Helping Entrepreneurial International Students

I was reminded today how helpful it is for an immigration lawyer to have a background as a business lawyer, as I do.  The connection is obvious with respect to our work on employment and business immigration, immigration for employees, executives and investors.  A session at the New England conference of NAFSA: Association of International Educators this week focused on how to advise F-1 international students and J-1 exchange scholars who want to start their own businesses in the United States.  This is a particularly challenging area for international student advisors, who universally want to help students achieve their goals and yet aren't in a position to advise international students and scholars on business and immigration laws for start-up businesses.  Colleges and universities with business programs and social entrepreneurship programs turn out ambitious entrepreneurs, including international students, who want to start businesses in this country.  Unlike many immigration lawyers for whom business start-ups are unfamiliar territory, I'm as comfortable advising aspiring entrepreneurs as I am advising international students and educational institutions with F-1 and J-1 programs.  The legal issues for F-1 and J-1 entrepreneurs are fascinating and the word "gray area" comes up a lot.  The overriding message on this subject from the NAFSA conference for international student advisors on campus is that entrepreneurs in F-1 and J-1 status need to consult an immigration lawyer to determine what entrepreneurial activity may be legal within their immigration status and what they need to consider for possible next steps in their immigration plan.  At the same conference I connected with an international education professional who has long wanted to start her own business but didn't know how to realize her dream of being an entrepreneur in international education.  Applying my experience as a business lawyer, I helped her move the idea forward into an action plan.  I came away from the conference with renewed appreciation for the value of my background as a business lawyer.