5. EB-3: Skilled Workers and Professionals
For many international workers, EB-3 is one of the most important categories to understand.
EB-3 covers three broad groups:
1. Skilled workers
2. Professionals
3. Other workers
The Department of State says skilled workers generally have jobs requiring at least two years of training or work experience, while professionals generally have positions requiring at least a bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent. The “other workers” category covers certain positions requiring less than two years of training or experience.
This is where things become practical
Imagine you are an international professional with a bachelor’s degree.
You find a U.S. employer willing to sponsor you for a qualifying permanent position.
Depending on the job and your qualifications, EB-3 could potentially be relevant.
Or perhaps you’re a skilled tradesperson with substantial experience and the position meets the requirements.
Again, the details matter.
The major challenge could be;
*. Employer sponsorship and visa availability can make the process lengthy.
*. Employment-based immigrant visas are numerically limited, and some categories can have backlogs depending on the applicant’s country of chargeability and other factors.
That’s why you shouldn’t look only at:
“Am I qualified?”
You also need to ask:
“Is an immigrant visa currently available for my category and circumstances?”
The State Department publishes Visa Bulletins showing employment-based visa availability and priority-date movement.