Alma vs Migrun

When high-skilled professionals and growing companies need immigration support, the provider they select can materially affect case preparation, filing accuracy, communication, and the management of avoidable delays. Government agencies retain responsibility for adjudication and processing. Alma and MigRun have substantially different core offerings. Alma is a modern immigration law firm built for attorney-led U.S. employment-based immigration, supported by an AI-powered platform and case intelligence engine, while MigRun's public materials principally cover European residence and relocation routes. For readers evaluating support options for U.S. work visas or employment-based green cards, this comparison outlines the documented differences between the 2 providers.

Understanding Each Company's Core Positioning

Alma is a modern immigration law firm, attorney-led and supported by technology, focused exclusively on U.S. employment-based visas and green cards. Founded in October 2023 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Alma raised a $5.5M seed round to transform how individuals and businesses approach American immigration. The company's mission centers on being "your partner on the path to the American Dream" through a combination of seasoned attorneys and AI/ML technology.

MigRun is a European relocation and residence services provider operated by Migrantora Ltd. Its principal public country offerings cover European destinations including Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, and the UK.

The principal distinction is one of primary focus:

• Alma: U.S. employment visas (H-1B, O-1A/B, L-1A/B, TN, E-2/E-3) and green cards (EB-1A/B/C, EB-2 NIW, EB-2/EB-3 PERM)
• MigRun: European residence and relocation routes across the countries it advertises

MigRun does not appear to publish a comparable dedicated U.S. employment-visa practice. The 2 providers therefore serve largely different core markets rather than competing head to head across the same categories.

Service Models: Attorney-Led vs Marketplace

Alma's Attorney-Led Approach

Alma assigns a licensed immigration attorney to every case, providing consistent legal representation from consultation through approval. This model includes:

• Direct attorney oversight on all filings and documentation
• Up to 3 free consultation calls between attorney and employee per matter
• Bi-weekly status calls with lead attorney and immigration manager
• Response to Requests for Evidence (RFE) included at no additional charge
• 1 free refile in case of initial denial or comprehensive RFE (Growth and Enterprise plans)
• Contractually binding SLAs live on the platform with a full audit log, visible to clients in real time, backed by 99%+ SLA adherence

The attorney-led structure means clients receive personalized legal guidance from the attorney who owns the petition end to end. Attorneys with an average of 11+ years of experience handle complex visa categories, and prior approvals and RFEs inform case intelligence across the entire firm.

MigRun's Marketplace Model

MigRun operates a marketplace involving independent and platform-affiliated immigration professionals across the jurisdictions it covers. The scope of service is set by the selected professional and package.

For U.S. employment immigration, Alma's dedicated attorney model applies a single set of standards across every matter, which is a documented structural difference between the 2 service models.

Processing Speed: What the Published Figures Represent

Timing is often a practical concern in employment-based cases. The published figures for each provider describe different things, so understanding what each figure measures matters more than the raw numbers.

Alma's Case-Preparation Turnaround Commitment

Alma guarantees a 2-week case-preparation turnaround once evidence collection is complete, across visa categories including:

• O-1 extraordinary ability visas
• H-1B specialty occupation visas
• L-1 intracompany transferee visas
• TN classification for qualifying Canadian and Mexican citizens
• Green card petitions including EB-1A and EB-2 NIW

This 2-week commitment governs Alma's internal case preparation and is separate from USCIS adjudication time. Client testimonials reference short attorney response times.

Official government processing times are reported separately by agency. USCIS reports service-center processing under the aggregated label Service Center Operations, or SCOPS, because workloads can be transferred among service centers, so processing times for those forms are published as a single consolidated figure rather than as separate location-specific service-center estimates. Current official figures are available through the USCIS processing times tool.

MigRun's Published Turnaround Estimates

MigRun publishes route-specific estimated turnaround times that vary by country and immigration route. These are route-level estimates covering end-to-end timelines that include appointment, adjudication, and post-approval government steps, so they measure something different from a case-preparation commitment. MigRun does not appear to publish a comparable case-preparation turnaround guarantee.

Pricing Transparency and Value

Both providers publish pricing information, and the structures reflect their different markets and service models.

Alma's Flat-Rate U.S. Immigration Pricing

Alma publishes flat-rate pricing for standard individual cases in every visa category:

Non-Immigrant Visas:

• O-1 New: $8,000
• O-1 Extension/Change of Employer/Amendment: $3,000
• H-1B Lottery Registration: $500
• H-1B Cap/Cap-Exempt: $3,500
• H-1B Extension/Change of Employer/Amendment: $3,000
• L-1 Initial/New Office: $6,000
• L-1 Extension: $3,000
• TN New (USCIS or Border/Consulate): $3,000
• TN Extension: $2,500
• E-3 (USCIS or Consulate): $3,500

Immigrant Visas (Green Cards):

• EB-1A/EB-1B/EB-1C: $10,000
• EB-2 NIW: $10,000
• EB-1/EB-2 NIW with approved O-1: $7,000
• PERM Labor Certification: $8,000
• I-140 (PERM-based): $4,000
• Adult AOS bundle (I-485, I-765, I-131): $3,500

What's Included in Alma's Fees:

• Response to RFE at no additional charge
• Administrative costs (FedEx, printing, copying, postage)
• Up to 3 free attorney consultation calls per matter
• 1 free refile in case of initial denial or comprehensive RFE (Growth and Enterprise plans)
• Software subscription and platform access
• Bi-weekly status calls with lead attorney and immigration manager
• Implementation, including white-glove migration from an existing vendor

Alma also offers a 50/50 payment plan for businesses, half upfront and half once the case progresses. Volume discounts are available for companies managing larger foreign national populations. Businesses get predictable pricing with no billing surprises, and Alma does not bill separately for RFE responses, assessments, or complexity fees.

MigRun's Published Pricing

MigRun's prices vary by country, route, professional, and package.

Direct price comparisons between the 2 providers are of limited value because they cover different jurisdictions, case types, service scopes, and professional-delivery models.

U.S. immigration-law fees also vary by firm and matter. Many immigration attorneys use flat or staged fees, while some use hourly billing for consultations, complex advisory work, or work outside a defined scope. Alma's published flat-rate pricing sets the fee for each standard individual case before filing.

Technology Platform: Enterprise-Grade Immigration Management

For businesses managing multiple foreign national employees, technology infrastructure is one of several operational factors that influence efficiency. Compliance outcomes also depend on legal review, timely filings, accurate records, internal processes, and employee cooperation.

Alma's Enterprise Technology Stack

Alma provides business immigration technology with case management capabilities including:

• HRIS/ATS Integrations: Connect with Workday, BambooHR, ADP, Rippling, UKG, Greenhouse, Lever, and Ashby through 60+ native integrations
• Real-Time Dashboards: Track case status, compliance metrics, and spend projections
• AI-Powered Case Intelligence: An AI-powered platform and case intelligence engine draws on prior approvals and RFEs to inform strategy, with instant answers about cases, timelines, outcomes, and workforce planning
• Contractually Binding SLAs: SLAs live on the platform with owner, due date, and status, plus a full audit log visible to clients in real time, backed by 99%+ SLA adherence
• Compliance Automation: Built-in LCA manager, expiration reminders, and I-9 audit tools
• Employee Portal: Self-service document upload and status tracking
• Audit-Ready Records: Source-linked, exportable logs and compliance workflows for HR teams
• Security: SOC 2 Type II compliant

Alma's plans scale across business sizes:

• Startup Plan: Streamlined support for 1-25 foreign nationals, offering predictable pricing with no billing surprises
• Growth Plan: Custom pricing for 26-250 foreign nationals with structured workflows
• Enterprise Plan: Full-scale compliance for 250+ foreign nationals with role-based access controls

MigRun's Platform Features

MigRun provides an online case dashboard and document tools for the routes it covers.

MigRun does not appear to publish native HRIS or ATS integrations comparable to those described for Alma, or contractually binding SLAs with client-visible SLA adherence. MigRun does not appear to use prior cases to strengthen individual case strategy.

Client Support and Communication

Immigration cases involve high stakes, and support structures differ between the 2 providers.

Alma's Support Model

Alma emphasizes direct, responsive communication:

• Bi-weekly status calls with lead attorney and immigration manager
• Up to 3 free consultation calls between attorney and employees per matter
• Always-on platform access for document upload and status checking
• 86 NPS, indicating high reported client satisfaction
• White-glove migration from existing vendors for business clients

Client testimonials reference short attorney response times and consistent feedback on transparency and guidance quality.

MigRun's Support Structure

MigRun assigns case managers for the routes it covers.

For U.S. employment immigration specifically, Alma's model builds attorney oversight, bi-weekly attorney calls, and real-time SLA visibility into every matter.

Success Rates and Performance Metrics

Approval rates are one useful performance indicator, and meaningful comparison depends on methodology, case mix, sample size, time period, and definitions.

Alma's Reported Track Record

Alma reports a 98%+ approval rate across U.S. employment-based cases. The company attributes this to:

• Experience with USCIS adjudication patterns
• Comprehensive case preparation with attorney oversight
• Case intelligence drawn from prior approvals and RFEs
• Strategic positioning of each application
• Proactive RFE response at no additional charge

Alma's founder is Harvard Law-trained, and the company reports average attorney experience of 11+ years.

MigRun's Reported Success Rate

MigRun self-reports a success rate across the countries and routes it serves.

Alma publishes a 98%+ approval rate across U.S. employment-based cases, alongside 99%+ SLA adherence and an 86 NPS. MigRun's figure covers different jurisdictions, routes, adjudicating authorities, client populations, and definitions of success, so the 2 rates are not directly comparable.

Use Case Mapping: How the Platforms Align

The alignment between the 2 providers and a given situation depends primarily on destination and immigration category.

Alma's documented coverage includes:

• H-1B specialty occupation visas for professional employees
• O-1A/O-1B visas for individuals with extraordinary ability
• L-1A and L-1B visas for intracompany transfers
• TN nonimmigrant classification for qualifying Canadian and Mexican citizens in USMCA-listed professions
• E-2 investor visas for treaty investor nationals and E-3 specialty occupation visas for Australian citizens
• EB-1A extraordinary ability and EB-2 NIW green cards
• PERM-based EB-2 and EB-3 green cards
• Enterprise immigration management with HRIS integration
• Y Combinator, Techstars, or Pear VC portfolio company preferred rates

MigRun's documented coverage includes:

• European residence and relocation routes across the countries it advertises

The providers largely serve complementary markets. For U.S. employment-based categories, Alma maintains the dedicated category coverage and attorney-led structure that MigRun does not appear to publish.

How Alma's Model Is Structured for U.S. Immigration

For high-skilled professionals and companies engaged with U.S. employment-based immigration, Alma's structure has several documented characteristics:

Exclusive U.S. Focus

Alma concentrates entirely on U.S. employment immigration and reports a 98%+ approval rate across its U.S. caseload. MigRun's public offerings span European residence and relocation routes.

Attorney-Led Model

Every Alma case receives oversight from a licensed immigration attorney with average experience exceeding 11 years, and Alma applies consistent internal standards across every matter.

Guaranteed Turnaround Commitment

The guaranteed 2-week case-preparation turnaround once evidence collection is complete governs how quickly a case package is assembled. Government adjudication timelines are separate and are published by the relevant agencies.

Enterprise Technology

Alma provides 60+ HRIS/ATS integrations, an AI-powered platform and case intelligence engine, contractually binding SLAs with 99%+ adherence, and compliance automation. These support employers of varying sizes, from a startup's first hire to an enterprise's global mobility program.

Published Flat-Rate Pricing

Flat-rate pricing is published for standard individual cases in every visa category, with RFE responses, administrative costs, and platform access included. USCIS filing fees are separate.

For readers specifically evaluating U.S. employment-based immigration support, Alma's dedicated U.S. category coverage, attorney-led model, published commitments, and employer-focused technology make it the more directly aligned option in this comparison. Additional information about Alma's onboarding process is available on its get started page.

How U.S. Agency Involvement Varies by Category

U.S. employment immigration may involve USCIS, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, and/or Customs and Border Protection, depending on the visa or green-card category and the applicant's circumstances. In general terms:

• H-1B: Normally involves a DOL Labor Condition Application and a USCIS petition. The Department of State is involved when a visa must be issued abroad.
• E-3: Ordinarily requires an LCA, with processing occurring through a consulate or USCIS depending on the case.
• PERM-based EB-2/EB-3: Involves DOL labor certification followed by USCIS processing.
• O-1 and L-1: Ordinarily involve USCIS petition adjudication but not DOL labor certification.
• EB-1A and EB-2 NIW: Do not require PERM labor certification.
• TN: A nonimmigrant classification available to qualifying citizens of Canada and Mexico working in USMCA-listed professions. Canadian citizens generally request TN status at a U.S. port of entry, while Mexican citizens generally must obtain a TN visa before requesting admission. Either nationality may involve USCIS procedures in certain circumstances, such as an employer filing Form I-129 or an extension or change-of-status request.

This overview is informational and describes general agency involvement rather than the requirements of any particular case.