Can I Work on Old L1 after H1 Approved

[welcome000]

Currently I am working for company A in USA on L1 visa. I got my H1B approval letter on Dec 17 with status change from Oct 1 2007. Due to unavoidable circumstances I can not move to company B (who sponsored H1B) till Feb 2008.

1. Is there a way so that I can stay in company A (on L1) till Feb 2008?
2. What are the legal risks if I decide to stay in company A (on L1) till Feb 2008?

My wife on L2 visa has work authorization valid till March 2008. With my H1B approval, her status changed from L2 to H4. She wants to apply for H1B in March 2008
1. Working with work authorization till March 2008 will affect H1B approval process?
2. Can she stay in L2 visa till expiry of work authorization?

thanks for your useful suggestions.

[smallwhale]

Well .. as far as I know if the H1B approval comes with a status change then you are automatically moved to that H1B. And hence you are no longer in L1 status to work for your L1 employer. However in your case the H1B approval came in December 2007 with the status change date of 1st October 2007.

I don't think I have sufficient understanding of the US laws to advise you in this case. I will leave it upto the other folks of this forum to help you out.