Can I apply for another job while on an O-1?

With the O-1 visa, you can certainly explore new professional opportunities, but there is an important consideration: the visa is tied to the employer or project that sponsored the approved petition. Changing employers or taking on a new role is not automatic.

In practice, you cannot simply start working for a new employer without a new petition approved by USCIS. If a new employer wants to hire you, they must file their own petition, demonstrating that the new position also falls within the extraordinary ability category.

In some situations it is possible to have more than one employer at the same time through concurrent petitions. Each case, however, requires individual analysis and formal approval before you begin the new activity.

• The O-1 remains tied to the sponsoring employer or project.
• A new employer generally needs a new approved petition.
• Multiple employers may be possible through concurrent petitions.

Before accepting a new position or taking on additional activities, it is worth confirming the current rules with USCIS and speaking with a specialist, so as not to put your status at risk.

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.