EB-3 Other Workers Visa

The employment-based visa third preference (or “EB-3” visa) is for “skilled workers, professionals holding baccalaureate degrees and other workers;" it allows employers to recruit certain types of alien employees who would not qualify for EB-1 or EB-2 visas and to bring them to the U.S. as permanent residents.  There are three categories of person eligible for an EB-3 visa:

1. Skilled workers, meaning persons capable of performing a job requiring at least two years' training or experience.

2.  Professionals with a baccalaureate degree: members of a profession with at least a university bachelor's degree.

3.  Other workers: those persons capable of filling positions requiring less than two years' training or experience.

Labor certification and a permanent job offer from a U.S.employer are both pre-requisites for EB-3 visas; there is no way to waive either of these requirements.  The U.S. employer must apply for the EB-3 visa on behalf of the alien employee; this makes the employer the “petitioner” and the alien the “beneficiary” of the application.