Can I bring a domestic worker or housekeeper to the US on a visa?

Bringing a domestic worker to the United States is possible in limited circumstances. If you are a nonimmigrant visa holder (such as a diplomat, foreign government official, or A/G visa holder), your household employee may be eligible for a B-1 visa as a personal or domestic employee. The employee must have worked for you abroad, intend to return to the foreign country, and receive the prevailing wage.

For US citizens and permanent residents returning from abroad with a domestic worker, the B-1 classification may also apply if the employer is temporarily in the US and normally lives abroad, and the employee has a residence abroad with no intent to abandon it. The domestic worker cannot seek new employment in the US and must depart when the employer's stay ends.

There is no standalone domestic worker visa category for general hire in the US. If a foreign national wishes to work as a housekeeper or nanny for a US-based employer on a permanent basis, the employer must sponsor them through the employment-based green card process with a PERM labor certification, which involves proving no qualified US workers are available.

This is general information only, not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration lawyer or registered migration agent for your specific situation.