Sr. Immigration Specialist

Chicago Mercantile Exchange•Chicago, IL

About The Position

CME Group is seeking a Senior Immigration Specialist to take process ownership of our global immigration program. In this role, you will serve as the primary operational subject matter expert responsible for ensuring flawless case execution, high-touch employee support, and regulatory compliance across all U.S. and international visa matters. Beyond managing daily case movement, you will serve as the core bridge between internal and external legal counsel, HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and foreign national employees. You will be responsible for proactively managing stakeholders, delivering regular program updates to leadership teams, and driving clear, cross-functional communications that keep the organization informed, aligned, and compliant.

Requirements

5–7+ years of hands-on, progressive experience managing U.S. employment-based immigration cases (H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, Green Cards/PERM) and international visa processes.
Direct, hands-on experience running end-to-end PERM/Labor Certification processes, including recruitment steps, audit preparation, and timeline management.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with a proven track record of briefing managers, writing broad employee updates, and delivering clear status reports to leadership teams.
Highly organized with deep personal accountability—comfortable being the "go-to" expert who independently drives processes, solves complex edge-cases, and keeps vendors on track.
Hands-on experience using Google Workspace, JIRA, an HRIS (preferably Workday), and enterprise mobility and immigration case management systems.
Demonstrated knowledge of global immigration laws, U.S. Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance, and global travel visa requirements.
Bachelor’s degree required

Nice To Haves

Paralegal certificate, SHRM, or relevant mobility credentials preferred.

Responsibilities

Take complete process ownership of CME Group’s daily immigration operations, driving accurate, proactive, and compliant case management across all visa types and global locations.
Partner with the Global Mobility team to deliver seamless support, where applicable, and manage interdependencies accordingly.
Serve as the trusted expert to HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, foreign national employees, and hiring managers—guiding them through visa timelines, options, and risks with clarity and empathy.
Translate complex case statuses, regulatory shifts, and program risks into clear, actionable reporting and updates for leadership teams and HR stakeholders.
Design and execute clear, employee-centric immigration communications—ranging from company-wide compliance announcements and policy updates to tailored guidance for business travelers.
Act as the primary day-to-day point of contact for external immigration counsel and vendors, driving strict SLA adherence, quality control, and timely case progression.
Directly review and validate immigration petitions, PERM applications, and legal filings prepared by external vendors to ensure 100% accuracy, consistency, and compliance before filing.
Review, audit, and process all external immigration legal invoices, ensuring budget discipline and accurate cost allocation.
Maintain compliance integrity across Form I-9/E-Verify, LCAs, Public Access Files (PAFs), and required physical and electronic workplace postings.
Actively monitor, triage, and resolve incoming inquiries in the immigration mailbox and JIRA queue, setting high standards for response time and service delivery.
Directly manage and audit sensitive immigration records, case milestones, and data transfers between Workday, vendor portals, and case management tools.
Assess and manage immigration requirements for international business travel, issuing formal invitation letters and visa support documentation.