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Book outline for Policy Manual
  • Policy Manual
    • Search
    • Updates
    • Table of Contents
    • Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
    • Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
    • Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole
    • Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees
    • Volume 5 - Adoptions
    • Volume 6 - Immigrants
      • Part A - Immigrant Policies and Procedures
      • Part B - Family-Based Immigrants
      • Part C - Adam Walsh Act
      • Part D - Surviving Relatives
      • Part E - Employment-Based Immigration
        • Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
        • Chapter 2 - Eligibility Requirements
        • Chapter 3 - Successor-in-Interest in Permanent Labor Certification Cases
        • Chapter 4 - Ability to Pay
        • Chapter 5 - Business Structure [Reserved]
        • Chapter 6 - Permanent Labor Certification
        • Chapter 7 - Schedule A Designation Petitions
        • Chapter 8 - Documentation and Evidence
        • Chapter 9 - Evaluation of Education Credentials
        • Chapter 10 - Decision and Post-Adjudication
      • Part F - Employment-Based Classifications
      • Part G - Investors
      • Part H - Designated and Special Immigrants
      • Part I - Family-Based Conditional Permanent Residents
      • Part J - Special Immigrant Juveniles
      • Part K - CNMI Resident Status
    • Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
    • Volume 8 - Admissibility
    • Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
    • Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
    • Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents
    • Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization
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  1. Home
  2. Policy Manual
  3. Volume 6 - Immigrants
  4. Part E - Employment-Based Immigration
  5. Chapter 2 - Eligibility Requirements

Chapter 2 - Eligibility Requirements

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  • Guidance
  • Resources (17)
  • Appendices (0)
  • Updates (4)
  • History (0)

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 a noncitizen to obtain permanent residence in the United States based on employment.

General Eligibility Requirements for Employment-Based Immigration

If a job offer is required, the petitioning employer meets the classification-specific requirements and has the ability to pay the proffered wage.[4]

The beneficiary qualifies under one of the employment-based immigrant classifications.[5]

Where applicable, the beneficiary has an individual permanent labor certification application approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or seeks a Schedule A blanket labor certification.[6]

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 generally Chapter 5, Business Structure [6 USCIS-PM E.5].

[^ 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].

Resources

Legal Authorities

20 CFR 656 - Labor Certification Process for Permanent Employment of Aliens in the United States

8 CFR 204.5(a)-(l), (n) - Petitions for employment-based immigrants

8 CFR 204.5 - Petitions for employment-based immigrants

INA 201 - Worldwide level of immigration

INA 202 - Numerical limitations on individual foreign states

INA 203 - Allocation of immigrant visas

INA 203(b)(1), (2), (3) - Preference allocation for employment-based immigrants

INA 203(b)(2) - Aliens who are members of the professions holding advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability

INA 203(b)(3) - Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers

INA 204, 8 CFR 204 - Procedure for granting immigrant status

INA 212(a)(5) - Labor certification and qualifications for certain immigrants

Forms

ETA Form 9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification (PDF)

Form ETA-9141, Application for Prevailing Wage Determination (PDF)

G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative

I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker

I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion

I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

Appendices

No appendices available at this time.

Updates

Technical Update - Incorporating Existing Guidance into the Policy Manual

May 18, 2021

This technical update is part of an initiative to move existing policy guidance from the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) into the Policy Manual. This update does not make major substantive changes but consolidates and incorporates existing AFM guidance into the Policy Manual, streamlining USCIS’ immigration policy while removing obsolete information. This guidance replaces Chapters 22.1 and 22.2 of the AFM, related appendices, and policy memoranda.

Affected Sections

6 USCIS-PM E - Part E - Employment-Based Immigration

6 USCIS-PM F - Part F - Employment-Based Classifications

Technical Update - Replacing the Term “Alien”

May 11, 2021

This technical update replaces all instances of the term “alien” with “noncitizen” or other appropriate terms throughout the Policy Manual where possible, as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

Technical Update - Moving the Adjudicator’s Field Manual Content into the USCIS Policy Manual

May 21, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating and incorporating relevant Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) content into the USCIS Policy Manual. As that process is ongoing, USCIS has moved any remaining AFM content to its corresponding USCIS Policy Manual Part, in PDF format, until relevant AFM content has been properly incorporated into the USCIS Policy Manual. To the extent that a provision in the USCIS Policy Manual conflicts with remaining AFM content or Policy Memoranda, the updated information in the USCIS Policy Manual prevails. To find remaining AFM content, see the crosswalk (PDF, 331.55 KB) between the AFM and the Policy Manual.

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

3 USCIS-PM - Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole

4 USCIS-PM - Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees

5 USCIS-PM - Volume 5 - Adoptions

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

Technical Update - Replacing the Term “Foreign National”

October 08, 2019

This technical update replaces all instances of the term “foreign national” with “alien” throughout the Policy Manual as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

Version History

No historical versions available.

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