Intracompany Transferees
Executives and Managers

L-1A status may be granted on application to USCIS (the former INS to an individual who has been employed outside the United States as a manager or executive for one (1) year within the�three (3) years before s/he entered the United States who will be employed in the United States by the parent, branch, affiliate, or subsidiary of the foreign employer. A person who has been employed in a managerial capacity is a person who manages a department, subdivision or function of the company.� A manager generally acts as a supervisor to other employees and often has the ability to hire and fire employees as well as make decisions regarding promotions.� Finally, a manager is a person who has discretion over the day-to- day activities.

A person who might control, manage or make decisions about an essential function of a business might under certain circumstances also be classified as a functional manager.

An executive is someone who directs the management of the organization or a major component of the organization.� Further, this person establishes the goals and policies of the organization and has wide latitude regarding decision making for the company.� Generally, an executive only answers to higher-level executives, directors, or stockholders of the organization.

L-1A status is initially granted for a maximum of three (3) years.� This status can be extended in increments of a maximum of two (2) years.� An employee can spend a total of seven (7) years in the United States in L-1A status.

The spouse and unmarried children (under twenty-one (21)) of an L-1 employee are entitled to apply for L-2 status as derivatives of the primary employee.� The L-2 spouse of this employee (but not his/her children) is also eligible to apply for work authorization (an EAD card) after arriving in the United States.

An L-1 employee is entitled to have dual intent, which means he or she is able to maintain the L-1 status as a temporary worker while at the same time pursuing permanent residence, otherwise known as applying for a Green Card.