Explore your employment-based
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including eligibility requirements, costs, processing times, and more.
What is an employment-based green card?
The Green Card employment-based, normally referred to as the "employment-based green card," is a category of visa that gives foreign nationals the chance to move to and be employed permanently in the United States. This is considered to be one of the most in-demand types of visas, based on online search trends, indicating huge interest in permanent residency through employment opportunities.
There are many subcategories regarding employment-based green cards, specifically the benefits accruing to workers under the EB-2 visa category, with advanced degrees or possessing exceptional abilities. For example, on a monthly basis alone, the EB-2 visa attracts thousands of searches, proof of the relevance and importance the category holds in this landscape of immigration.
Applying through employment-based green cards is a very tiring process because for this, an applicant would require a U.S. employer's job offer so that they could sponsor the visa application. Nevertheless, these visas always remain marred by huge competition, though many categories are way below the completion threshold.
In other words, it is an employment-based green card that allows entry into the United States for permanent residence if the applicant meets the necessary employment criteria. Thus, in such cases, an employment-based green card opens a wide scope and allows skilled workers to make their careers and reside there in the States.
What are the benefits of having a green card in the United States?
An American green card can be very useful, as it can open ways for residence and other benefits that entail with it to contribute towards the comfort of living one's life and working conditions. Some of the most important advantages include:
Job creation
Green-card holders may legally work in any field and for any employer in the United States—even start their <a target='_blank' href='/usa-visa/investment-visa-us/'>own businesses</a>. This opens up excellent job opportunities and resultant career growth that may not come when on temporary work visas.
Travel flexibility
Holding a Green Card makes one entitled to relative ease of travel in and out of the United States compared to having a temporary visa. They are also allowed to apply for a U. S passport upon eligibility for citizenship.
Permanent residency
The most important benefit associated with a green card is permanent residency. It provides a holder the right to reside in the United States without the hassle and burden of going through the tedious process of renewing one's visa time and again for living, working, or remaining engaged in any business.
Legal rights
Almost all the legal rights bestowed upon a U.S. citizen are provided to a green card holder. These include protections from U.S. laws, sponsoring close family members for their own green cards, and access to federal benefits like social security and education assistance.
Path to citizenship
Having a green card may be considered the first step to seek U.S. citizenship. After completing the required period for permanent residence, one holding a green card can start applying for naturalization and finally assume full rights and privileges associated with United States citizenship.
What are the benefits of having a green card in the United States?
An American green card can be very useful, as it can open ways for residence and other benefits that entail with it to contribute towards the comfort of living one's life and working conditions. Some of the most important advantages include:
Permanent residency
The most important benefit associated with a green card is permanent residency. It provides a holder the right to reside in the United States without the hassle and burden of going through the tedious process of renewing one's visa time and again for living, working, or remaining engaged in any business.
Job creation
Green-card holders may legally work in any field and for any employer in the United States—even start their <a target='_blank' href='/usa-visa/investment-visa-us/'>own businesses</a>. This opens up excellent job opportunities and resultant career growth that may not come when on temporary work visas.
Legal rights
Almost all the legal rights bestowed upon a U.S. citizen are provided to a green card holder. These include protections from U.S. laws, sponsoring close family members for their own green cards, and access to federal benefits like social security and education assistance.
Travel flexibility
Holding a Green Card makes one entitled to relative ease of travel in and out of the United States compared to having a temporary visa. They are also allowed to apply for a U. S passport upon eligibility for citizenship.
Path to citizenship
Having a green card may be considered the first step to seek U.S. citizenship. After completing the required period for permanent residence, one holding a green card can start applying for naturalization and finally assume full rights and privileges associated with United States citizenship.
Choose your green card visa
EB-2 visa
Overview
The EB-2 visa category allows a foreign professional who has an advanced degree or possesses exceptional ability to receive permanent residency in the United States. Through an NIW, one can bypass the job offer and labor certification while gaining the benefit to the U.S.
EB-1A visa
Overview
The EB-1A visa covers entrance into the United States for individuals with extraordinary ability, who have actually obtained a minimum of some degree of handled fame. It allows self-petition without a job offer or labor certification requirement, making it perfect for that top tier of professionals.
EB-1C visa
Overview
The EB-1C visa grants U.S. residency and also acknowledges the contribution of multinational executives and managers; no labor certification is required. Senior professionals seeking to relocate to this category can do so with great ease.
EB-3 visa
Overview
The EB-3 visa primarily includes skilled workers, professionals, and other foreign nationals who have a job offer and labor certification showing more than 2 years of experience or a degree in that field.
What does the employment-based green card process entail?
An American green card can be very useful, as it can open ways for residence and other benefits that entail with it to contribute towards the comfort of living one's life and working conditions. Some of the most important advantages include:
Labor certification (PERM)
Most of the time, it is necessary for an employer to first obtain federally mandated certification from the U.S. Department of Labor that no qualified U.S. workers exist for the offered position and that foreign workers will not adversely impact on either the wage or working conditions of U.S. workers.
Job offer
One gets a job offer from an Employer who will sponsor their Green Card application, which is the first step of an application process. Prospects for employment-based applications for green cards, in most cases, depend on the job offer.
Adjustment of status or consular processing
If the applicant has already been admitted into the U.S. under a valid visa, he may apply for Adjustment of Status to permanent-resident status without having to leave the country at any time. Consular processing: This means if an applicant is outside the U.S., he/she will be required to go through consular processing, which takes place in one of the U.S. embassies or U.S. consulates within the country where the applicant resides, including attendance of the interview and submitting these documents that may be required to establish eligibility.
Filing the petition (Form I-140)
Once the labor certification is approved, the employer files Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This petition must include evidence of the job offer and the applicant’s qualifications.
Proven business model
Franchising simply means buying a tested and proven business model, greatly minimizing order risks and uncertainties that come with new business startups. Since the franchisor charts and polishes business operations, marketing strategies, and supply chains, most of these are already set up at the very beginning.
Priority date waiting
After filing the I-140 petition, the applicant must wait for his or her priority date to become current. Usually, in most cases, it is the time and date when the labor certification application was filed. Exactly how long this waiting time will take depends on the green card category applied for that bases its selection process on employment.
Green card approval
Applicants become permanent residents in the U.S. by obtaining their green cards after the Application for Adjustment of Status or consular processing has been approved. Getting an employment-based green card is complex and tightly regulated under immigration law and its requirements. Applicants may succeed on this path of permanent residency with proper sponsoring by a U.S. employer and correct legal advice.
Can I apply for an employment-based green card from outside the US?
Yes, you can apply for an employment-based green card from outside the United States. This process is consular processing. The important thing to highlight here is that applicants will need a valid offer of work in the United States or any U.S. employer who is ready and willing to sponsor one's application for a visa. An employer needs to file a petition on your behalf for you to begin the immigration process.
Upon acceptance of the petition, the applicant will be invited for an interview in a U.S. consulate or embassy in the country where he or she resides. The applicant shall come with all the applicable documents and demonstrate their eligibility for the particular employment-based green card category for which they are filing—the EB-2 visa, in particular, meant to consider advanced degrees and exceptional abilities.
Consular processing is one of the popular means to attain permanent residency, especially through employment-based visas, since it provides a path to permanent residency in the U.S. for work purposes, even if a person is currently residing abroad.
Start the visa process today!
If any questions or problems arise regarding the employment-based green card application while it is in process, a team of professionals is ready to help if it encounters an issue at any point. Whether it is understanding the various categories, consular processing from outside the US, or learning about the many benefits of having a US green card, we have trained experts who will guide you through all that and more. Get started right now; begin your pathway to permanent residency and a future career and life in the United States.
