International Faculty and Scholar Services (IFSS) at UCM provides comprehensive assistance
to the University of Central Missouri on all aspects of non-student immigration.
IFSS acts as the liaison between the university and all government agencies involved
in immigration matters, and assists individuals in complying with immigration laws
and regulations.
Specifically, IFSS:
- In collaboration with Human Resources, advises university departments and and processes
immigrations-related documents for employment-based non-immigrant and immigrant statuses.
- Administers UCM's J Scholar Exchange Visitor Program, which includes issuing J scholar
documents, advising departments and visiting scholar, and providing J scholar orientation
sessions.
H-1B Employee Sponsorship
The H-1B is a nonimmigrant classification used for the sponsorship of international
faculty or staff who will be employed at the University of Central Missouri. The H-1B
visa is "employer specific” and "position specific." Therefore, employees must obtain
a new H-1B visa approval for each new position and employer.
Eligibility Criteria
The H-1B visa allows foreign nationals to temporarily work in the U.S. in specialty
occupations for up to six years. The H-1B visa category has the following key requirements:
- Applicant must have theoretical and practical application of a highly specialized
body of knowledge
- The position must require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Offered wage must meet or exceed the prevailing wage for the position
- The Office of Human Resources at the University of Central Missouri prepares and files
the H-1B petition; prospective employees cannot obtain H-1B visa status on their own
J-1 Visa Visiting Scholars
The J-1 scholar visa category has been designed to enhance cultural and educational
exchange between scholars in the United States and abroad. The UCM's J-1 Exchange
Visitor Program sponsors visiting professors and research scholars to engage in teaching,
research, and other academic activities.
Eligibility Criteria
The Exchange Visitor Program requires either:
- a UCM contract for temporary employment as a visiting professor, instructor, or researcher;
or
- a UCM courtesy appointment as an unpaid visiting scholar hosted by a UCM academic
department. Persons hired to permanent employment (e.g., tenure-track faculty, career
instructor, and career research scientist) positions are not eligible for participation
in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program and should review our H-1B Faculty page instead.