Durham-Raleigh Employment-Based Permanent Residence Lawyer

Immigration for Permanent Residents in NC

Most visas granted each year are for temporary residency or visits to the United States, but a great many are for permanent residency. Green cards can be granted for family-based purposes or for employment reasons. Employment visas require an applicant to prove their eligibility to work in the United States and can be split into several different categories. If you are looking to immigrate to the U.S. for employment, review your options below and contact a North Carolina immigration attorney right away for quality counsel and guidance.

Types of Employment-Based Permanent Resident Visas

EB-1
This visa is available for priority workers with extraordinary ability in the area of science, art, education, business, or athletics. This includes outstanding professors and researchers, as well as multinational executives and managers. No labor certification is required for this visa.

EB-2
This visa is granted to individuals who are professionals with advanced degrees, or for persons with exceptional ability in the areas of art, science, or business. Labor certification is required for this visa unless a national interest waiver is obtained.

EB-3
Professionals, skilled workers, and other such workers can receive this employment visa. Labor certification is required, as well.

EB-4
In order to receive this visa, a person must be considered a "special immigrant." This includes certain religious workers, employees of U.S. Foreign Service posts, retired employees of international organizations, alien minors who are wards of U.S. courts, and more. No labor certification is required.

EB-5
This visa is granted to business investors who invest a minimum of $1 million in a new commercial enterprise that employs at least 10 full-time U.S. workers, or $500,000 if made in a targeted employment area. Labor certification is not required.

What is labor certification or PERM?

Permanent labor certification - also known as PERM- is a certification granted by the Department of Labor to U.S. employers that wish to hire immigrant workers. This certification is only granted if the employer is able to prove that there are not enough qualified U.S. workers available to fill the position(s) offered, and that hiring immigrant workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly-employed U.S. workers. Without this certification, an employer cannot petition for an EB-2 or EB-3 visa.

Processing Times & Priority Dates

Working with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can be a frustrating and drawn-out process without proper legal assistance. Visa applications can also involve other government agencies, such as the Department of Labor, the Department of State, the U.S. Consulate Board, and the National Visa Processing Center. At Brown Immigration Law, we have decades of immigration law experience and understand the process your application will have to undergo. Therefore, we can advise you of this process and help you ensure that your application is handled as quickly as possible.

Some visa applications are delayed due to numerical limitations. With the exception of immediate relative visas, applicants must wait for a visa number to become available before their application can progress. The approximate time that you will have to wait for your visa number can be determined by viewing the U.S. Department of State's visa bulletin. Other visas are delayed because of CIS processing. The USCIS provides a case processing table to help you determine how long they may take to make a decision on your application. You will need to know the office where you filed, the type of application you submitted, and the date on which you filed.

Hire an Immigration Attorney Today

Brown Immigration Law can help you with your employment-based permanent residency visa application. Our attorneys have handled countless cases over the years and will skillfully assist you in filing an application or petition. We can help with employment-based immigration, family-based immigration, or deportation defense.

Call now for a case evaluation.