#  Guidance for Harvard Administrators on Recruiting International Faculty Members 

 



## Summary

This page provides guidance for Harvard administrators and faculty affairs deans planning a faculty search that may include international candidates.



 

 

##  Planning a faculty search? 

If you are planning a faculty search that might include international candidates, or already have a specific situation in mind, **please contact the Harvard International Office (HIO) early in your planning.**

When your department recruits international faculty, Harvard University may sponsor them for permanent residency (also known as a green card). That process can be complicated and time sensitive.

The HIO now partners with the immigration law firm Green and Spiegel (G&S) on all faculty permanent resident cases. The specific team at G&S that is dedicated to supporting Harvard faculty includes partner Dan Berger, attorney Taylor Joseph, and case coordinators Emily Hindle, Jenna Evans, and Alexis Kriley.

This document includes important information about the recruitment and hiring of international tenure-track and tenured faculty, specifically regarding what is required to sponsor permanent residency for these positions:

- Recruiting and advertising
- Funding language in ads
- Minimum education requirements
- Timelines, deferred appointments, and fellowships

**Your first step in the process should be to contact HIO.** Senior Advisors [Ashlee Anton](mailto:ashlee_anton@harvard.edu) and [Leah Boccaccio](mailto:leah_boccaccio@harvard.edu) are your points of contact for all tenure-track and tenured faculty cases at Harvard. We will work with you and coordinate with G&S to ensure a seamless process.

Please note that the information contained herein is general guidance. Assessments for each individual case will be made by HIO and G&S. The attorneys will make appropriate determinations regarding strategy and process for each particular faculty member’s case.

We look forward to partnering with you to bring talented international faculty members to Harvard!

Click to expand each heading to learn more about each section.



 

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###    1. Before you advertise a faculty position  expand\_more  

For the HIO to sponsor a faculty member for permanent residency, we must show:

- A **routine academic search** took place, and
- The person hired was the **most qualified** candidate.

   
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rules shape how you advertise. Following the following steps now will prevent delays or denials later.

If you are planning a search that **may** result in hiring an international faculty member, please contact HIO early to confirm your plan meets these requirements.

 

 



###    2. Advertising requirements  expand\_more  

You may recruit using a **print journal**, **online journal**, or both. The DOL requires that the venue be a **national professional journal that contains articles and content other than job listings**.

Examples that typically qualify include:

- *The Chronicle of Higher Education*
- *Science*
- *Nature*
- Field-specific professional journals that publish articles, plus job ads

The site or journal **cannot** be only a job board or list of ads.

***If you advertise in a print journal,** please keep:*

- A **tear sheet** (the full journal page) showing the ad, and
- A **copy of the cover** if the publication date does not appear on the ad page.

***If you advertise in an online journal***

Online recruiting is acceptable if:

- The site is a **national professional journal** with articles plus job postings (not just a job‑only website), AND
- The ad runs for **at least 30 consecutive days**.

If you rely on online recruiting, you must keep:

- The **confirmation email and/or billing letter** showing the posting dates, and
- A **dated printout or screenshot of the full ad** on:
- The **first day** of posting, and
- The **30th day** of posting.

The date must appear on the website printout or screenshot itself. Do not add the date by hand.

You may still use **print**‑**only** recruiting. Online posting is not required if you meet the print journal standards above.

 

 



###    3. Funding language in your ad  expand\_more  

Avoid any language which suggests that the faculty member must raise their own salary. For example, do **not** say that the person hired:

- “Will be responsible for raising X% of their salary,” or
- “Must secure external funding for a portion of their compensation.”

**Why this matters:**

- DOL rules require Harvard to prove it has the ability to pay the offered salary.
- Language about self-funding can cause the government to question whether a valid employer–employee relationship exists.

Ads that include this type of funding language should **not** be used for labor certification.

 

 



###    4. Minimum requirements and job duties listed in the ad  expand\_more  

To preserve eligibility for candidates who finish their degrees just before their appointment, use language such as: “Doctorate or terminal degree in \[field\] or related discipline **by the time the appointment begins**.” This allows us to show that the hired faculty member met the stated minimum requirements at the time of the offer, as required by the DOL.

Also:

- Use **“doctorate”** unless a **PhD specifically is required**.
- Do **not** use “PhD” as a catchall term for other doctoral degrees (such as SJD or EdD).

Additional requirements should be objective and measurable. We may need to document that the faculty member met each requirement at the time of selection.

Finally, the ad **must include teaching** as part of the job description.

 

 



###    5. Timeline, deferred appointments, and filing deadlines  expand\_more  

Some types of permanent residence (green card) applications must be filed **within 18 months of the date on the initial offer letter**, even if the faculty member defers their start date.

If your department hires a faculty member who defers:

1. **Contact HIO as soon as the offer is accepted.**
2. **Create and submit the full ISD record** as soon as:
3. The offer is accepted, and
4. The start date is finalized,   
    even if the start date is in a later year.
5. Be aware that HIO may need to **submit filings before the person arrives on campus** to meet regulatory deadlines.

Deferred appointments do **not** pause the 18‑month filing clock.

 

 



###    6. Fellowships, J‑1 status, and tenure‑track appointments  expand\_more  

Plans to combine fellowships with a future or concurrent faculty appointment can create serious immigration complications, especially when the fellowship uses **J**‑**1 status**.

Key points:

- J‑1 status can carry a **two-year home residency requirement**.
- Due to its non-immigrant intent, J‑1 status is **incompatible** with:
- Intent to pursue a green card (i.e., intent to immigrate), or
- Holding a **permanent** faculty position.
- A candidate **cannot hold J**‑**1 status while in a tenure**‑**track appointment**.

As a result:

- Using or extending J‑1 status for a fellowship can prevent us from meeting required green card filing deadlines or providing needed visa sponsorship.
- Alternating between J‑1 fellowship or postdoctoral roles and a tenure‑track appointment is often **not workable**.

Before you propose or finalize any plan that combines fellowships or postdocs (especially in J‑1 status) and current or future tenure‑track appointments, contact HIO.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 See also:- [ Harvard Administrators ](/form-categories/harvard-administrators)