compare the e2 visa to other common visas for recent grad

E2 Visa

H1B Visa

H1B Visa

No sponsor or job offer needed.
Can buy or start any type of business (even without a degree)
No per-country limits or time limits. You can apply any time of the year.
Takes approximately 90-120 days.
Need an initial investment of approx. $100,000 before you apply for the visa.

H1B Visa

H1B Visa

H1B Visa

Must have a job offer related to your degree.
Limited to 85,000 visas. As a result, you must enter a random lottery selection process.
Can only apply during the first week of April.
Will be able to start work in October of the year in which you apply.
No investment needed.

O1 Visa

H1B Visa

O1 Visa

Must have a job offer related to your prior work.
Must show "extraordinary ability" in the area in which you have the job offer.
No per-country limits or time limits.
Takes approximately 3-5 months.
No investment needed.

J1 Visa

EB-3 (Green Card)

O1 Visa

Must have a host company with a job opening related to your work or degree.
Limited to 12-18 months in most cases.
May be required to stay out of the US for 24 months after completion.
No investment needed.

EB-3 (Green Card)

EB-3 (Green Card)

EB-3 (Green Card)

Must have a job offer related to your degree.
Employer must show that there are no US citizens who can do the job.
Takes approximately 24 months. (May take longer for citizens of some countries.)
No investment needed.

TN or E3 Visas

EB-3 (Green Card)

EB-3 (Green Card)

TN: Must have a job offer within a specific field.
TN: Must have a passport from from Canada or Mexico.
E3: Must have a job offer and a related degree.
E3: Must have a passport from Australia. (Ireland passport holders may be eligible in the near future.)