Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Pharmacist
International Pharmacy
Immigrant (permanent)
The immigrant visa, or green card, allows a foreign national to stay in the U.S. indefinitely and work for
any employer. Please see the corresponding section below for more detailed information on immigrant
visas.
B-2 visa classification is generally reserved for foreign nationals who wish to enter the U.S. temporarily
for purposes of tourism.
How long can one stay in the United States in B-1 visa classification?
The duration of a stay in the U.S. under a B-1 visa is generally short. In practice, a B-1/B-2 business
visitor is usually granted for a period of entry that equals the duration of time necessary to conduct his or
her business. Typically, visits of six months or less are approved when entering with a visa, and 90 days
when entering pursuant to the Visa Waiver program.
1. The student will obtain academic credit for the work experience, for example an internship program
2. The student must obtain work experience in order to fulfill a graduation requirement
3. The work experience is part of a university-approved cooperative education program
A student should obtain assistance from his/her Designated Signatory Office (DSO).
How long can an individual stay in the United States in F-1 status?
F-1 visa classification is originally granted for the duration of stay needed to complete a course of study
as determined by the school that issues the I-20. Currently, there is no overall limitation on period of stay.
What issues should an individual be aware of when a student travels outside the U.S. in F-1
Practical Training classification?
1. Nonimmigrant Intent: Even though the particular student visa was previously issued, whenever a
student departs and re-enters the United States, she is subject to the general requirements of the F-1
nonimmigrant visa classification. The F-1 visa classification requires nonimmigrant intent. Therefore,
the INS officer may question the individual regarding his/her future plans, in order to determine that
the stay in the U.S. is indeed temporary and that the individual's intentions are to depart the U.S.
following completion of his/her studies and/or expiration of the EAD card.
2. If the F-1 student visa stamp has expired and the individual is at the completion of her Optional
Practical Training period: If optional practical training ends within 30 days of the individual's return to
the U.S. and the individual's student visa has expired, it is recommended that the individual contact
his/her DSO for guidance. Depending on the circumstances, it may not be advisable to travel.
3. If an H-1B Petition for Change of Status has been filed: Following the filing of a Petition for Change
of Status to any other nonimmigrant visa classification (such as H-1B), it is advisable to remain in the
U.S. until the change of status request has been approved.
If one travels outside the U.S., what documents must the individual be in possession of in order to
re-enter the U.S.?
1. A properly endorsed Form I-20, signed by the DSO at the school certifying a continued pursuit of a full
course of study or work authorization. Re-entry into the U.S. must occur within five months of the
DSO endorsement.
2. A valid student visa.
3. A valid passport.
4. If in Optional Practical Training status: a valid EAD card and a letter from the employer confirming
employment.
How long can an individual stay in the U.S. in F-1 visa classification if employment (pursuant to
Optional Practical Training) with Walgreens terminates?
Foreign nationals in F-1 Optional Practical Training are authorized to be in the United States until the
expiration of their Employment Authorization Document (EAD card). In addition, the INS allows foreign
nationals in F-1 status to stay in the U.S. 60 days beyond the date of termination. Before the 60 days have
passed, the employee must have changed or extended their nonimmigrant visa classification, or
immediately leave the United States.
If the degree is unrelated, the candidate must present complete transcripts, a detailed resume describing
previous employment history, and letters from previous employers confirming the work experience in the
specialized field. The education and work experience will then need to be evaluated to determine if the
credentials are recognized as equivalent to an U.S. degree in the specialized field. Certified translations
may also be needed.
1. Preparing and filing a Labor Condition Application (LCA) is an attestation by the employer about
various job conditions. One example of an attestation is that the employer is paying the prevailing
wage for the H-1B position. This must be filed with the Department of Labor. The processing time for
LCAs can range from 1-3 weeks. In certain situations, an LCA is not required since we may have
already established blanket LCAs for various positions.
2. The H-1B petition can be filed with INS once the approved LCA has been received. Processing times
for the H-1B petition will vary.
How long does it take to process an H-1B Petition?
It currently is taking 3-4 months for the INS to process an H-1B Petition once it is filed with the INS.
Please note that unexpected delays may occur should the INS request additional information to process
the petition. However, the overall process, from filing with the Department of Labor to the granting of an
Approval Notice from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, can take up to 5 months.*
*Note: The above-mentioned processing times do not include: (1) application to take the TSE/TOEFL; (2)
application to take the Foreign Pharmacist Graduate Equivalency Exam (FPGEE); (3) travel to the U.S.;
and (4) application to state Board of Pharmacy and receipt of requisite intern license and/or certificate.
What do dependents qualify for?
The United States government may allow spouses and children, under the age of 21 years, to accompany
the foreign national to the United States. Dependents of those with H-1B visa classification may receive
H-4 visa classification.
How long can one stay in the United States in H-1B status?
The H-1B visa is valid for a maximum period of six years. This six-year period includes all time spent in
H-1B and/or L-1 status with any employer in the United States. Keep in mind, the H-1B visa grants
temporary employment.
If an individual is currently in H-1B status with another employer, can he start work at Walgreens
immediately?
A recently enacted law allows for the portability of H-1B visa classification. If the individual currently
holds H-1B visa classification with another employer, he can begin work at Walgreens when two
conditions are met. The U.S. Department of Labor must certify the Labor Condition Application for a
current period of validity date, and Walgreens H-1B petition on behalf of the individual must be filed with
the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Employment authorization shall continue until the new
petition is adjudicated. If the new petition is denied, such employment authorization will discontinue.
If the individual is currently in another nonimmigrant visa classification (other than H-1B) with
another employer, can she start work at Walgreens immediately?
H-1B status is employer and job specific. Before commencing employment with Walgreens, INS must
approve a petition filed on behalf of the individual by Walgreens. Please note that the individual must
remain employed with her current employer until the new petition has been approved. The processing
time in this case can take approximately 3-4 months.
How long can an individual stay in the U.S. in H-1B visa classification if her employment with a
specific employer terminates?
Foreign nationals in H-1B visa classification are authorized to be in the U.S. for the purpose of productive
employment. The day that productive employment ends, even if the employee receives a severance
package, the employee must immediately leave the United States or have a new H-1B petition filed on
their behalf by a new employer, or otherwise change their status to another nonimmigrant visa
classification, before her last day of productive employment with the employer.
TN Visa classification
Definition
The TN visa is available to Walgreens to hire, on a temporary basis, qualified Canadian and Mexican
citizens pursuant to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Walgreens will seek approval of
this visa for those employees hired conditionally upon Walgreens effort to obtain approval of this visa
classification. The TN-1 classification is given to Canadian nationals; TN-2 classification is given to
Mexican nationals.
For Mexicans, an employer must file a petition with the INS to qualify the employee for TN status. Upon
INS approval, the Mexican employee can apply for a visa stamp at a US Consulate in Mexico. Upon the
receipt of the visa classification, a start date will be determined.
The candidate must provide a copy of his/her FPGEC certificate and state intern license where applicable.
The applicant, in person, should file TN petitions with a Free Trade Officer of the INS at a port-of-entry
or pre-flight inspection station. Prior to departure, the employee will need to obtain an offer letter
detailing the position, job duties, rate of pay, and location.
What is an employment-based preference category and under which preference category does an
individual qualify?
Congress has designated those groups to which it gives preference in immigrating to the United States.
Employment-based applications are broken down into 5 preference categories. Each preference category
is subject to an overall numerical limitation.
The first employment-based preference category, which does not require a labor certification application,
is set aside for priority workers eligible for one of the following categories:
1. Multinational managers and executives transferred to the US from a foreign affiliate, subsidiary,
branch or parent of the US office
2. Outstanding researchers and professors
3. Individuals possessing extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences, education, business, and athletics
The second employment-based preference category, which usually requires a labor certification
application, is set aside for the following:
1. Individuals possessing exceptional ability in the sciences, arts and business who can demonstrate that
their expertise and work is in an area benefiting the national interest (this does not require a labor
certification application)
2. Professionals possessing an advanced degree and where the position requires at least an advanced
degree (advanced degree is defined as any U.S. academic or professional degree above a bachelor's
degree level or a bachelor's degree and at least five years of progressive experience)
The third employment-based preference category, which requires a labor certification application, is set
aside for the following:
What is the Labor Certification process and how long does it take?
The labor certification process will vary in length, depending on which method is appropriate for the case
and where the individual works (which state). In addition, government processing times are extremely
inconsistent and subject to change. Most employees will go through the LABOR CERTIFICATION
PROCESS, consisting of 3 major stages:
If the individual's priority date is "current," and the immigrant visa petition has been approved, an
immigrant visa is available. As such, the individual may be able to file his permanent residence
application (I-485) with the INS. Foreign nationals from Mexico, India, China, and the Philippines may
experience delays before their priority date is current due to the high number of immigrant visa
applications by nationals of those countries.
An employee's six years of H-1B eligibility is "maxing out" and the I-140 has been approved, but
she is not able to file the I-485, Adjustment of Status application, due to priority date backlogs. Can
she remain in the U.S. until she files the I-485?
A recently enacted law allows foreign nationals in H-1B classification to benefit from an extension of the
H-1B classification under certain conditions. The INS must have approved an Immigrant Visa Petition on
behalf of the individual based on the employment-based first, second or third preference classification. In
addition, the individual must be a national of one of the oversubscribed countries and be waiting for his
priority date to become current to file the I-485 application.
What options exist for obtaining Permanent Residence classification based on a family
relationship?
The U.S. government has decreed that certain close ties to U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents
may make a foreign national eligible for immigration. As such, the following family-based groups may be
eligible for permanent residence:
Immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens. Immediate relative is defined as a spouse, unmarried child
under the age of 21 years, or parent of a U.S. Citizen
Other close relatives of U.S. Citizens. Other close relative is defined as unmarried sons and
daughters (over the age of 21 years) of U.S. Citizens
Spouses and Children of Lawful Permanent Residents
Married sons and daughters (over the age of 21 years) of U.S. Citizens
Spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. Permanent Residents
Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens
What is the Diversity Lottery?
Each year, the U.S. Government makes 55,000 immigrant visas available to foreign nationals of countries
with few numbers of immigrants in the U.S. The U.S. Department of State administers this program.
Can an individual include her spouse and dependent children in her application for Permanent
Residence?
Yes, spouse and children, under the age of 21, can be included with the application.
Naturalization
Visa issues
Does an individual always need a valid visa to enter the United States?
The majority of foreign nationals will be required to possess a valid visa in their passports for entry into
the United States. Canadian nationals are exempt from this requirement, as are visitors entering the
United States pursuant to the Visa Waiver program. In addition, if you enter the United States from
Canada or Mexico after a visit to those countries that has not exceeded thirty days, you will not be
required to present a valid visa for re-entry into the U.S.
How does an individual obtain his first initial visa stamp in his passport?
Typically the initial stamp is applied for in person in the individual's home country. At the discretion of a
third country, he may be able to apply in a country that is not his home country, provided he has always
maintained valid status in the U.S.
Based on reciprocity agreements which the U.S. has with other countries, the individual may be able to
obtain a multiple-entry visa stamp. To obtain information on filing a visa application at a U.S. Consulate
in Canada, the employee can be directed to the following web site: www.nvarsappointment.com.
The individual should contact the American Consulate or Embassy in advance to inquire about the current
application fee and the most recent list of items required. Requirements vary for each Consulate. The
individual can be directed to the following website for information on U.S. Consulates and Embassies
abroad: www.travel.state.gov.
Typically the following documentation is required at a minimum:
1. The applicant must have had an H-1B or L-1 (H-4 or L-2 for dependents) visa stamp issued to him/her
previously; and
2. The applicant's current H-1B or L-1 (H-4 or L-2 for dependents) visa stamp in his passport cannot be
expired more than one year; or
3. The applicant's current H-1B or L-1 (H-4 or L-2 for dependents) visa stamp in his passport cannot be
expiring in more than sixty days.
The following original documents are needed in order to process the visa application in the U.S.:
1. Original passport for each applicant. The passport should be valid for six months beyond the
individual's authorized period of stay in H-1B or L-1 (H-4 or L-2) classification
2. Original Notice of Action, Form I-797, approving the H-1B or L-1 petition on behalf of the individual.
Dependents in H-4 or L-2 may or may not have an original approval notice depending on whether this
is their first period of stay in H-4 or L-2 visa classification
3. Original Form I-94 for each applicant
4. Two passport-sized photographs for each applicant
5. If only dependents are filing for visa applications, children will need to file copies of their birth
certificate and the spouse will need to file a copy of the marriage certificate evidencing their
relationship to the principal
Please note that it is currently taking the U.S. State Department at least 10 weeks to process visa
revalidation applications. While the U.S. State Department is in possession of the applicant's passport, the
applicant may not travel abroad. If the applicant will need to travel abroad during this 10-week period,
she may have the visa application withdrawn. The U.S. State Department would return the passport
without the visa stamp. As such, the applicant would have to visit a U.S. Consulate abroad to obtain a visa
stamp and reenter the U.S.
What travel documents are required of foreign nationals applying for permanent residence?
If an individual has an application for permanent residence pending with the INS and she needs to travel
outside the U.S., she must have obtained an Advance Parole. To secure this document, she will need to
provide the law firm the following: the reason for your travel; destination(s) and dates of travel; and 2
photographs. Alternatively, if the H-1B or L-1 visa stamp and classification are still valid, the individual
may be able to travel by using her visa and the original receipt for the filing of the application for
permanent residence.
Can an individual obtain dependent status for her common law spouse?
The U.S. government does not recognize common law marriage; thus no immigration benefits may be
granted in the absence of a legal marriage.
Medical/work-site pharmacist
For Walgreens, convenience is more than just building stores where customers need us. We’ve also
established on-site pharmacies at both medical sites and work sites. Whether you’re working in a hospital,
specialty clinic, medical office building, or corporate campus, this is a unique opportunity to excel in a
more autonomous environment.
Oversee and implement strategies for promoting generic utilization, formulary efficiency, and other
clinical programs
Conduct private patient counseling
Participate in wellness and health screening programs.