E-3 visa

E-3 Visa
Type	Non-immigrant visa for Australian professionals
Purpose	Work in a specialty occupation in the United States
Enacted	Created in 2005 as part of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005
Eligibility	Australian citizen; Have a legitimate offer of employment in the United States; Possess the necessary academic or other qualifying credentials; Will fill a position that qualifies as a specialty occupation;
Duration	Initially up to 2 years, renewable indefinitely
Annual Quota	10,500 initial E-3 visas (not mentioned if renewals count towards this cap)
Dependents	Spouse and unmarried children under 21 eligible; Spouse is employment authorized incident to status; may apply for Employment Authorization Document;
Job Requirements	Specialty occupation requiring theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge; Attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States;
Application Process	Labor Condition Application (LCA) certification required; Direct application at U.S. consulate or change of status petition with USCIS (if already in the U.S.);
Oversight	United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Department of State
Grace Period	Up to 60 days after employment ends or until the end of authorized stay, whichever is shorter
Website	Official E-3 Visa Information

The E-3 visa is a United States visa for which only citizens of Australia are eligible. It was created by an Act of the United States Congress as a result of the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), although it is not formally a part of the AUSFTA. The legislation creating the E-3 visa was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on May 11, 2005. It is widely believed to have grown out of the negotiation of a trade deal between the US and Australia.