What does an immigration paralegal do?
Working alongside immigration lawyers, an immigration paralegal is in charge of liaising and assisting clients through the progress of their visa petitions or other cases. Their responsibilities revolve around gathering and securing foreign documents, coordinating with immigration managers, managing and filing documentation, preparing applications, and handling case systems and other databases. Furthermore, as an immigration paralegal, it is essential to update clients with the progress of their cases, answering their inquiries and helping them navigate through the procedures as needed.
Immigration paralegal responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real immigration paralegal resumes:
- Manage caseload utilizing INSZoom software.
- Manage large volume of documents, enabling attorneys to easily identify key documents that are critical for mediation and arbitration.
- Prepare training materials for H-1B visas and permanent labor certification.
- Write and prepare all arguments in re: to RFE's.
- Provide notary services to clients.
- Interview clients to complete form interrogatories.
- Specialize in EB-1 cases for aliens of extraordinary ability and outstanding researchers.
- Analyze documents for complex employment- base litigation.
- Provide litigation support to attorney in asylum cases.
- Supervise service of subpoenas and notification of witnesses.
- Prepare all H-1B visa petitions and family base visa petitions
- Streamline and execute the administrative procedures and documentation require for all USCIS submissions.
- Review and analyze various court documents including complaints and interrogatories for crucial cases.
- Maintain extensive oral and written communication with corporate and individual clients and USCIS officials.
- Enter receipt/approval information into immigration database INSZoom and notify relate parties of their status.
Immigration paralegal skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Immigration Paralegals are proficient in Management System, Government Agencies, and USCIS. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Immigration Paralegals that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Management System, 8%
Worked closely in team environment as account/case manager and provided case updates to attorneys through utilization of case management systems.
- Government Agencies, 8%
Customized templates that were used firm wide including correspondences to clients and government agencies thereby centralizing communication among staff.
- USCIS, 7%
Streamlined and executed the administrative procedures and documentation required for all USCIS submissions.
- Immigration Law, 6%
Fostered discussions about immigration laws and topics by initiating informal weekly water cooler gatherings for employees.
- HR, 5%
Prepared and co-presented HR immigration training with supervising partner.
- Litigation, 5%
Provided litigation support to attorney in asylum cases.
"management system," "government agencies," and "uscis" are among the most common skills that immigration paralegals use at work. You can find even more immigration paralegal responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an immigration paralegal to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "paralegals must be able to document and present their research and related information to their supervising attorney." Immigration paralegals often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "maintained extensive oral and written communication with corporate and individual clients and uscis officials. "
Computer skills. Another essential skill to perform immigration paralegal duties is computer skills. Immigration paralegals responsibilities require that "paralegals need to be familiar with using computers for legal research and litigation support." Immigration paralegals also use computer skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "specialized computer knowledge: immigration software inszoom, immigration aide, immigration tracker"
Interpersonal skills. This is an important skill for immigration paralegals to perform their duties. For an example of how immigration paralegal responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "paralegals spend most of their time working with clients and other professionals and must be able to develop good relationships." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an immigration paralegal: "secured interpersonal relationships with other firms/counsels to guarantee documents are executed prior to confirmed foreclosure sale dates. ".
Organizational skills. A big part of what immigration paralegals do relies on "organizational skills." You can see how essential it is to immigration paralegal responsibilities because "paralegals may be responsible for many cases at one time." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical immigration paralegal tasks: "participate in organizational meetings regarding real estate closings. "
Research skills. A commonly-found skill in immigration paralegal job descriptions, "research skills" is essential to what immigration paralegals do. Immigration paralegal responsibilities rely on this skill because "paralegals gather facts of the case and research information on relevant laws and regulations to prepare drafts of legal documents for attorneys and help them prepare for a case." You can also see how immigration paralegal duties rely on research skills in this resume example: "conduct immigration research for litigation purposes"
The three companies that hire the most immigration paralegals are:
- The Fusco Group23 immigration paralegals jobs
- Robert Half8 immigration paralegals jobs
- Erickson Immigration Group
6 immigration paralegals jobs
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Compare different immigration paralegals
Immigration paralegal vs. Law internship
A law internship is a program that is designed for law students to give them valuable insight into the professional lives of attorneys and judges. Law interns need to understand and observe what being a lawyer involves. They are required to conduct research and present it to their superiors for case preparations. They must assist their senior lawyers in organizing all of their legal paperwork that includes case files, evidence records, and legal documents. Law interns are also required to be present in the courtroom to assist lawyers and experience actual courtroom proceedings.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between immigration paralegals and law internship. For instance, immigration paralegal responsibilities require skills such as "government agencies," "uscis," "hr," and "attorney review." Whereas a law internship is skilled in "legal issues," "trial preparation," "legal memos," and "real estate." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that law interns earn slightly differ from immigration paralegals. In particular, law interns are 4.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an immigration paralegal. Additionally, they're 12.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Immigration paralegal vs. Legal administrator
The job of legal administrative assistants is to provide support to lawyers and paralegals. They typically perform legal research, manage schedules, and draft legal-related documents. Other duties include interpreting laws, regulations, and rulings in legal documents, obtaining information from other agencies or organizations, and preparing management and legal reports. In addition, legal administrative assistants are responsible for updating and maintaining databases and ensuring to provide effective administrative assistance. They are also expected to schedule client meetings and court hearings.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real immigration paralegal resumes. While immigration paralegal responsibilities can utilize skills like "government agencies," "uscis," "immigration law," and "hr," legal administrators use skills like "veterans," "powerpoint," "law firm," and "data entry."
Legal administrators earn a lower average salary than immigration paralegals. But legal administrators earn the highest pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $54,616. Additionally, immigration paralegals earn the highest salaries in the professional with average pay of $67,836 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Legal administrators tend to reach similar levels of education than immigration paralegals. In fact, they're 3.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 12.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Immigration paralegal vs. Legal assistant
Legal assistants are responsible for doing most of the administrative or clerical needs of a lawyer. They support lawyers by preparing documents for hearings or trials, conducting research for legal cases, organizing files and records, managing schedules, manning phone lines, communicating with legal clients, documenting meeting minutes, and setting up appointments. It is important for legal assistants to have a basic knowledge of laws and the judiciary system so that they can provide better support to lawyers. They should also be detail-oriented, organized, and excellent communicators.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, immigration paralegals are more likely to have skills like "government agencies," "uscis," "immigration law," and "hr." But a legal assistant is more likely to have skills like "legal correspondence," "discovery responses," "law firm," and "trial preparation."
Legal assistants earn the highest salary when working in the professional industry, where they receive an average salary of $47,979. Comparatively, immigration paralegals have the highest earning potential in the professional industry, with an average salary of $67,836.When it comes to education, legal assistants tend to earn lower degree levels compared to immigration paralegals. In fact, they're 7.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Immigration paralegal vs. Legal clerk
A legal clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to legal offices and organizations to ensure smooth legal business operations. Legal clerks sort and distribute documents to the appropriate personnel, update information on the database, schedule appointments, respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, and document meeting objectives. They may also coordinate with other offices and institutions to acquire files and research data according to the needs of the managing department. A legal clerk must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in monitoring business transactions and submitting reports timely and accurately.
Types of immigration paralegal
Updated January 8, 2025
