How to get a green card for work?

There are several ways to obtain a Green Card. Work and family reasons are the two most common reasons for applying for a Green Card. This card allows you to obtain permanent residence in the United States. Sometimes employers offer work on the promise of a green card. Unlike an ESTA, which does not allow you to work, employers who already have a foreign worker on an L1 or H1B visa can take care of the application process for a Green Card. This ensures that the employee can live and work in the United States permanently.

How to apply for a green card for work?

In order to obtain a residency card, employment-based applications can be lengthy: on average, it takes several years before an applicant obtains permanent residency.

The first step is to determine if the person is eligible for the Green Card. Depending on the job category, the steps to follow may differ. In most cases the employer must apply for a labor certification from the Department of Labor. This helps prove that no American worker is denied employment because of the applicant bringing in skilled labor. Once the process is complete, the Green Card sponsor must submit a Foreign Worker Form (Form I-140).

After this step, the applicant receives a visa number. The candidate will then have to wait: it can take months or more than a year. The USCIS department may contact the applicant to validate an adjustment of status if they are already in the United States. If the applicant is not in the United States on the date the Green Card is issued, he or she must go to a U.S. consulate as soon as possible.

Note: Some expatriates use the ESTA travel authorization for 90 days to find a company that is willing to sponsor them for the Green card.

What you need to know about the green card for work

It is important to specify that there are caps on the number of Green Card work applications that can be accepted each year: approximately 140,000 Green Cards are granted for work. Each country is limited to less than 10,000 such green cards for its citizens. As a result, competition for such authorizations can be significant, especially when applicants are from large countries with significant numbers of immigrants to the United States.

Even if your employer takes charge of the card application and supports your application, it is recommended that you consult an immigration lawyer to discuss the admission requirements or to verify your file. The Green card remains one of the most difficult permits to obtain, but getting it through work is not the only option. You can obtain the Green Card by marriage or participate in the Green Card lottery. People who simply want to visit the country can apply for an ESTA to enter the United States.