The requirements for an E-3 visa are as follows:

1. The applicant must have a legitimate offer of employment in the United States.

2. The position the applicant is coming to fill must qualify as specialty occupation employment.

3. The applicant must be an Australian citizen.

4. The applicant must have the necessary academic or other qualifying credentials.

5. The applicant must intend to stay only temporarily in the U.S.

6. If required in the specialty occupation, the applicant must have any necessary license or other official permission to practice in the specialty occupation.

7. The employer must have obtained an approved Labor Condition Application.

The maximum validity period for an E-3 visa is 24-month. In addition, the validity of an E-3 visa can not exceed the validity period of the LCA.

A "specialty occupation" for E-3 visa purposes is generally an occupation which requires a bachelor's or higher degree in a specific specialty, such as a teacher, physician, computer programmer, engineer, accountant, etc. The more technical definition of a "specialty occupation" is an occupation which requires:

1. A theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge, and
2. The 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.

The E-3 must satisfy the consular officer that s/he intends to depart from the U.S. upon termination of status because E-3 status provides for entry on a non-permanent basis into the US.

Many foreign programmers, and other professionals, who would like to work for YouTube and Google wonder whether YouTube and Google sponsor individuals for H-1B visas. As you can see from the following chart, Google does indeed sponsor H-1B workers. Therefore, after the acquisition of YouTube by Google, Google will likely continue to sponsor individuals for H-1B visas provided that the H-1B quota, established by the U.S. government, has not run out.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on October 26, 2006 that 24 of the 27 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries have met the October 26, 2006 deadline by satisfying the requirement for issuing e-Passports. These requirements mandate that passports contain a contactless chip with the passport holder's biographic information and a biometric identifier (e.g., a digital photograph of the holder). DHS announced in July 2005, that passports issued by VWP countries on or after October 26, 2006, must comply with these requirements in order to be valid for entry into the United States without a visa, i.e., under the visa waiver program.

The E-3 is a new visa category for Australians only who are going to the U.S. to work temporarily in a "specialty occupation".