Policy

The International Center is responsible for the preparation and approval of all employment related immigration application documents before submission to government agencies, and provides assistance to hiring units in applying for the proper employment related immigration status for faculty and staff.

Regulations

1. The International Center should be contacted for consultation and guidance concerning the appropriate immigration status before the extension of an offer of employment to a selected candidate who is not a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident.
2. The International Center will prepare and file all employment related immigration petitions, including supporting applications, with the appropriate government agencies.
3. The International Center may, after review and at its discretion, assign an immigration petition to outside immigration attorneys approved by the Office of General Counsel. The International Center will sign all employment-based immigration petitions on behalf of the University of Michigan and will serve as the office of immigration record retention for all petitions filed by outside counsel.
4. Deans, Directors and Chairs are responsible for signing process authorization forms and for designating signature authority for employment related immigration application documents to an appropriate individual in the hiring unit.
5. The hiring unit is responsible for the payment of legal fees, administrative costs, filing fees, and recruitment costs (when applicable) associated with all immigration petitions and applications. These expenses may not be passed on to the foreign national. The cost associated with self-sponsored immigration petitions is the responsibility of the applicant and shall not be borne by the University of Michigan.
6. Hiring units must notify the International Center of any substantive changes in the terms and conditions of a faculty or staff member’s appointment before any such change takes effect. The International Center must be consulted for guidance before such changes occur to determine possible impacts on the faculty or staff member’s immigration status.
7. A fee will be assessed by the International Center and paid by the hiring unit when the International Center prepares the documents for the immigration application or when the International Center provides case management when retained immigration counsel prepares the immigration application.

Procedures

A detailed overview of procedures can be found at https://internationalcenter.umich.edu/fsis/process-overview