[20030612]RS21543_公司内部转账移民政策（L签证）：问题和立法.pdf

1 For background, see CRS Report RS20916, Immigration and Naturalization Fundamentals, andCRS Report RL31381, U.S. Immigration Policy on Temporary Admissions, both by Ruth EllenWasem.Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21543June 12, 2003Immigration Policy for IntracompanyTransfers (L Visas): Issues and LegislationRuth Ellen WasemSpecialist in Social LegislationDomestic Social Policy DivisionSummaryConcerns are growing that the visa category that allows executives and managersof multinational corporations to work temporarily in the United States is being misused.This visa category, commonly referred to as the L visa, permits multinational firms totransfer top-level personnel to their locations in the United States for 5 to 7 years.Although the number of L visas issued has tripled in the past 20 years, the number of Lvisas that the Department of State issued in FY2002 (112,624) is down from a high of120,538 in FY2001. Some are now charging that firms are using the L visa to transfer“rank and file” professional employees rather than limiting these transfers to top-levelpersonnel, thus circumventing immig