1.0 PURPOSE

Any candidate for employment at Wheeling Jesuit University who is not a U.S. citizen or LPR (Legal Permanent Resident) and who requires a particular immigration status to begin or maintain employment in the United States is covered by this policy. Furthermore, this policy provides evidence of the University’s: 1.) willingness to follow and remain in compliance with federal, state, local and USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) employment regulations and laws; 2.) initiation of the visa process that enables work authorization; 3.) selection of the position, following a competitive recruitment process; and 4.)  completion of I-9 hiring paperwork upon your USCIS authorization, which is either: a) the date of your work visa authorization (the notice date on the I-797 Approval Notice, if in the US), b) the first date of work visa authorized transfer employment or OPT employment, or c)  arrival in the US with valid, work-authorized visa status (whichever date occurs first will be recorded as your selection date).

2.0 POLICY STATEMENT

2.1 Policy Statement

WJU is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving excellence and strength through diversity. The employment of foreign nationals in faculty, administration and staff positions is an accepted practice for achieving diversity. To maintain consistency, the University has established the following procedures applicable to all departments in regards to financial sponsorship of foreign employees:

1. The department intending to hire a foreign national who is currently ineligible to work in the US must obtain  approval from the Executive VP in the hiring department for all expenditures associated with employment  requiring University sponsorship prior to an offer of employment. The Executive VP will advise Human  Resources of the decision and provide written authorization to proceed;
2. During the job search phase, Human Resources will ensure that the employee is eligible to either work in the  US or obtain work authorization. The department seeking to hire the foreign national will work with  Human  Resource during the offer/pre-employment phase to ensure that the appropriate work authorization is obtained;
3. Each foreign national accepting a position at the University will be assisted by the University in the visa  process and may receive up to $ 4,000 toward visa application costs. The University will also  pay the filing  fees (not including premium processing fees) to the government;
4. A foreign national granted financial assistance from the University (up to $4,000) as provided above  shall  submit a $1,000 deposit for legal fees as acceptance of the terms above and as acceptance of the  employment offer by the department. No legal work to obtain a work visa will commence without the  acceptance of this offer, legal screening of your file, and deposit mentioned above;
5. Work visas are applied for and issued to the University with the foreign national as the beneficiary. Since the  University is the sponsoring employer, the foreign national may only be employed by the University while in  the United States.
6. Any extensions needed for work visas (into the future) will be determined on a case-by-case basis  and  largely determined by the individual’s green card progress. This agreement only applies to the first work visa  issued to the foreign national;
7. If all parties are in agreement with the above policy, this agreement must be signed by both 1.) the  intending foreign national and 2.) a representative in Human Resources responsible for maintaining the  hiring documents.  

2.2 Immigration History

All foreign nationals seeking employment at the University must first answer the questions noted in Section I. of the Financial Sponsorship Agreement (attached) with regards to their prior U.S. immigration history. The individual MUST answer these questions with complete honesty, as failure to disclose this information will affect the individual’s ability to obtain a work visa.

2.3 Authorization

The Director of Human Resources, in conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief of Staff, has the authority to change, modify or approve exceptions to this policy at any time with or without notice, and in compliance with the guidelines established by the US Department of Immigration and Naturalization, with the approval of the Board of Directors through the University President.

3.0 ATTACHMENTS

Financial Sponsorship Agreement