigration process is a multistep process that requires input from the hiring department and the international employee as well as several UT offices, such as HR, Export Control, and the Treasurer’s Office. The petition process involves several federal agencies, including the Department of Labor, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and sometimes the Department of State. International Student and Scholar Services manages the process and files all official government paperwork related to H1-B petitions for UT Knoxville employees.

Before the H-1B process can begin, the hiring department must submit an official request to ISSS. We ask that the completed request packet be submitted as soon as possible, as we require at least four to five months to process the request and prepare the petition.

If a prospective employee already has H-1B status for employment with another employer, UT must file a new petition with USCIS before UT employment can begin. The H-1B request procedure for the hiring department is exactly the same as it is for a person without H-1B status. However, in most cases, the employee may begin working at UT as soon as we receive the receipt from USCIS. ISSS will notify the hiring department and the employee when UT employment is permitted.

For any questions regarding the H-1B request process, contact Erik Simons.