Employment-Based Permanent Residence
The five employment-based preference categories cover very different people and circumstances.
Some require employer sponsorship and labor certification.
Some do not.
Some focus heavily on the individual’s qualifications.
One is based on qualifying investment.
Another covers narrowly defined special immigrants.
The fact that two people both want permanent residence does not mean they should pursue the same route.
EB-1 — Priority Workers
Extraordinary ability, outstanding professors/researchers and certain multinational executives/managers.
EB-2 — Advanced Degree or Exceptional Ability
Generally for advanced-degree professionals or persons of exceptional ability.
EB-2 National Interest Waiver
An EB-2 route in which eligible petitioners request waiver of the normal job-offer and labor-certification requirements.
EB-3
Employer-sponsored permanent immigration for skilled workers, professionals and certain other workers.
EB-4
Specific statutory categories of special immigrants.
EB-5
Permanent immigration based on qualifying investment and job creation.