An innovative cap-exempt H-1B solution
U.S. immigration law firms face complex challenges to provide comprehensive solutions for their clients, particularly those who might not easily fit into standard categories for visas or employment-based sponsorship.
The Build Fellowship can serve as a valuable partner, offering a cap-exempt H-1B visa solution with a 99% acceptance rate for highly skilled individuals to work and contribute in the United States.
The Build Fellowship by Open Avenues is a nationwide, cap-exempt H-1B visa program offered to foreign national experts and innovators seeking to grow companies and careers in the U.S.
Key benefits for law firms & attorneys
Offer clients a part-time cap-exempt H-1B Fellowship position if they are not selected in the lottery or are outside the U.S. and need a visa pathway.
File concurrent cap-exempt H-1B petitions for your clients once hired as a Fellow and approved for the part-time cap-exempt H-1B.
Refer clients for Fellowships year round.
Offer exclusive access to your clients through a custom webpage for your firm.
Join the network of attorneys we refer candidates to for concurrent cap-exempt H-1B petitions.
Offer additional immigration pathways for clients who participate in the Fellowship to stay in the U.S.
Step 1: Nominate
The Build Fellowship welcomes and assesses applications from foreign national innovators, entrepreneurs, and experts seeking an immigration solution for the United States.
Step 2: Processing
The Build Fellowship works with stakeholders to place top candidates in part-time Fellowship positions and sponsor them for cap-exempt H-1B visas.
Step 3: Approval
Build Fellows work part-time at non-profit partner organizations, allowing them to work for U.S. companies full-time on a cap-exempt H-1B visas.
Build Fellows are employed part-time by The Build Fellowship non-profit partners and are able to work full-time for U.S. companies who provide concurrent sponsorship.
Candidate qualifications
A Bachelor's degree or demonstrated expertise in a specialized field.
Exhibit a commitment to dedicate 5+ hours weekly to support education initiatives and workforce development.
Candidates must have a benefactor willing to support the Fellowship costs– Fellows cannot fund their own Fellowship.
Sponsoring a Fellow
Candidates are nominated by full-time employers or a fiscal sponsor.
Sponsors partner with The Build Fellowship to offer the opportunity to the foreign national.
Fellow responsibilities
Work 5+ hours per week remotely with Build’s education and research partners on 1:1 lecture and mentorship sessions and experiential learning projects in the Fellow’s specialized field.
Hours are flexible based on Fellow schedule.
Program length
Fellows are accepted on a rolling basis and can start the program at any time of the year.
Fellowships last a minimum of six months and up to three years – an additional three year extension is possible.
