Employment-based green card: frequently asked questions

They are the five employment-based routes to permanent residence. EB-1 for extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers and multinational managers; EB-2 for advanced degrees or exceptional ability; EB-3 for professionals and skilled workers; EB-4 for special categories; and EB-5 for investors.

Because the system caps how many green cards each country can receive per year. Nationals of very high-demand countries such as India and China face waits measured in years or decades. Chile does not approach those caps, so its priority dates are generally current.

It is the Department of Labor process in which the employer establishes that no qualified US workers are available for the role and that it will pay the prevailing wage. It is mandatory for most EB-2 and EB-3 cases, and it is the stage that lengthens the process most.

It is an exception within EB-2 that waives the job offer and PERM certification where the applicant's work has substantial merit and national importance. It is the usual route for researchers, founders and professionals who want to self-petition without depending on an employer.

US$800,000 in a project located in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project, and US$1,050,000 otherwise. The investment must create or preserve at least ten full-time jobs. Amounts adjust for inflation, with an increase scheduled for January 2027.

Yes, but with an important caveat: the H-1B1 does not allow dual intent. Starting a residence process while depending on annual H-1B1 renewals can complicate those renewals. The usual route is to move first to a dual-intent category such as H-1B or L-1.

It is your place in the queue, normally set when the PERM or the I-140 petition is filed. The State Department's Visa Bulletin indicates month by month which priority dates may advance to the final stage, by category and country of birth.

It depends on the category and country of birth. For a Chilean with no priority-date backlog, timing is driven mainly by the administrative stages: PERM where applicable, the I-140 petition, and the final consular or adjustment-of-status step. It is a process of years, not months.