Overview: Looking For a Green Card without an Employer Sponsor
For the majority of foreign nationals, there are 2 primary categories of options when seeking a green card: family-based and employment-based. For individuals who do not have an immediate member of the family who is a U.S. resident or Legal Permanent Resident, family-based choices are either difficult or included a many years-long wait.
Employment-based choices can be more broken down into 2 classifications: employer-sponsored and non-employer-sponsored (likewise referred to as self-petitions). Employer-sponsored alternatives are the more common of the 2; they consist of the Labor Certification procedure, which is suitable for all jobs, and Outstanding Researcher/Professor (EB-1B), which is just appropriate for period track or irreversible professors or research study positions. The only two employment-based immigrant visa classifications where a foreign nationwide might self-petition are National Interest Waiver (EB-2) and Extraordinary Ability (EB-1).
Many companies have limits regarding who and when they will sponsor for permanent home. They may just provide sponsorship for specific positions, or staff members who will be in a position for more than a defined length of time. Alternatively, a company might have a "waiting duration" in which employees are not qualified for sponsorship up until they have actually been with the business or organization for a certain length of time on a temporary visa.
Positions that are short-term by nature (such as postdocs, medical residents/fellows, or visiting professors) or part-time will not be appropriate for employer-sponsored categories.
If you are investigating irreversible residence classifications that do not require company sponsorship (i.e. 'self-petitions'), note that your opportunities and certifications for these classifications will improve as your career progresses.
For the majority of foreign nationals, there are 2 primary categories of options when seeking a green card: family-based and employment-based. For individuals who do not have an immediate member of the family who is a U.S. resident or Legal Permanent Resident, family-based choices are either difficult or included a many years-long wait.
Employment-based choices can be more broken down into 2 classifications: employer-sponsored and non-employer-sponsored (likewise referred to as self-petitions). Employer-sponsored alternatives are the more common of the 2; they consist of the Labor Certification procedure, which is suitable for all jobs, and Outstanding Researcher/Professor (EB-1B), which is just appropriate for period track or irreversible professors or research study positions. The only two employment-based immigrant visa classifications where a foreign nationwide might self-petition are National Interest Waiver (EB-2) and Extraordinary Ability (EB-1).
Many companies have limits regarding who and when they will sponsor for permanent home. They may just provide sponsorship for specific positions, or staff members who will be in a position for more than a defined length of time. Alternatively, a company might have a "waiting duration" in which employees are not qualified for sponsorship up until they have actually been with the business or organization for a certain length of time on a temporary visa.
Positions that are short-term by nature (such as postdocs, medical residents/fellows, or visiting professors) or part-time will not be appropriate for employer-sponsored categories.
If you are investigating irreversible residence classifications that do not require company sponsorship (i.e. 'self-petitions'), note that your opportunities and certifications for these classifications will improve as your career progresses.