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Pathway

U.S. Work Visa for Chileans or Singaporeans

United States Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Citizens of Chile and Singapore may qualify for H-1B1 to work temporarily in a U.S. professional job. The role must meet the specialty occupation rules, and you need the required degree or other accepted qualifications.

Citizenship
Chilean or Singaporean citizenship
Job and credentials
A specialty role and the required degree or treaty-specific alternative
Pay and licensing
An approved Labor Condition Application, the required wage, and any mandatory professional license

Summary

H-1B1 can fit Chilean and Singaporean professionals with a specialty-occupation U.S. job. It is temporary, requires a qualifying role and credentials, and is not the same as the H-1B lottery process.

Your employer needs an approved Labor Condition Application (LCA), which covers pay and working conditions. H-1B1 has its own rules under the countries' free trade agreements; it differs from ordinary H-1B.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

An applicant generally must show:

There are 6,800 numbers reserved from the overall H-1B limit each fiscal year—1,400 for Chile and 5,400 for Singapore. Unused numbers return to the regular H-1B allocation under the statutory rules.

Follow the separate H-1B1 rules
  1. Check citizenship and the job You must be a Chilean or Singaporean citizen with a genuine qualifying U.S. job offer.
  2. Show the required qualifications Document the specialized degree or accepted treaty alternative and any required license.
  3. Prepare the employer and personal documents Get the approved Labor Condition Application and evidence of pay, work location, and a temporary stay.
  4. Choose the application process Check whether to apply directly at a consulate or change or extend status inside the U.S.

H-1B1 has its own requirements. Do not assume ordinary H-1B rules or selection procedures apply.

What This Route Allows

H-1B1 permits work for the employer and position described in the application. Admission is generally granted for up to one year, and extensions can be sought in one-year increments while the person remains eligible.

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may qualify for H-4 status. H-4 status as the spouse of an H-1B1 worker does not authorize employment.

What This Route Is Not

H-1B1 is not permanent residence and does not allow the same flexibility as H-1B to pursue permanent residence during a temporary stay. A planned or pending green-card application can make it harder to show that the stay is temporary.

The September 2025 H-1B proclamation specifically addresses H-1B specialty-occupation entry, not H-1B1. Separate nationality-based visa restrictions can still apply, and visa issuance never guarantees admission.

Next Steps

  1. Confirm Chilean or Singaporean citizenship.
  2. Match the duties to a specialty occupation and the worker's degree or treaty-specific credentials.
  3. Have the employer obtain the certified LCA and assemble wage and worksite evidence.
  4. Review evidence of plans to leave after the permitted stay and any green-card applications.
  5. Confirm whether the case will be an H-1B1 application directly at a U.S. embassy or consulate or a USCIS change/extension of status.

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Discussed in these reports

Similar skilled worker pathways in other destinations.

Sources