Special Hiring Programs

• Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)
  • Selectees receive an excepted appointment with conversion to a career or career-conditional appointment after 2 years of satisfactory service.
  • Appointments are up to the GS-11 paygrade level or equivalent.
  • An established training program is required for veterans with less than 15 years of education.
• Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
  • Selectees receive a career or career-conditional appointment.
  • Eligible veterans can be appointed under an internal agency announcement.
  • Veterans are not accorded veteran preference.
  • Candidates must be a preference-eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years of continuous active-duty service reformed under honorable conditions.
• Disabled Veterans (30% or More)
  • Candidates can be noncompetitively appointed to positions for which they qualify.
  • Initial appointments for more than 60 days are time-limited.
  • Selectees may be noncompetitively converted to a career or career-conditional appointment after demonstrating satisfactory performance.
• Additional Programs for Disabled Veterans
  • Operation Warfighter Program. Read more on the Department of Homeland Security website.
  • Non-Paid Work Experience Programs. Read more on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
  • Coming Home to Work Program.
• Read more on the Office of Personnel website on Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans.
  • Apply to available positions through USAJOBS.

• Eligible individuals may be considered for any job opening until a selection is made.
• Selectees receive an initial 2-year appointment with possible conversion to a permanent appointment.
• Read details about requirements for eligibility on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website.
• Apply to available positions through USAJOBS.

• Eligible individuals may be considered for any job opening until a selection is made.
• Peace Corps volunteers and AmeriCorps VISTA members have 1 year of noncompetitive eligibility. This eligibility may be extended up to 3 years for individuals who serve in the military, study at a recognized institution of higher learning, are selected and are undergoing a background investigation for employment with USCIS, or engage in another activity that USCIS determines warrants extension.
  • USCIS has authorized the extension of Peace Corps volunteer noncompetitive eligibility for an additional 2 years (for 3 years total) for those who completed their qualifying service on or after Jan. 1, 2020.
• Peace Corps employees have three years of noncompetitive eligibility.
• Apply to available positions through USAJOBS.

• Three consecutive years of federal service qualifies you for lifetime reinstatement eligibility.
• Less than 3 consecutive years of federal service qualifies you for 3 years of reinstatement eligibility.
• Preference-eligible veterans have lifetime reinstatement rights.
• Apply and compete as if you were a current federal employee for open positions on USAJOBS.

• Eligible individuals may be considered for ANY job opening until a selection is made.
• Eligible individuals include:
  • Spouses of active-duty military members;
  • Spouses of 100% disabled service members; and
  • Un-remarried widows/widowers of service members deceased while on active duty.
• Read more on OPM’s website on the special hiring authority for spouses of military members.
• Apply to available positions through USAJOBS.

• The Presidential Management Fellow Program provides leadership development opportunities leading to a career in the government.
• Read about opportunities for recent graduates of colleges and universities.
• Career internships allow students to convert to a permanent position after they graduate.
• Temporary internships promote the creativity of students who are part of our paid workforce.
• Student Volunteers can gain valuable work experience and fill credit requirements through various opportunities within USCIS.
• Apply to available positions through USAJOBS.

What to Expect at a USCIS Hiring Fair