Electronic Reading Room

This module provides guidelines on the use of Country of Origin Information (COI) in adjudicating immigration benefits, petitions, protection determinations, and other immigration-related requests. Through demonstrations and computer-based practical exercises, you will gain experience in conducting COI research on the Intranet and Internet for use in adjudications.

This module discusses the definition of a refugee as codified in the Immigration and Nationality Act and its interpretation in administrative and judicial case law.

This module describes the development of international protection of refugees and other individuals over the course of the 20th century and explains the role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other international actors in providing this protection. The module describes the elements of international protection, who is in need of international protection, and who provides international protection. Lastly, this module explains the role UNHCR plays in relation to the United States regarding U.S. refugee resettlement, asylum, and other protection issues.

This module provides guidelines for adjudicating immigration benefits or other immigration-related requests that are subject to the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The module addresses the basis for determining when discretion is warranted and for performing the legal analysis of claims that involve discretion.

Employment-Based VisasApproximately 140,000 immigrant visas are available each fiscal year for aliens (and their spouses and children) who seek to immigrate based on their job skills. These employment-based immigrant visas are allocated among 5 preference categories that are summarized in the chart below. If you have the right combination of skills, education, and/or work experience and are otherwise eligible, you may be able to live permanently in the United States.Some immigrant visa preference categories require you to have a permanent job offer from a U.S. employer. This employer will be considered your sponsor/petitioner and will file an immigrant petition with USCIS on your behalf. If no job offer is required, you may file a petition on your own behalf.For more information, see Employment-Based Adjustment of Status FAQs.Labor CertificationFor the second and third preference categories (see chart below), before the U.S. employer can file an immigrant petition with USCIS, the employer must generally obtain a labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The labor certification verifies the following:

Alert Type info ALERT: USCIS is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of State to more efficiently facilitate certain employment-based nonimmigrant visas for eligible aliens who have graduated from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education.For more information on the process to obtain a 212(d)(3) waiver, please see the DOS Foreign Affairs Manual, Volume 9 and the DOS Easing the Nonimmigrant Visa Process for U.S. College Graduates page.

Correspondence requesting a grace period for Marianas employers whose timely-filed applications remain pending.

Correspondence requesting the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B visas for Fiscal Year 2025.