Our employer immigration services help U.S. and foreign-owned companies hire international talent, keep Form I-9 and H-1B records compliant, and manage immigration issues in mergers and acquisitions.
Ozek Law Firm advises U.S. companies, startups and foreign-owned subsidiaries that hire international talent, move employees across borders, or buy and sell businesses that employ visa holders. We help you plan the hire, file the petition, keep your records inspection-ready and avoid surprises during a transaction. Our attorneys are admitted in Maryland, New York and the District of Columbia; because immigration law is federal, we represent employers across the U.S. and worldwide.
The right category depends on the role, the candidate's nationality and background, and how long you need the person. We compare the realistic options with you before anything is filed:
Every U.S. employer must complete and retain a Form I-9 for each person hired to work for pay in the United States, citizens and noncitizens alike. The employee completes Section 1 by the time of hire, and the employer must examine documents and complete Section 2 within three business days of the hire. Former employees' forms must be kept for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later, and employers generally receive at least three business days' notice before a government inspection.
Our confidential I-9 audit reviews:
We then give you a written findings memo and a correction plan that follows USCIS guidance. Employers who violate the verification rules may face civil fines, and a pattern or practice of knowingly hiring unauthorized workers can lead to criminal penalties; federal contractors may also face debarment. Because penalty amounts are adjusted over time, we review the current figures with you during the engagement.
E-Verify is a free internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 with government records. It is voluntary for most employers, but federal contractors whose contracts contain the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify clause must enroll and use it, and some states require it, for example as a condition of business licensing. Using E-Verify does not replace Form I-9. We help you decide whether to enroll, set up consistent procedures and train the people who create cases.
An H-1B employer takes on continuing Department of Labor obligations. On or within 30 days before the date the LCA is filed, notice must be given to workers, either by hard-copy posting in at least two conspicuous locations for 10 days or by electronic notice. The employer must give the H-1B worker a copy of the certified LCA and must make a public access file available within one working day after the LCA is filed. That file includes the certified LCA, the wage rate to be paid, an explanation of the actual wage system, the prevailing wage source, proof of notice and a summary of benefits. We build and review these files, and we flag changes in work location, duties or pay that may require a new LCA or an amended H-1B petition before the change takes place.
A deal can quietly break the immigration status of key employees. As part of our mergers and acquisitions and due diligence work, we prepare:
Before an employee, founder or client travels to the United States, our Business Visitor Check reviews the planned activities against the B-1 business visitor rules. Activities such as negotiating contracts, consulting with business associates, attending conferences and board meetings generally fit; productive work for a U.S. company generally does not and requires proper work authorization. You receive a short written assessment and, where needed, a recommended visa category.
Companies with regular immigration needs can work with us under an ongoing Employer Immigration Retainer covering routine questions, status-expiration tracking, travel reviews and priority scheduling. Scope is tailored to your workforce, and we provide a quote at consultation because needs vary. Learn more on our How We Work page.
If you are moving your immigration work to Ozek Law, we coordinate the file transfer with your prior counsel, confirm every receipt notice and approval, and run a deadline audit of status end dates, PERM and I-140 milestones, and reverification dates so nothing falls through the gap between firms.
We train HR staff and hiring managers on Form I-9 completion, avoiding discrimination in document review, E-Verify case handling, H-1B posting and public access file duties, and when to call counsel before an employee changes role, location or travel plans. Training can be delivered in English or Turkish.
Timelines depend on the category, government processing times, whether premium processing is available and how quickly documents are gathered.
Tolga Ozek founded Ozek Law Firm and has spent more than 13 years guiding individuals, families, investors and companies through U.S. immigration and business law, in English and Turkish. He is admitted in Washington, D.C., Maryland and New York.
No law requires it, but employer filings carry continuing obligations to USCIS and the Department of Labor. Counsel helps you choose the right category, meet posting and record-keeping duties and avoid errors that delay a start date.
For as long as the person works for you, and after employment ends for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date employment ends, whichever is later.
It is voluntary for most employers. Federal contractors with the FAR E-Verify clause must use it, some states require it, and a court order can require it. Form I-9 is still required either way.
A file the employer must make available within one working day after filing an LCA. It includes the certified LCA, the wage to be paid, an explanation of the actual wage system, the prevailing wage source, proof of notice to workers and a summary of benefits.
A successor employer can generally keep employing them under existing LCAs if it keeps the required records and signs a sworn statement accepting the predecessor's LCA obligations. Material changes in employment may also require amended petitions, so review should start before closing.
Meetings, contract negotiations, conferences and consultations with business associates generally fit B-1. Productive work for a U.S. company generally does not. Our Business Visitor Check reviews the specific plan before travel.
We do not publish fees because scope varies with the size of your workforce and the services needed. We provide a quote at consultation.
Yes. We coordinate the file transfer with prior counsel and run a deadline audit of status end dates, green card milestones and reverification dates.
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