Background
David’s journey to becoming a wellsite geologist in the United States was far from ordinary. Originally from Nigeria, he built a career mastering the science of geology and its applications to the oil and gas industry. His expertise caught the attention of a global employer specializing in geological analysis to support drilling programs. With operations in the United States, Canada, Colombia, and the United Arab Emirates, they sought to bring David over and have him work with their on-site team in the U.S.
VisaNation Case Strategy
After entering David into the 2024 H-1B lottery, he was selected, marking the first step in the H-1B CAP process. Next, we began preparing his H-1B petition. David’s new role was critical in the company as he would be in charge of:
- Supervising stages of the drilling process
- Conducting on-site inspections
- Identifying drill cuttings and hazard drilling zones
- Evaluations of gases
- Performing elemental analysis
- Creating daily reports of the on-site drilling operation
- Reporting technical petroleum operation data to the designated representatives
However, much of the work was based in rural areas and had no fixed addresses. This brought about unique logistical challenges, as we needed to explain this to USCIS. David would be working under the guidance of the on-site Operations Manager in a hybrid fashion.
Although David had impressive qualifications, securing an H-1B visa isn’t just about meeting the basic requirements. To qualify under a “specialty occupation,” he needed to demonstrate he had specialized knowledge and a relevant degree. This degree can either be equivalent to the minimum requirement for entry into the particular position, or the position is so complex that it can only be carried out by an individual who holds the degree. Given the nature of the job sites, we needed to ensure that the application clearly articulated the unique aspects of the position and the employer’s responsibilities.
In this case, the position required at least a bachelor’s degree in geology, environmental sciences, or a closely related field. Someone needed to have a formal education in this background to perform the job. This was not a problem for David, as he had a Master’s degree in environmental science and held a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
Verdict
Within just 21 days, David’s H-1B petition was approved. Not only did this approval validate David’s qualifications as a specialty occupation in the U.S., but it also showed our firm’s ability to navigate this case with laser-cut precision under an extremely tight deadline.
