If you are looking to fill a position with a person coming from another country, one of the most important aspects will be the nature of the position: If it is a permanent position within your company, or it is a temporary one.

If your company seeks to fill a permanent position, a temporary visa may be required to move the employee to the United States to commence employment.

In order to keep the employee in a permanent or long-term position, you will need to sponsor the employee for permanent residence, often called a “green card.” As a permanent resident, the employee will be able to live and work in the United States indefinitely and will be required to renew the green card every 10 years. Your employee will have many of the same rights and privileges as U.S. citizens. He or she may eventually seek to become a naturalized U.S. citizen after obtaining permanent residence.

Wait times for obtaining a green card depend on the qualifications of the employee, his or her country of birth, and the position you are seeking to fill.

If the position is temporary, you will seek an employment-based nonimmigrant visa for the employee. Both the type of visa required and the wait time to receive the visa will depend on the qualifications of the employee and the nature of the job.

In most circumstances, the employee will be able to obtain visas for his or her spouse and children as well.

In some circumstances, the employee’s visa may be “dual-intent visa,” which will allow him or her to have a temporary worker visa and at the same time, seek permanent resident status.