- HISD Human Resources
- Visa Department
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Guidelines
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Learn more:
The H-1B work visa offers foreign professionals a three-year temporary work permit that can be extended an additional three years for a total of six years (candidates may be eligible for further extensions). Qualifying visa candidates with HISD receive government approval based on the critical shortage assignment for which they are hired. Therefore, candidates must meet the minimum criteria set by the government and those policies set by HISD to be recommended for the H-1B.
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To be eligible for an H-1B visa sponsorship, candidates must have the following:
- A job offer from one of our campuses
- A valid standard Texas teaching certificate in a critical shortage area/content area.
- 2-year effective appraisals and/or work referrals on company letterhead
(Qualified candidates interested in H-1B sponsorship who do not have a principal referral can contact our office for assistance).
Candidates who do not meet the requirements mentioned above can obtain sponsorship through admittance into the Houston ISD Alternative Certification Program. For more information, please visit https://www.houstonisd.org/acp.
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HISD critical shortage areas:
- Bilingual Education
- Career and Technical Education (Secondary)
- ELAR (All levels)
- ESL
- Math (Secondary)
- Science (Secondary)
- School Counselor
- Special Education (All levels)
- School Psychologist (LSSP)
- Technology Apps and Computer Science (All levels)
H-1B Visa | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Must the employer sponsor someone for a permanent residence/green card?
Neither the H-1B nor the perm process is a requirement. Both depend upon you meeting policy requirements, maintaining satisfactory performance, the campus’ ability to fund, and the government requirements.
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Can you guarantee that I will receive an H-1B?
No, there is no guarantee. However, both the district and the law firm work collaboratively to pre-screen candidates.
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What is a recapture of time?
The time spent outside the USA can be added to an employee's H-1B visa to extend their work authorization timeline. (Travel days are excluded and the time must be greater than 24hrs.)
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Are ACP candidates eligible for H-1B visa sponsorship with Houston ISD?
Houston ISD reviews sponsorship requests from candidates enrolled in one of our partnering Alternative Certification Programs (ACP) below:
- Region 4 Teacher Certification Program: https://www.esc4.net/teacher
- HISD ACP: https://www.houstonisd.org/acp.
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*HISD is an H-1B cap-exempt school district.
J-1 Visitor Exchange Program Guidelines
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J-1 Teacher Exchange Program
Please email J1Program@houstonisd.org for assistance.
Resources
Contact Us
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Immigrant Employee Support
(Human Resources Visa)
4400 W. 18th Street, Level 1NW
Houston, TX 77092
Phone: (713) 556-7408
Visa@HoustonISD.org
Schedule an Appointment
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H-1B Sponsorship
Are you seeking information regarding H-1B sponsorship?
H-1B Information sessions occur on Fridays from 2 - 2:30 pm CST. Use the link below to attend our next information session.
Information Session | HISD H-1B Visa Sponsorship
We will not host the virtual information sessions on the following days:
Friday, November 1
Thanksgiving – Nov. 20 – 24
Winter Recess – Dec. 22– Jan. 5
Spring Recess – Mar. 11 – 15 -
Employment Authorization
Are you a current employee needing to update your employment authorization card? Use the link below to schedule an in-person appointment with our office.
Employment Authorization Appointments
