Third Preference Employment-based visa (EB-3)
EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals
If you have at least 2 years of work experience or training and you received a job offer from a U.S. employer, you may qualify for permanent residency as an EB-3 skilled worker.
The position offered to you must also require at least 2 years of experience at a minimum for entry. Also, if you have a bachelor’s degree and you receive a job offer from a U.S. employer in a profession requiring such a degree at a minimum, you can qualify as an EB-3 professional.
Your degree must be a four-year bachelor’s degree and you cannot substitute work experience to satisfy the education requirement for this category.
If your degree was obtained outside of the U.S., you must receive an independent credential evaluation showing that it is the equivalent of a four-year degree from a U.S. institution.
To qualify for an EB-3 professional position, your job requirement does not have to be limited to education only and can require work experience in addition to a bachelor’s degree as the minimum requirement.
If, however, the work experience requirement of your offer is for more than 5 years, you may qualify for EB-2 (second preference) category as well depending on your position.
For both EB-3 skilled workers and professionals, you will need to have an approved labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor as a prerequisite to show that no qualified workers are not available in the U.S. for your position.
EB-3 Other Workers
If you have a permanent job offer from a U.S. employer for a position that requires less than 2 years of experience, you can qualify under the “other workers” category of an employment-based green card.
The position cannot be temporary or seasonal in nature, and you need your employer to file Form I-140 with USCIS after obtaining a labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor. Because there are fewer immigrant visas allocated for this category compared to EB-3 professionals or skilled workers, it might take longer for you to obtain your green card depending on your nationality and the time of your application.