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Council reviews proposed city policy to sponsor visas for select hires, with repayment clause for early departures
Summary
Legal staff presented a proposed resolution creating a policy for city sponsorship of employment-based visas for certain city hires, noting federal processing fees vary widely and the policy would require sponsored employees to reimburse prorated fees if they leave before three years.
City legal staff introduced a resolution establishing a policy to allow Montgomery to sponsor employment-based immigration petitions for certain city employees with unique skills. The lawyer explained the resolution seeks to ensure federal-law compliance and to make clear that costs associated with visa processing (which can include U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services fees and legal expenses) vary by visa type. "The processing fees... can be anywhere from 200 to 4,000, 5,000 dollars just to process the application," the city attorney said.
The resolution would allow the city to assist with visa acquisition in limited instances, subject to personnel rules and council involvement. The draft includes a repayment provision requiring sponsored employees to agree to work for the city for three years and to reimburse a prorated share of costs if they depart earlier. Councilmembers asked whether the policy would apply only to city employees (staff said yes) and whether the council would approve specific hires; staff said the personnel and hiring processes remain those of city departments and that any expenditure would be subject to the resolution’s limits.
Council discussion focused on the fiscal exposure and the kinds of positions that might justify sponsorship. Staff emphasized the policy is aimed at retaining or maintaining employees who already work for the city or who possess specialized skills not readily found locally.
