Employment-Based Green Card Lawyer: EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3
Immigration » Employment-based green cards
Employment-based immigration lets a foreign worker become a lawful permanent resident through a job offer or through exceptional ability. The Law Office of Elena Vlady, PLLC helps employers and workers in all 50 states plan and file these cases from the first step through the green card.
Main employment-based categories
- EB-1: people of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational managers and executives. No labor certification is required.
- EB-2: professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability. A national interest waiver lets some applicants file without a job offer or labor certification.
- EB-3: skilled workers, professionals with bachelor degrees and other workers, usually with a labor certification.
How the process works
- Choose the best category and strategy for your background and your employer.
- For most EB-2 and EB-3 cases, the employer first obtains a PERM labor certification from the Department of Labor, which includes a recruitment process.
- The employer or the applicant files the immigrant petition with USCIS.
- Wait for a visa number if your category has a backlog. Priority dates and charts are published monthly.
- Apply for the green card through adjustment of status inside the United States or consular processing abroad.
Backlogs and timing
Employment-based green cards are limited by annual caps and by country limits, so applicants from some countries wait many years. Your priority date, your category and your country of birth decide how long you wait. We review the visa bulletin with you and look for ways to improve your position, such as a different category or a spouse option.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a job offer?
Most categories need one. Extraordinary ability under EB-1 and national interest waiver cases under EB-2 can be self-petitions.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. A spouse and unmarried children under 21 can usually receive green cards with the main applicant.
Can I stay on an H-1B while I wait?
Yes. H-1B holders can often extend their stay beyond six years once a green card process has progressed far enough.
What if I change employers?
Some applicants can change jobs after their adjustment application has been pending long enough, under the portability rules. We check this before you switch.
How we work with clients nationwide
We represent clients in all 50 states because immigration law is federal. Every client receives access to our secure client portal, where you can message our firm 24/7, upload documents and follow your case from anywhere. The Law Office of Elena Vlady, PLLC is based in Austin, Texas.
EB-1A and national interest waiver guides
- EB-1A extraordinary ability green card
- The 10 EB-1A evidence criteria
- EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-1C and NIW compared
- National interest waiver (NIW)
- The Dhanasar three-prong test
- From O-1 status to a green card
Related immigration services
Talk to us about an employment-based green card
Request a consultation to review your situation. Legal plan members can mention their plan when booking.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration rules and fees change often, so we confirm the current requirements before any filing. Last updated: November 2026.
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