Who is it for?
Professionals and skilled workers with a bachelor’s degree, or at least two years of relevant training or work experience.
The steps
- Secure a permanent full-time job offer from a US employer
- The employer completes the prevailing wage and recruitment steps, then labour certification
- The employer files the I-140 (premium processing available)
- Apply for a green card when your priority date is current
Common sectors
Engineering, IT, accounting, healthcare and hospitality management.
Points to note
- You must genuinely intend to work for the sponsoring employer
- Backlogs depend on place of birth
- The employer must show it can pay the offered wage
EB-3 Skilled Worker at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Investment | No investment required |
| Employer | Required, with labour certification |
| Education / experience | Bachelor’s, or at least two years’ experience |
| Family | Spouse and unmarried children under 21 |
EB-3 Skilled Worker application process and timing
- Assessment and employer match (Varies): We assess your qualifications and confirm the employer and role.
- Labour certification (PERM) (Per Department of Labor timelines): Prevailing wage determination, recruitment and filing of the labour certification.
- File I-140 (Premium processing about 15 working days): Once the labour certification is approved, the employer files the I-140; premium processing is available.
- Green card stage (Depends on visa backlog): File I-485 or attend a consular interview when your priority date is current.
Main EB-3 Skilled Worker requirements
- A bachelor’s degree, or at least two years of relevant training or work experience
- A permanent full-time job offer from a US employer
- The employer completes labour certification (PERM)
- The employer can pay the offered wage
Key benefits of EB-3 Skilled Worker
- Lower education and experience requirements than EB-2
- No investment required
- Move to the US in a formal employment role
- Green cards for the whole family
More questions about EB-3 Skilled Worker
How does EB-3 differ from EB-2? EB-2 requires a master’s degree (or bachelor’s plus five years’ experience) or exceptional ability; EB-3 needs only a bachelor’s degree or two years of relevant experience, though the backlog may differ.
Is there a visa backlog? EB-3 backlogs depend on place of birth; waiting times are published in the monthly Visa Bulletin.
Next step
Every family’s background, funds and timeline are different. Global Immigrate’s professional consultants can assess, free of charge, whether this programme suits you and compare other options. You can also request the full programme brochure on the programme page.
Learn more: US EB-3 Skilled Worker