How to Become an Immigration Paralegal; Immigration Paralegal Job Duties and Average Annual Salary

Zhanna Snelbecker, Esq.

This is an overview of the responsibilities of immigration paralegal, how to become one and a breakdown of average salaries.

Things You'll Need

• A Bachelor's degree.
• Paralegal certificate is helpful, but is not strictly required.

Instructions

1. DUTIES OF IMMIGRATION PARALEGAL:
   1. Drafts applications and petitions for filing
   2. Coordinates the filing of those applications and petitions
   3. Drafts letters and affidavits to support applications and petitions
   4. Obtains and organizes documents and researches availability of foreign documents
   5. Coordinates translations and equivalency evaluations of foreign documents and degrees
   6. Researches immigrant and nonimmigrant visa alternatives and prepares clients for interviews
   7. Maintains dockets and updates electronic case management systems
   8. In some law firms, prepares client invoices or pre-invoices, typically only for the work the paralegal does.

2. Immigration paralegals are frequently assigned clients with whom they stay in close contact with throughout the process of immigrating to the United States. This can make working as an immigration paralegal a highly rewarding field. A paralegal will sometimes get to know their clients over the period of 7-10 years, while their immigration paperwork is pending. You will view family expanding, people getting married and having children, and reuniting with their family members from abroad. You will discuss very private details of people's lives: marriage, birth of children, new jobs, terminations, divorce, income levels, expected income levels, etc.

   There is often a great deal of gratitude from the immigrant, especially when families are concerned. Many immigration paralegals spend more time with the client than the attorney does. There is a lot of client expectation management and it often takes a calm personality to help clients stay patient through their long ordeal.

   Language and cultural barriers may also add to the challenge of a job as an immigration paralegal; knowing a language or being from within a specific culture certainly helps. Foreign languages knowledge will often command a higher salary, but in return, you will double as a translator.

3. How to Become Immigration Paralegal:

   A bachelor's degree from a good school, with good grades will help; targeting temp agencies to offer your services as a temp paralegal or document clerk (temp to perm) will help. A lot of hires are done through recommendations, so having friends who are immigration paralegals/lawyers certainly helps.

4. Average salaries depend on location and the type of employer. Here are the approximate numbers (consider that paralegals qualify for overtime pay, which is 1.5 of your regular pay; most paralegals at busy practices can practically double their income with 30-40 overtime hours a month):

   Entry-level immigration paralegal - 28-40K a year
   Mid-level paralegal (1-3 full years of experience) - 40K-50K.
   Senior Level Paralegal (3 to 5 years of experience) - 50 K to 75 K.
   Case Managers/Practice Coordinators (5+ years of experience) - up to 80K with large law firms.

Tips & Warnings

• Knowledge of the foreign language in which the attorney specializes (e.g. you know Mandarin, and a lot of the attorney's clients are from China), will very often command a higher salary, because you will double as a translator.

• Immigration law is not for people who prefer to have no contact with clients; it is highly emotional, fast-paced, and people-skills people oriented.

• Immigration law is for VERY DETAILED-ORIENTED PEOPLE.