Can I work as an independent contractor with a student visa?

In short, no, you cannot work as an independent contractor with a student visa in New York. According to the New York State Department of Labor, “international students with nonimmigrant visas, such as an F-1 or J-1 student visa, are not permitted to work as independent contractors, and are also not permitted to work as self-employed individuals.” Therefore, you would need to obtain a different type of visa that allows you to work as a contractor or self-employed individual if you wish to pursue such work. Depending on your particular circumstances, the most appropriate visa for you to apply for may vary. Generally speaking, a U.S. employer would need to petition for a visa on your behalf if they wished to hire you as an independent contractor. Some of the most commonly used types of visas for independent contractors in New York include the O-1 for individuals with extraordinary ability, the H-1B for persons seeking temporary employment in a specialty occupation, and the L-1 for those transferring from a foreign office of their employer to a U.S. office. If you are not able to secure employment with a U.S. employer, you may still be able to pursue a “self-petitioned” visa. This type of visa allows you to apply for yourself, as opposed to having an employer file a petition on your behalf. The NIW (national interest waiver) visa is an example of a self-petitioned visa. This visa allows foreign nationals to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. without having to go through the lengthy and often difficult process of obtaining an employment-based visa. Overall, it is not possible to work as an independent contractor with a student visa in New York. However, there are a variety of other visas that could potentially be available to you. You should thoroughly investigate your options before making any decisions.

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No, en principio no es posible trabajar como contratista independiente con una visa de estudiante. Esto se debe a que la visa de estudiante está diseñada para brindar oportunidades educativas a los estudiantes extranjeros y no para permitirles trabajar. Si bien hay algunas excepciones, la mayoría de los titulares de visa de estudiante no pueden dedicarse al trabajo remunerado con una visa de estudiante. Sin embargo, hay algunas actividades profesionales específicas para las cuales se puede obtener una visa de trabajo temporal. Por ejemplo, el Programa Aprendiz de Verano puede permitir a los estudiantes extranjeros solicitar una visa para trabajar temporalmente en un puesto relacionado con su estudio. Los estudiantes pueden también solicitar una visa H-2B para trabajos de temporada no agrícolas. Estos trabajos generalmente están relacionados con el trabajo de campo, como trabajar en un hotel, restaurante o parque temático. Finalmente, los estudiantes también pueden solicitar una visa de trabajo J-1 para realizar un Programa de Intercambio de Visita para Estudiantes, lo cual puede permitirles trabajar como contratistas independientes.

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