What is ‘in-house’ vs ‘in-client site’?

In the context of the H-1B, the terms in-house and in-client site describe where the professional actually performs their duties, even though the employment relationship and legal responsibility always remain with the employer that sponsored the visa.

In the in-house arrangement, work takes place at the sponsoring company’s own premises, whether at its headquarters or one of its offices. There is typically greater proximity to management, direct supervision, and integration with the internal team.

In the in-client site arrangement, the professional is placed at the facilities of one of the employer’s clients to provide services there. The employment contract remains with the sponsoring company, but day-to-day work happens in an external environment, which generally calls for extra attention to documentation and compliance with program requirements.

• In-house: work performed at the sponsoring employer’s own premises.
• In-client site: work performed at a client’s facilities, with the employment relationship maintained by the sponsoring company.

Because client-site arrangements require additional controls to maintain compliance, it is worth confirming current requirements with USCIS or with a specialist when structuring this type of placement.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.