If you are searching for detailed information regarding the process on how to apply as a construction worker in the U.S, Then you are at the right place, before discussing how to gain entry/permit into the United state, Let first of all highlight some mega construction companies in the country, whom might end up later be your employer.
These United States companies am about to mention are believed to be the second to the largest construction companies globally, which takes the lead after china.
Below are the top Construction giant in the United States which are responsible for undertaking mega infrastructure projects in the country and globally.
Top Construction Companies in the USABechtel Corporation
Bechtel Group Inc. is currently the largest construction company that is situated in the United States. They are a global company that specializes in engineering, construction, and project management.
Fluor Corporation
Fluor Corporation is one of the largest companies in the world that specializes in engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management. Although the company’s headquarters are located in Irvine, California, the organization has more than 50 company locations all over the world.
Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CB&I)
The Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, also known as CB&I, is a massive American corporation engaged in engineering, procurement, and construction. The company’s area of expertise is in working on projects for oil and gas industries. Both in The Woodlands, in the state of Texas, and in The Hague, in the country of the Netherlands, they have important administrative offices.
Jacobs Engineering Group INC.
The American construction firm Jacobs Engineering Group INC offers a wide range of technical, professional, and construction services, encompassing all facets of architecture, engineering, and construction, operations, and maintenance, as well as consulting in the sciences and other specialized fields.
Kiewit Corporation
Kiewit is recognized as one of the most prestigious and largest firms in the fields of construction and engineering in North America. It is a worker-owned corporation that does business across the globe through a distributed system of offices and projects located in the United States of America, Canada, and Australia.
Turner Construction
Turner is a leading builder in a variety of different market areas and operates as a worldwide construction services firm with its headquarters in North America. The construction firm with headquarters in New York City has successfully finished over 1,500 projects totaling more than 10 billion dollars’ worth of work annually.
Skanska Construction
Skanska is a global leader in project development and construction, and its operations in North America include construction, commercial property, and public private partnerships. Skanska is also a market leader in the construction industry.
MetLife Stadium, which is home to both the New York Jets and the New York Giants and features seating for 82,500 fans, was built under the leadership of Skanska, which oversaw the construction project. In addition to these projects, Skanska has finished work on the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, MetLife Stadium, and Mater Dei Hospital.
Poole Construction Ltd
Poole Construction is an American-based construction company that deals in the following; commercial, institutional, multi-family residential, renewable energy, heavy industrial, historical restoration, and civil constructions
Kellogg, Brown & Root Incorporated (KBR)
KBR is a company based in the United States that specializes in engineering, procurement, and construction. Previously, it was a part of Halliburton. They may be found in Houston, which is in the state of Texas.
The construction of Guantanamo Bay, a military prison for the United States located within the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which fronts on Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, is one of the largest projects that KBR has ever undertaken. In addition, the United States military has awarded KBR a significant number of contracts over the years, including those issued during World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Iraq War.
Turner Construction Company
Turner is a global leader in the building services industry, with its headquarters in North America. The company operates in a wide range of different market niches. Acclaim has been bestowed upon the organization as a result of its successful completion of large-scale, intricate projects, its promotion of innovation, its openness to evolving technology, and its contribution to the betterment of its customers, workers, and community.
Types Of U.S Visa For Construction Workers
Those working in the construction industry who are interested in immigrating to the United States can choose from two different visa programs:
H-2B Visa: Non-Agricultural Workers:
First of all it’s quite difficult to get it and there is a quota-limited quota of 66,000 visas per year divided into two seasons. Each season has 33,000 visas available. For example, if you are a software engineer or if you’re a lawyer or an architect or you know a job that requires a bachelor’s degree, most of these people come to the U.S and work on the H-1B visa, which is designed just for that. But what if you don’t have any of this and you have an employer that needs people for a resort, fill their housekeeper needs, The H-2B is the perfect visa for landscaping companies employers, who is in shortage of workers or let me just say laboures to assist in a seasonal work, or if a construction company need more laborers for just six months, to 10 months,
The H-2B Visa is a nonimmigrant or temporary visa that enables skilled, unskilled, and professional individuals to travel to the United States to work in jobs that are not related to agriculture and do not change with the seasons, To be eligible, you must be in possession of a current job offer from a company located in the United States.
Below are the occupations that are eligible for this kind of Visa:
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Forest and conservation workers
- Amusement and recreation attendants
- Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
EB-3 Visa: Employment-Based Visa for Permanent Workers
The Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) Visa is a type of permanent immigrant visa that enables foreign workers to gain employment in the United States on a permanent basis. In order to qualify for this visa program, you are expected to have the necessary amount of work experience as well as a current employment offer.
Requirements to be a Construction Worker in the US
The most fundamental qualification needed to work in construction is a certificate from an accredited high school. It will serve them well if they receive vocational training throughout their time in high school by taking courses in subjects like mathematics, welding, and woodworking.
The majority of construction workers receive their training from their employers while they are on the job. To demonstrate that they are knowledgeable in the profession, the personnel can be needed to complete a certification test that is specific to the industry.
Required Visa Documents
- DS-156, the application form for Non-immigrant Visa
- DS-157, supplemental Non-immigrant visa application (for males between the ages of 16 and 45)
- Passport
- Passport-size photographs
- Notice of approval for H-2B Visa or Form I-129
- Proof that you’ll be leaving the US as soon as your H-2B visa expires like an apartment lease agreement or deed to a house.
- Filing fees
Visa Application Process
Starting with the US-based company, an H-2B visa application is made. You would have to go through three basic processes as an employer. Which are:
Submit a labor certification application
You are both the petitioner and the employer. You must receive a temporary labor certification from the Department of Labor before applying for an H-2B visa. Visit this page for detailed information on this subject and the requirements for qualifying. Visit Guam DOL if you intend to employ employees there.
Submit Form I-129 to USCIS
The Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, may be filed at the USCIS office once you have obtained the Temporary Labor Certificate. The original certificate you got from the DOL must be submitted. A one-page final H-2B determination must be submitted if you are looking for work in Guam. If you have previously done so, you will be required to give a justification that includes the petition receipt number.
Foreign workers/laborers apply for a visa at the US embassy
The workers/laborers who will be employed must visit the US embassy in their home nation and submit an H-2B visa application as the final step. To apply for entry into the US through a US port of entry, go to the US Department of State at the embassy or consulate abroad. In cases where an H-2B visa is not necessary, you can apply for direct admission.
Average Construction Workers’ salaries In The U.S
The U.S Average construction workers’ pay is estimated to be around $16.18 per hour, Do the maths and you will discover monthly their total pay is $12,037.92, Therefore annually construction workers earn $141,736.8.
Conclusion
When an applicant comes to the embassy for an interview, they are needed to pay the expenses associated with getting a Machine Readable Visa. Your application will not be processed without this one-time fee, which is non-refundable. Nonimmigrant visa fees are maintained at $160. There are a variety of factors that can affect the cost of your stays, such as whether or not you plan to bring your spouse or children.
Processing times for visas range anywhere from 60 to 120 days on average. Applicants who submit their applications on January 1 are granted visas, allowing them to begin working in the United States beginning in June.
