What ways can you get a green card related to work?

Almost everyone in the United States knows that noncitizens can get a visa or green card related to job or job experience. The process of doing so, though, can be complicated at times. Here are the steps that need to be taken to get a green card related to a job offer.

— Unless you can petition for permanent residence because you have a full-time, permanent job opportunity in the U.S., most of the employment petitions require that the employer petitions for the worker.

— If you live outside of the U.S., you can apply for permanent residency through consular processing. This means the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will work with the Department of State to have a visa issued from an accepted and approved Form I-140.

— File a form I-485 along with any required supporting evidence, including Form I-94 — Arrival Departure Record, a written job offer from your employer, two photos taken in the last 30 days, Form G-325A — Biographic Data Sheet, Form I-693 — Medical Examination and Form I-864 — Affidavit of Support.

— Green cards based on a job offer are given based upon availability to those with jobs who are ranked according to five preference or categories. First is priority workers, such as multinational managers and executives, those with extraordinary abilities and outstanding researchers and professors. The second preference is for members of professions that require an advanced degree or those with exceptional abilities. The third preference is for professionals or skilled workers. The fourth preference is for special immigrants, such as those with a religious vocation. The fifth preference is for employment creation immigrants or entrepreneurs.

As you can see, understanding all of the laws and requirements needed to obtain a green card through a job in the U.S., can be difficult. A lawyer can help those in British Columbia receive their green card.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Green Card Through a Job,” accessed Aug. 26, 2016