Sr. Immigration Specialist

CME Group; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

CME Group seeks a Senior Immigration Specialist to own and optimize the global immigration program. You will lead end-to-end case management, liaise with HRBP, Talent Acquisition, and external counsel, and ensure regulatory compliance across U.S. and international visa matters.

You will monitor timelines, provide leadership with clear updates, and drive streamlined immigration communications while maintaining high-quality service delivery.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of hands-on U.S. employment-based immigration experience.
• Direct PERM/Labor Certification exposure and processing.
• Strong written and verbal communication for leadership updates.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end immigration operations across visa types and locations.
• Coordinate with external counsel and vendors, ensuring SLA adherence.
• Review petitions and filings for accuracy and compliance.
• Manage billing, invoices, and budget alignment for immigration work.
• Ensure Form I-9/E-Verify and related compliance across sites.

Skills

Immigration expertise

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Process optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree

Paralegal certificate

SHRM credentials

Tools

Google Workspace

JIRA

Workday

Case management system

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.