EB-4 Special Immigrant Immigration

EB-4 is different from the other employment-based preference categories.

It is a collection of specific “special immigrant” classifications created by Congress rather than a general path for professionals or sponsored workers.

MarthaArias.com focuses only on EB-4 matters connected to the site’s employment-based immigration practice.

Those can include qualifying religious workers and certain other statutorily defined employment-connected special immigrants.

Religious Workers

The EB-4 religious-worker provisions can cover qualifying ministers and, when statutorily authorized, certain other religious workers serving qualifying nonprofit religious organizations.

The requirements address matters such as the religious denomination, qualifying organization, religious occupation or vocation, prior qualifying work and the proposed U.S. employment.

Important

The law treats ministers differently from the temporary statutory program covering certain non-minister religious workers.

The latter has repeatedly been subject to congressional sunset dates.

EB-4 Religious Worker Update
Certain EB-4 religious-worker provisions are subject to congressional authorization and may expire or be extended. Please check the latest update or request a consultation before relying on current availability.

Other Employment-Connected EB-4 Matters

EB-4 also includes narrowly defined special-immigrant groups such as certain international-organization or NATO employees, broadcasters and certain qualifying current or former U.S. government-related workers.

Because each category has separate statutory requirements, the first step is identifying the precise EB-4 provision rather than treating EB-4 as a general employment green card.