Sr Immigration Advisor
About The Position
The Sr Immigration Advisor, under the direction of the Assistant Director of Advising Services, provides guidance to student advisers on non-immigrant F and J regulations, manages cases, and advises on complex immigration issues. This role serves as both an International Student and Scholar Advisor and the Advising Team's lead for technology solutions and process optimization. The position is responsible for the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of SUNAPSIS/URcompass functionality to streamline operations, enhance the student experience, and ensure compliance with federal immigration regulations. The Senior International Advisor collaborates with the Advising Team, Systems Team, and University IT to develop electronic forms, workflows, and automated processes, provides system training and support, and oversees online orientation and educational resources for international students. The position also maintains an advising caseload, providing immigration advising and support to F-1 and J-1 students and scholars. Additionally, the role involves researching and communicating regulatory changes, assisting with policy development, delivering employment workshops, representing the office on committees, and liaising with governmental agencies.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree and 4 years of experience as an international scholar immigration advisor at a college or university required
- Experience with students at the secondary/college/university level required
- Experience with cross-cultural exchange and/or studying or working overseas required
- Ability to work with people from different cultures
- Ability to comprehend legal regulations for immigration law and apply them to individual situations required
- Ability to creatively problem solve, work with multiple tasks, and work with people at all levels of the organization required
- Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, and oral presentation skills) required
- Excellent research, analytical, and presentation skills required
- Strong understanding of government regulations, policies, and procedures related to managing and enrolling international students into programs at the secondary/college/university level required
- Strong understanding of international student information management and registration systems required
- Must be a US citizen or permanent resident of the US
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree preferred
- Or equivalent combination of education and experience
Responsibilities
- Serve as Designated School Official and Alternate Responsible Officer for the F and J programs
- Provide mentorship and guidance to complex cases with ISO advisers and ISO constituent groups
- Evaluate, assess, and provide sponsorship guidance for new students and academic departments
- Analyze relevant personal, program, and travel information to ensure UR compliance with required reporting
- Train new UR administrators and departmental contacts on ISO requirements, forms, services
- Advise students on complex immigration requirements, permissions, benefits, applications, and procedures
- Counsel students facing various personal issues (social, academic, cultural, financial, health, taxation, etc.)
- Anticipate potential immigration consequences or opportunities and make appropriate resource referrals
- Offer instruction on logistical needs, such as US Social Security Numbers, insurance, and tax reporting tools
- Advise dependent spouses/partners and children on immigration permissions, responsibilities, resources, etc.
- Develop, maintain, and enhance online orientation and educational resources for incoming and continuing international students, such as Homebase
- Serve as the functional lead for the development, testing, implementation, maintenance, and optimization of SUNAPSIS/URcompass e-forms, workflows, checklists, and related functionality
- Collaborate with the Advising Team, Systems Team, and University IT to design and implement automated business processes that improve operational efficiency while ensuring regulatory compliance
- Serve as the primary liaison between advising staff and technical partners for system enhancements, upgrades, and issue resolution
- Develop documentation, communicate system and process updates, and provide training and ongoing support to staff to promote effective system utilization
- Researches legacy immigration regulations (INA) and analyzes current DHS/SEVIS regulations
- Updates current USCIS practices and policies to all members of the student advising team
- Researches citations and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) associated with relevant in situ regulations for developing SOPs
- Develop, articulate, and adhere to internal guidelines for regulatory interpretations, office practices, etc.
- Determine and explain immigration options with context of specific academic and administrative policies
- Cultivate a detailed and current knowledge of immigration regulations, government policy, and legal resources through regular review of published guidance and professional network communications
- Other duties as assigned
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
