Eligibility Requirements

The employment-based immigrant classifications are comprised of the following categories of workers:

- First preference workers, including persons of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors or researchers, and multinational executives or managers (EB-1); [1]

- Second preference workers, including members of the professions holding advanced degrees and persons of exceptional ability (EB-2); [2] and

- Third preference workers, including skilled workers, professionals, and other workers (EB-3). [3]

The following table outlines the eligibility requirements that must be met in order for an alien to obtain permanent residence in the United States based on employment.

Footnotes

[1] See INA 203(b)(1) .

[2] See INA 203(b)(2) .

[3] See INA 203(b)(3) .

[4] For more information about employer requirements, see Part F, Employment-Based Classifications [ 6 USCIS-PM F ]. For information about employers that are successors to the entity that filed the labor certification application, see Chapter 3, Successor-in-Interest in Permanent Labor Certification Cases [ 6 USCIS-PM E.3 ]. For information on ability to pay, see Chapter 4, Ability to Pay [ 6 USCIS-PM E.4 ]. Finally, see Business Structures .

[5] See Part F, Employment-Based Classifications [ 6 USCIS-PM F ].

[6] See INA 212(a)(5) . This requirement only applies to EB-2 and EB-3 classifications. See INA 212(a)(5)(D) . For individual applications, see Chapter 6, Labor Certification [ 6 USCIS-PM E.6 ]. For Schedule A blanket certification, see Chapter 7, Schedule A Designation Petitions [ 6 USCIS-PM.E.7 ].