Getting a Green Card through your employer is one way to come to the United States as a lawful worker. If you stay in the country for long enough, you may also be able to become a lawful permanent resident or seek citizenship.
There are three employment-based visa categories that put workers in groups based on whom the country would like to have come to work there. These categories include:
- First preference priority workers
- Second preference workers
- Third preference workers
First preference workers come to the United States on EB-1 visas. These workers are considered to have extraordinary skills in education, business, the arts, the sciences or in athletics. They may be recognized as outstanding researchers or professors. Sometimes, executives and managers of multinational corporations fit into this category.
The next category is reserved for those holding jobs in professions requiring advanced degrees. This category may also include those with exceptional abilities.
Finally, the EB-3 category is for any skilled worker or professional who remains.
If you are approved to come to the United States on a Green Card, it may be one of these. If you’re seeking the EB-1 visa, then you need to show that you have extraordinary abilities in that category. Some of the requirements include having evidence that you have been recognized internationally or nationally, that you have contributed in a significant way to your field or that you have had your work displayed in a showcase or exhibition, for example.
Each kind of visa has different set requirements. It’s a good idea to speak with your employer about getting sponsored, because someone else will need to file your initial Green Card application on your behalf from the United States. This is Ford I-485. The person who sponsors you for that Green Card may be an employer or another party, in some cases, depending on your circumstances.
If you have a job offer and would like to come to the United States, then your employer should already be prepared to sponsor your application. Your attorney can help you with the details if you are ready to proceed.