Is there a cap on dollar payments from the parent company to me under L-1?

There is no cap, under L-1 rules, on the dollar amount the overseas parent company can pay you. The visa focuses on the relationship between the companies and the role you perform, not on limiting your compensation.

That does not mean the amount is irrelevant. Whether payment is set by the parent company or by the U.S. operation, the expectation is that compensation be consistent with the responsibilities of the position and with prevailing rates in the local market. That consistency helps demonstrate that this is a legitimate business arrangement, both for labor purposes and in any potential review by the authorities.

• There is no immigration limit on how much the parent company can pay.
• Compensation must make sense for the role and the local market.
• The payment structure must comply with U.S. labor and tax rules.

Because arrangements that combine payments from the parent company and the local operation can raise labor, tax, and immigration questions, it is worth confirming the setup with the official source (USCIS) and organizing the structure with the support of a specialist before finalizing the details.

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.