Sr. Immigration Specialist

CME Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 67,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Equity program

Comprehensive health coverage

Job summary

CME Group seeks an experienced immigration program leader to own end-to-end US employment-based cases (H‑1B, L‑1, TN, O‑1) and PERM processes. You will coordinate with the Global Mobility team and HR partners to deliver proactive, compliant visa support across locations.

You’ll manage external counsel, review filings for accuracy, monitor timelines, and report updates to leadership. A bachelor’s degree and 5–7+ years in immigration are required, with strong communication and project-management

Qualifications

• Must have 5–7+ years of hands-on experience managing U.S. employment-based immigration cases (H‑1B, L‑1, TN, O‑1, Green Cards/PERM).
• Direct, end-to-end PERM/Labor Certification ownership including recruitment steps, audits, and timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with leadership and HR stakeholders.
• Highly organized with strong accountability and ability to lead process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end immigration processes and case management across visa types and locations.
• Manage external counsel and vendors, ensuring SLAs, accuracy, and timely filings.
• Maintain compliance for Form I-9/E-Verify, LCAs, PAFs, and related postings.
• Monitor immigration data integrity and support international travel visa requirements.

Skills

Stakeholder communication

Ownership mindset

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Paralegal certificate

SHRM certification

Mobility credentials

Tools

Google Workspace

JIRA

Workday

Immigration case management systems

Job description

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.

Compensation & Benefits

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.

About CME Group

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.

Employment Eligibility & E‑Verify

For U.S. employment, CME Group is legally required to validate a new hire’s employment eligibility by having them complete an Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I‑9) companied with legally acceptable proof of identity and work authorization (as listed on the Form I‑9). CME Group uses E‑Verify, which is an online system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility and validate social security numbers. Through participation in the E‑Verify program, information entered on Form I‑9 will be provided and compared to information available at both of these agencies. See posters below for more details. E‑Verify Notice E‑Verify Notice Español U.S. Right to Work Notice U.S. Right to Work Notice Español