The L-1 visa permits multinational companies to transfer high-level and essential employees from their international offices to the United States.  The L-1 category applies to aliens who work for a company with a parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate in the U.S.  These workers come to the U.S. as intracompany transferees temporarily to perform services either in a managerial/executive capacity or a specialized knowledge capacity for a parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate of the same employer abroad.  Executives and managers enter the United States on an L1A visa.  Employees with specialized knowledge enter the United States on an L1B visa.  To be eligible for an L-1 Visa, a foreign national must have been employed by the foreign company continuously for at least one year during the preceding three-year period. 

Some L-1A visa holders would also qualify for permanent residency in the United States if they meet the requirement of Multinational Executive or Manager.   The L-1B employees with "specialized knowledge" are not eligible for this type of green card petition.   

Dependents (spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age) of L-1 workers are entitled to L-2 status.  Dependents may be students in the U.S. and dependent spouses may obtain an Employment Authorization Document.