Employment-Based Green Card Eligibility
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
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A foreign national seeking permanent residence with respect to employment in the U.S. has five categories from which to choose, from highest to lowest priority.
The following summaries will give you a general overview of each employment category. See the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) publication "Immigrant-Based Employment" (PDF) for more detailed information.
EB-1: Priority Workers
- Extraordinary ability in the fields of athletics, business, arts, sciences or education
- Outstanding researchers or college professors
- Business executives/managers transferred to the U.S.
EB-2: Professionals with Advanced Degrees or with Exceptional Ability
- Exceptional ability in the fields of business, the arts or sciences
- Professionals with advanced degrees
- Medical physicians practicing in traditionally underserved areas of the U.S.
EB-3: Skilled/Professional Workers
- Professionals with bachelor's degrees who do not qualify for a higher preference category
- Skilled workers, with a minimum of two years training and experience
- Unskilled workers
EB-4: Special Immigrants
- Religious workers
- Current and former employees of the U.S. government living overseas
EB-5: Immigrant Investors
- Those seeking green cards in connection with a new commercial enterprise (annual limit of 10,000).
Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?
- Some people can get a green card or complete immigration forms without hiring legal help
- Complex immigration cases (such as having a criminal history or past immigration violations) may need the support of an attorney
The immigration process can be complicated and slow. An attorney can offer tailored advice and help prevent common mistakes.