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Employment based immigrant visas are a type of immigration visa in the United States. They are a type of visa that people outside the US can be issued to enter and work in the country legally under a job offer. These visas are not available to people who need to enter on humanitarian grounds, such as refugees who have fled their country and requested asylum.

Benefits of Employment Based Immigrant Visas

1. To work and live legally in the US

This visa is a temporary visa that allows the holder to work in US. It is also used for travel, for traveling outside the country, so that the beneficiary does not require a travel visa.

2. Workers are considered to be stable and loyal to their employers

Employment based immigrants visas are awarded based on what employers think of them. In this case, an employer writes up a letter detailing what he thinks of the person applying for employment based immigrant visas and submits it to immigration authorities for consideration. Sometimes this process is called “labor certification. ”

3. Do not need to be sponsored by a relative or friend

To apply for an employment based immigrant visa, the approved applicant must not be married or have family members who are U.S. citizens or resident aliens; they do not need to have a job offer from a sponsor, but they do need to fulfill the criteria that are outlined in their labor certification to prove that they are qualified and will make a good employee.

4. It is a fast track route to immigration in the US

If an employer is successful in getting a labor certification for the applicant, what they submit to obtain an employment based immigrant visa is actually faster than usual. This means that they will receive their visa even before they are able to apply for their green card. Their new labor certification has also become valid as soon as it has been received by immigration authorities and become effective. In this way, the person applying for this type of visa does not need to wait for their green card.

5. Some employment based immigrant visas allow the holder to live and work in the US without limitation

These types of employment based immigrant visas are referred to as “EB5” immigrants. They are reserved for limited types of occupations that require very high skills and for investors. After 5 years, if an EB-5 immigrant investor has created at least 10 jobs in the US or has invested a minimum of $500,000, they may apply for a green card. If they have created only 5 jobs in the US but have invested a minimum of $1 million, they may apply for permanent residence in the country within 3-years time.

6. Allows families to work and reside together in the US

Some employment based immigrant visas allow for the holder to bring their families. This includes their spouse and minor children. These types of employment based immigrant visas are called “EB2” visas which are available to foreign nationals who have extraordinary ability, outstanding research record, or professors in an academic field. For example, these types of visas have been awarded to theoretical physicists such as Stephen Hawking, computer scientists such as Vint Cerf, computer game developers like Mark Cerny, and even athletes such as gymnast Mary Lou Retton.