Globalised secured three E-3 visas for an Australian visual effects and 3D scanning studio establishing its US operation. The coordinated project covered the company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, a Creative Operations Manager and a VFX Production Coordinator. Each application required its own specialty-occupation analysis, qualifications case, Labor Condition Application and consular presentation.
| Visa strategy | Team | US expansion | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three coordinated E-3 applications | CEO and two specialist creative-production professionals | New San Francisco operation | All three visas issued |
The business and its US expansion
Our client was an established Australian studio providing visual effects, LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, digital capture and production services for film, television and games.
The company had developed a specialist team and a substantial body of technical production experience in Australia. It created a US entity to serve American productions directly and establish a base in San Francisco.
The expansion required three Australian team members with different professional functions. The company wanted its founder and CEO to lead the business, an experienced creative operations professional to manage production systems and technical delivery, and a VFX production professional to coordinate complex digital workflows.
Three roles, three separate E-3 cases
We treated the project as one coordinated company expansion while building an independently supportable case for each applicant.
Chief Executive Officer
The founder would lead the US company, develop American client relationships, oversee financial and commercial strategy, direct the local operation and remain accountable through the company’s governance arrangements.
We presented the position under the Chief Executives occupation and connected its specialised business, financial and organisational responsibilities to the applicant’s Bachelor of Business and extensive record leading creative and production enterprises.
Creative Operations Manager
The Creative Operations Manager would oversee scanning and digital-production workflows, coordinate projects, improve technical systems, manage schedules and budgets, and bridge the studio’s creative and operational functions.
We classified the position within the Producers and Directors occupation. The qualifications case drew on the applicant’s bachelor’s degree in games and interactive entertainment, advanced-animation studies and hands-on experience in digital capture, scanning and film production.
VFX Production Coordinator
The VFX Production Coordinator would manage the flow of visual-effects work from capture through post-production, coordinate artists and technical contributors, maintain delivery schedules and support the studio’s LiDAR, photogrammetry and virtual-production projects.
We developed the specialty-occupation case within the Special Effects Artists and Animators occupation. The applicant held a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Film and Television, together with substantial experience in VFX and virtual-production coordination.
The legal and practical issues
A new US entity
The US company was newly established. Its limited American operating history meant that the applications needed to explain the established Australian business, the commercial purpose of the US expansion and the practical work each employee would perform.
We presented the US operation as the next stage of an existing creative-production business, supported by the Australian studio’s history, portfolio, team, technical capabilities and client work.
A founder and CEO application
The CEO was also the company’s founder. We addressed the genuine US employment relationship through the company’s structure, executive responsibilities, reporting arrangements and governance. The application explained how the founder would perform a defined professional role for the US employer.
Creative roles as specialty occupations
Creative-industry job titles can conceal highly specialised work. We analysed the actual duties, technology, production processes and professional knowledge required for each position. That allowed the applications to show the distinct academic and technical foundation of the proposed work rather than relying on broad creative titles.
Three separate wage analyses
Each position had a different occupational classification and prevailing wage. We prepared a separate Labor Condition Application for each employee, confirmed the San Francisco worksite and structured the offered remuneration to satisfy the applicable wage requirement.
How Globalised managed the project
- Established a unified expansion narrative. We documented the Australian studio’s work, technical capabilities and commercial reason for creating a US operation.
- Defined each US position separately. We developed role descriptions that reflected the genuine division of executive, creative-operations and VFX-production responsibilities.
- Selected the occupational classifications. We matched each position to the most appropriate occupation and prepared the related specialty-occupation analysis.
- Connected each applicant’s qualifications to the work. We drew clear links between their university education, professional development, industry experience and proposed duties.
- Prepared three LCAs and employer compliance records. Each application had its own wage analysis, certified LCA, notice process and Public Access File.
- Coordinated the consular applications. We prepared the DS-160s, employer letters and supporting documents so that the three cases were consistent without treating them as interchangeable.
- Prepared the applicants for interview. Each employee received attorney-led preparation directed to their own role, background and likely points of scrutiny.
The result
All three E-3 visas were issued.
The company obtained the immigration approvals needed to place its leadership and specialist creative-production team in the United States. The coordinated approvals allowed the business to proceed with its San Francisco expansion using employees who already understood its technology, production methods and client requirements.
What this case demonstrates
- An Australian creative business can use the E-3 category to establish a specialist team in the United States.
- A new US entity can support E-3 applications when the wider business and proposed employment are documented properly.
- A coordinated company expansion can involve several E-3 applications with different occupations, qualifications and wage requirements.
- Founder and CEO cases benefit from a clear account of the employment and governance arrangements.
- VFX, digital-production and creative-operations roles can qualify when their specialised professional content is defined precisely.
- Each employee requires an independently supportable application, even when several employees are moving as part of the same expansion.
Planning a US team expansion?
Globalised advises Australian companies on E-3 strategy for individual hires and coordinated team relocations. We manage the role and qualification analysis, Labor Condition Applications, employer documentation, Public Access Files, visa applications and attorney-led interview preparation.
This representative matter has been anonymised. The applicants’ names, the company name and certain non-essential details have been withheld or generalised to protect confidentiality. Past outcomes do not guarantee a similar result in another matter.
