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United States · Permanent residence

EB-3 Skilled Worker / Professional (Green Card)

Processing
Often 2-4+ years
Cost
From $1,895
Validity
Permanent residence

Employer-sponsored green card for professionals with a bachelor’s, skilled workers in jobs requiring at least two years’ training or experience, and other workers in jobs requiring less than two years’ training or experience.

Requirements

  • Permanent, full-time job offer from a US employer
  • Bachelor’s degree (professional), at least two years’ training or experience (skilled worker), or less than two years’ training or experience (other worker)
  • Employer completes PERM labor certification
  • Wage must meet or exceed the prevailing wage

Restrictions

  • No self-petition; employer sponsorship is required until any AC21 portability requirements are met
  • Other-worker subcategory has a small annual quota and the longest wait

Time and cost

Processing time
Often 2-4+ years and potentially much longer depending on subcategory and country of chargeability
Validity
Permanent residence
Cost

From $1,895

Required

  • $715 Form I-140 petition
  • $600 Asylum Program Fee (standard; small employer $300, nonprofit $0)
  • Final stage: $1,440 Form I-485 to adjust status inside the US or $580 immigrant visa and USCIS immigrant fees to process from abroad
  • The employer must pay all PERM costs

Documents

  • Approved PERM (ETA-9089)

    Labor certification from the Department of Labor

    Processing: Often 18 months or longer including prevailing wage, recruitment and adjudication; an audit adds time

  • Form I-140 approval

    Employer’s immigrant petition to USCIS

  • Proof of qualifications

    Degree, training records or experience letters

  • Form I-485 or DS-260

    Adjustment of status, or consular processing abroad

Your family

Status your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can hold alongside this route. Children can study on it too.

Derivative Green CardSpouse can work

Your spouse and eligible children can obtain permanent residence as derivative applicants. Each family member is processed separately and receives full work rights only after becoming a permanent resident.

  • For preference cases, the Child Status Protection Act generally subtracts petition-pending time from the child’s age when a visa becomes available. The child usually must seek permanent residence within one year
  • Derivative applicants adjusting status in the US may generally request an EAD with or after filing Form I-485; consular processing does not provide interim US work authorization

Tips

  • EB-3 can cover qualifying jobs that do not require a degree
  • Schedule A removes the standard PERM recruitment step for registered nurses and physical therapists
  • Visa availability changes monthly. Check the current Visa Bulletin by category and country of chargeability