A Promised Land Trivia Quiz

Answer: F

An F-1 visa is a document most students need to enter the United States if they are pursuing their education in an accredited college or university in the country. Students have to apply to each school they are interested in and once they are accepted and choose where they will go, the school issues an I-20 Form (a format required by the Department of Homeland Security) that includes a SEVIS number. SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a federal program that keeps track of all those who apply and are granted student visas. Once the student has the I-20 Form, he or she must pay a fee and schedule a visa appointment at their local embassy or consulate. If the consular officer approves the visa, the student may enter the U.S. to pursue their studies (undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral) for the time authorized in their visa, which is usually the duration of their academic program.

Answer: One is exclusively designated for agricultural workers

The H visa classification is designated for temporary workers who will enter the U.S. for a "specific purpose" and intend to leave in the future. These visas have been at the center of numerous controversies throughout the years because some believe that these job positions could've been occupied by American citizens. However, these visas are not easy to get since all employers must satisfy a variety of tests to ensure that there will be no negative impact on the domestic labor force.

H-2A applicants must work in the agricultural field and may stay for a maximum of three years before reapplying. Employers must first apply for these visas before they can hire any worker. H-2B workers are also seasonal in nature but are assigned to other industries like hospitality, landscaping, and construction. This is not an easy process and only allows workers to stay for nine months before leaving the country.

Answer: Athletes

P visas originated with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The P-1A classification allows "internationally recognized athletes" or entire teams to apply for permits with which they can remain in the U.S. to participate in a competition. The authorization to stay lasts only until the end of the competition or event, after which the visa holder must leave the country. P-1A also covers coaches of those "internationally recognized teams".

The other subcategories within the P class are P-1B, P-2, and P-3, all of which allow artists and entertainers to enter the U.S. for a specific purpose and time frame.

Answer: NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1994 by President George H. W. Bush (U.S.), President Carlos Salinas de Gortari (Mexico), and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (Canada). This revolutionary treaty removed barriers to trade and immigration such as tariffs for exports between the countries. The effects of the treaty have been controversial, especially in terms of its economic and agricultural impacts on the United States and Mexico. In 2018, President Donald Trump led an effort to replace NAFTA with the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), which despite Trump's rhetoric remained very similar to its predecessor.

Both treaties stipulate the availability of TN visas for Mexican and Canadian nationals in specific professions such as hotel managers, biochemists, and statisticians. They can stay for up to 3 years but can renew their permits indefinitely, making it one of the most attractive U.S. non-immigrant visas for Canadians and Mexicans.

Answer: Australia

The E-3 visa category was established in 2005 and exclusively accepts applicants from Australia. It was a piece of legislation signed into law by President George W. Bush as around the same time the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement went into effect.

It requires specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the applicant's desired job. Some of the specialty occupations included in this visa are lawyers, economists, financial analysts, doctors, and programmers.

The visa has an initial period of stay of two years, but it can be indefinitely renewed in most cases. Family members of E-3 holders are allowed to enter the U.S. and legally work as well.

Answer: Sommelier

The O-1 visa is a difficult permit to get because of the narrow definition of "extraordinary ability". For example, people in business who wish to apply for this visa must demonstrate that their expertise and career path put them in the top percentage of their profession. Applicants in this category can also include scientists, educators or academic researchers, and athletes.

A sommelier is a wine expert who studies how wine is made and the differences in smell, taste, and components of grapes and wines from all over the world. Sommeliers, especially those at the very top of the field, must pass tremendously challenging exams that involve a lot of memorization and skill since they need to have both academic knowledge (like remembering grape varieties and their characteristics) and practical knowledge (like tasting thousands of wines and being able to distinguish them by smell or taste).

Answer: 2 years

There are a variety of conditions attached to H-3 trainee visas; for instance, that the training the applicant seeks is not available in their home country and this training will benefit the applicant in their country once they leave the U.S. Employers must document the number of hours that the H-3 visa holder will devote to productive employment and must prove that the applicant does not already possess advanced knowledge in the field. Approved applicants are allowed to stay for up to two years, although there is an exception in this category for special education exchange visitors (professionals with experience or studies in children with physical, mental or emotional disabilities) who may stay for up to 18 months.

Answer: The applicant's company must be based in the U.S.

L visas are divided between L-1A and L-1B, though both are meant for "intracompany transferees". In short, this means that international workers working for an "affiliated foreign office" of a U.S.-based company are eligible to move to the U.S. only if they come in an executive or managerial capacity (for L-1A) or have specialized knowledge that allows the U.S. company to continue growing (L-1B). Companies like Amazon, IBM, and Deloitte are among the American corporations that receive the most L visas from USCIS.

Answer: Walt Disney

The Q visa program was created to facilitate cultural exchanges for international students. The program intends for applicants to promote their foreign customs and traditions in the U.S. and allow them to gain work experience. The visa requires a cultural element to be present in the maximum of 15 months that Q visa holders are authorized for employment.

Researchers in the field of immigration law refer to the Q visa as the "Disney visa" because the Walt Disney Company had enormous influence in creating this visa and ensuring its continuity. Part of the reason for this is that they needed to fill positions in places like the Epcot Center, where there is a "world fair" that requires people from all over the world to share their culture (and of course allows Disney to have them perform other duties while they are there).

Answer: Green

There are several ways to obtain a green card depending on whether you fall in categories like family, employment, refugee, or victim of abuse. For example, a permanent resident card may be granted to an immediate family member of a U.S. citizen (their spouse, child, or parent). Applicants may also choose the employment route, which means they have been an immigrant worker in good standing or have invested between $500,000 and $1,000,000 dollars in a business that will generate employment. There are other special categories such as asylees, refugees, victims of human trafficking or crimes, and victims of abuse, who may also be eligible for a green card, though there are other specialty visas available for these individuals.

Green cards derive their name from their original color when they were first awarded in the 1940's.