IMMIGRANT VISAS
Employment-based
Professionals, Skilled Workers, & Other Workers (Third Preference Category)
The employment based, third preference category is divided into three categories:
Professionals
Professional is defined as a member of the professions who holds a baccalaureate degree. Members of the professions include, but are not limited to architects, engineers, lawyers, physicians, surgeons, and teachers in elementary or secondary schools, colleges, academies, or seminaries. It also includes any occupation for which a U.S. baccalaureate degree (or foreign equivalent) is the minimum requirement for entry into the occupation.
Skilled workers
Skilled worker is defined as a person, who at the time of petitioning, is capable of performing skilled labor, requiring at least two years' training or experience, not of a temporary or seasonal nature, and for which there are no qualified workers available in the U.S. Relevant post-secondary education may be considered as training for the purposes of this provision.
Other Workers
Other worker is defined as a person who is to perform unskilled labor, requiring less than two years' training, not of a temporary or seasonal nature, for which qualified workers are not available in the U.S.
Do you qualify for the employment-based, third preference category? What next?
A job offer from the prospective U.S. employer is required in order to qualify for immigration in the employment-based, third preference category as a professional, skilled worker, or other worker. The prospective employer should contact the local state employment office for information on filing for a labor certification to show that there are no qualified U.S. workers available for the proposed employment. If labor certification is approved, the prospective employer will be required to file the certification together with a Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Nebraska Service Center.
Note: The decision on whether a person is qualified for registration in the employment-based, third preference category is made by USCIS. Explore the USCIS website or contact USCIS for more information. The U.S. Embassy and consulates in India cannot answer questions concerning eligibility to register in this category.