Can I do a paid internship at the company before obtaining L-1?

No. A paid internship is, for immigration purposes, a form of employment, and working in the United States requires the appropriate authorization. For the L-1, that authorization only exists after the visa has been approved and issued.

The L-1 is designed to transfer executives, managers, or professionals with specialized knowledge from a company abroad to a branch or affiliate in the U.S. It ties the beneficiary to that company and to the work approved in the petition, always starting from the grant of status.

Doing a paid internship at the company before obtaining the L-1 would mean working without proper authorization, which can be treated as a violation of immigration rules and jeopardize both the pending petition and future opportunities in the country.

• A paid internship counts as work and requires authorization.
• The L-1 only permits employment after the visa is approved and issued.
• Starting the activity early can harm the process and your status.

Before beginning any paid activity, it is advisable to confirm the conditions with USCIS and wait for formal authorization, ideally with the support of an immigration specialist.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

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.