Amanda Thompson

Amanda Thompson is Director of International Scholar Services at Purdue University, where she leads immigration strategy, compliance, and case management for international faculty, researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and professional staff. In this role, she oversees the full lifecycle of employment-based immigration—including nonimmigrant sponsorships (H-1B, O-1, TN, E-3, J-1, and others), permanent residence pathways (PERM, EB-1, EB-2 NIW, Outstanding Researcher, Extraordinary Ability), and compliance with I-9, E-Verify, and federal contractor requirements. Thompson serves as the Responsible Officer (RO) for the university’s J‑1 Exchange Visitor Program.

Thompson is a senior immigration attorney and organizational leader with nearly three decades of experience advising research institutions, universities, and private-sector employers on U.S. immigration law. Her expertise spans the full range of employment-based immigration, including nonimmigrant sponsorships, permanent residence pathways, and institutional compliance with federal requirements. Her experience includes practicing immigration law at one of the largest law firms in the United States, operating a solo immigration law practice, and managing international services at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

Thompson holds a BA in English from the University of Alberta and an LLB from the University of British Columbia. She is licensed by Maine to practice law and limits her practice to immigration law. She is a co-author / co-editor of two leading immigration law treatises and speaks at regional and national conferences on immigration topics.