Overview

For most looking to emigrate to the United States, family and employment-based visas are the two primary options. Without family currently living in the United States, family-based immigration is not a practical possibility for many candidates. Employment-based visas offer more flexibility for those looking to establish life in the U.S. on their own account. The Employment Based (EB)-3 visa category is gaining popularity among multiple audiences because it is a viable choice for individuals that want a green card pathway with limited time, it is subjectively an easier route for adjustment of status cases, and it has a significant impact on the business community.  

What is EB3?

This visa category results in obtaining a Green Card and includes 3 sub-categories: Skilled, Other (Unskilled), and Professional Worker. To qualify for this visa type, no qualified American workers can be readily available to fill the posted position.  

Once overwhelmingly popular among middle-aged individuals living outside of the United States, the EB-3 category has now become increasingly favorable among younger individuals primarily in pursuit of high skilled roles, now hoping to adjust status to obtain work and permanent residency faster. The EB-3 visa supplies an alternative pathway for permanent residency, giving non-immigrant visa holders added options outside of OPT (Optional Practical Training) or an H1B visa, and offers a shorter process than for those that do consular processing. By applying for the EB-3 visa while in the U.S on a current non-immigrant visa, the applicant can continue using their non-immigrant visa while going through immigrant visa processing.  

While many individuals endure the lengthy and stringent process of obtaining high skilled employment sponsorship, EB-3 applicants undergo a process that doesn’t limit their work in the United States to their verified interests and talents. These applicants can fill various vacant positions in food service, janitorial service, and manufacturing; often starting work within 1-3 years of the start of their process. With no requirement to prove work history or formal education, this category has been a longstanding, plausible possibility for people looking to work in the United States and earn a path to citizenship in less time than other visa options.  

Economic Impact

For the business community across the country, its undeniable how beneficial this visa category is as it has steadily supplied workers for hard to fill jobs that American workers have shown little interest in performing. In a post-pandemic economy, almost every industry is in critical need of unskilled laborers. The EB3 unskilled visa can routinely supply long term labor solutions in a shorter turnaround timeframe to the most fragile U.S. industries. As the United States develops methods to support its competitive edge in the global economy against countries like Canada and Germany, using the legal immigration system to strengthen the workforce is one of the best ways to keep diverse skillsets, talent, and attraction. As it relates to business, most of the policy proposals and media attention go to high skilled immigration while the EB3 category upholds the backbone of the American economy: unskilled, blue-collar work.  

Immigrating to the United States is not a final destination for many but for those in search of a green card pathway, a fast and practical way for adjustment of status, or a way to immediately contribute to and strengthen a local economy, EB3 Unskilled is the best choice. The EB3 visa has gained popularity in a time where financial security and global mobility are two of the most highly regarded assets, as individuals across the globe recognize the value and flexibility that this visa category supplies far beyond others.  

To learn more about EB3 Unskilled or to see if you are a suitable candidate for this visa, click here.  

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