The Employer's Guide to Supporting O-1 Talent (Without Filing the Visa)
The Employer's Guide to Supporting O-1 Talent (Without Filing the Visa)
How U.S. companies can access extraordinary international talent through interest letters and deal memos
You Found the Perfect Candidate. Now What?
Your company identified an extraordinary professional—maybe a machine learning expert, a creative director, or a specialized engineer. They need an O-1 visa to work in the U.S.
Here's what most employers don't know: You don't have to file the visa petition yourself.
The Interest Letter: Your Low-Risk Entry Point
An interest letter is a formal document expressing your company's intent to engage the candidate's services once they obtain O-1 status. It's not a job offer. It's not a contract. It's not a visa petition.
What an interest letter IS:
- A statement of interest in the candidate's expertise
- Evidence supporting their O-1 application
- A pathway to hiring them after approval
What an interest letter IS NOT:
- A binding employment commitment
- A visa sponsorship obligation
- An assumption of legal liability
Why Smart Employers Choose This Path
Save $15,000 to $100,000
Traditional visa sponsorship requires:
- Immigration attorney fees ($5,000-$15,000)
- HR and compliance overhead
- Ongoing visa maintenance costs
- Premium processing fees ($2,805)
With an interest letter approach: The candidate or their agent handles the petition. You provide a letter. That's it.
Zero Visa Liability
When you sponsor a visa, you take on legal obligations. If the employee leaves, you may need to pay return transportation. If there are compliance issues, your company faces consequences.
Interest letters carry no such obligations. You're simply expressing interest, not assuming sponsorship.
Access Top Talent Faster
While your competitors spend months navigating H-1B lotteries and sponsorship paperwork, you can engage O-1 talent through a simple letter. Many O-1 petitions approve in weeks with premium processing.
How Aventus Makes It Easy
At Aventus Visa Agents, we specialize in connecting employers with pre-qualified O-1 candidates. Our process:
1. We Identify Talent — Through our network and [O1DMatch](https://o1dmatch.com), we find candidates who meet O-1 standards
2. We Guide the Letter — Our team provides templates and guidance for your interest letter
3. We Handle the Petition — As the petitioning agent, we file and manage the visa process
4. We Facilitate Onboarding — Once approved, we help transition the candidate to your team
Your cost? Just $2,000 total—$500 retainer, $1,500 after approval. Compare that to $15,000+ for traditional sponsorship.
What Makes Someone "Extraordinary"?
O-1 visas are for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement. USCIS looks for evidence like:
- National or international awards
- Published work or media coverage
- High salary relative to field
- Critical roles at distinguished organizations
- Patents, original contributions, or innovations
If you're considering a candidate, they likely qualify. The bar is high but achievable for genuinely talented professionals.
Real Employer Testimonials
> "We needed a specialized AI researcher but couldn't justify full visa sponsorship for a startup budget. Aventus handled everything—we just wrote a letter." — CTO, Series A Startup
> "The interest letter approach let us 'try before we buy.' Now that researcher is our VP of Engineering." — HR Director, Tech Company
Ready to Access Extraordinary Talent?
Stop losing candidates to visa complexity. Aventus makes it simple to support O-1 talent without the traditional sponsorship burden.
[Request Candidate Matches →](https://aventusvisaagents.com/employers)
Aventus Visa Agents partners with [O1DMatch](https://o1dmatch.com) to connect U.S. employers with extraordinary international talent.
Learn more about [interest letters vs. deal memos](https://o1dmatch.com/blog/interest-letters) and how OPT holders transition to O-1(https://o1dmatch.com/blog/opt-to-o1).