Sr. Immigration Specialist

CME Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 67,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunity

Equity program

Health coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Education reimbursement

Job summary

CME Group is seeking a Senior Immigration Specialist to own the global immigration program, ensuring flawless case execution and high-touch employee support across U.S. and international visa matters.

You will bridge internal and external legal counsel, HR, and Talent Acquisition, proactively manage stakeholders, and deliver regular program updates to leadership with clear cross-functional communications for compliance and alignment.

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of hands-on U.S. employment-based immigration case experience (H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, Green Cards/PERM).
• Direct end-to-end PERM/Labor Certification ownership including recruitment steps and audits.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication with leadership reporting experience.
• Highly organized with accountability and vendor management skills.
• Hands-on experience with HRIS (Workday) and immigration case management systems.
• Knowledge of Form I-9, E-Verify, and global travel visa requirements.
• Bachelor's degree; Paralegal SHRM or mobility credentials preferred.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Process Ownership of CME Group's daily immigration operations across all visa types and locations.
• Active Stakeholder Management guiding HR, Talent Acquisition and employees through visa timelines and risks.
• Leadership updates translating case statuses and regulatory shifts into actionable reports.
• Design and deliver clear, employee-centric immigration communications.
• Act as primary contact for external counsel and vendors; ensure SLA adherence and case progression.
• Review and validate petitions, PERM applications for accuracy and compliance.
• Audit and process external immigration invoices; maintain budget discipline.
• Maintain compliance for Form I-9/E-Verify, LCAs and PAFs; monitor postings.
• Triage immigration mailbox and JIRA queue; ensure timely response times.
• Direct data transfers between Workday, vendor portals and case management tools.
• Assess immigration requirements for international business travel and issue support letters.

Skills

Immigration case management

Stakeholder communication

Ownership mindset

Systems proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Paralegal certificate

SHRM credential

Tools

JIRA

Google Workspace

Workday

Job description

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.

Key Responsibilities

Process Ownership & Stakeholder Management

End-to-End Process Ownership: 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.

Active Stakeholder Management: 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.

Leadership Team Updates: Translate complex case statuses, regulatory shifts, and program risks into clear, actionable reporting and updates for leadership teams and HR stakeholders.

Broad Communications: Design and execute clear, employee-centric immigration communications—ranging from company-wide compliance announcements and policy updates to tailored guidance for business travelers.

Vendor Management & File Integrity

External Counsel Accountability: 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.

Quality & Document Review: Directly review and validate immigration petitions, PERM applications, and legal filings prepared by external vendors to ensure 100% accuracy, consistency, and compliance before filing.

Billing & Expense Control: Review, audit, and process all external immigration legal invoices, ensuring budget discipline and accurate cost allocation.

Compliance, Risk & Operations

Regulatory Compliance: Maintain full compliance integrity across Form I-9/E-Verify, LCAs, Public Access Files (PAFs), and required physical and electronic workplace postings.

Mailbox & JIRA Oversight: Actively monitor, triage, and resolve incoming inquiries in the immigration mailbox and JIRA queue, setting high standards for response time and service delivery.

Data Integrity: Directly manage and audit sensitive immigration records, case milestones, and data transfers between Workday, vendor portals, and case management tools.

Business Travel Oversight: Assess and manage immigration requirements for international business travel, issuing formal invitation letters and visa support documentation.

Qualifications

Experience: 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.

PERM Ownership: Direct, hands-on experience running end-to-end PERM/Labor Certification processes, including recruitment steps, audit preparation, and timeline management.

Stakeholder Communication: 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.

Ownership Mindset: 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.

Systems Proficiency: Hands-on experience using Google Workspace, JIRA, an HRIS (preferably Workday), and enterprise mobility and immigration case management systems.

Compliance Expertise: Demonstrated knowledge of global immigration laws, U.S. Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance, and global travel visa requirements.

Education: Bachelor's degree required; Paralegal certificate, SHRM, or relevant mobility credentials preferred.

CME Group is committed to offering a competitive total rewards package for our employees that recognizes their contributions to the business and reflects our long-term investment in their future. The pay range for this role is $66,700-$111,100. Actual salary offered will be dependent on a wide array of factors including but not limited to: relevant experience, skills, education and comparison to internal employees (where relevant). Our compensation program also includes an annual target bonus opportunity for all employees, as well as the opportunity to become an owner in the company through our broad-based equity program. Through our benefits program, we strive to offer flexibility, value and choice. From comprehensive health coverage, to a retirement package that includes both a 401(k) and an active pension plan, to highly competitive education reimbursement provisions, paid time off and a mental health benefit, CME Group offers a holistic benefits package for our team and their dependents.

CME Group: Where Futures are Made

CME Group is the world's leading derivatives marketplace. But who we are goes deeper than that. Here, you can impact markets worldwide. Transform industries. And build a career by shaping tomorrow. We invest in your success and you own it - all while working alongside a team of leading experts who inspire you in ways big and small. Problem solvers, difference makers, trailblazers. Those are our people. And we're looking for more.

At CME Group, we embrace our employees' unique experiences and skills to ensure that everyone's perspectives are acknowledged and valued. As an equal-opportunity employer, we consider all potential employees without regard to any protected characteristic.