Types of US Employment visas 

The permanent employment visas range from the EB-1 to EB-5 depending on the beneficiary or company’s preference. Some visas require you to have a formal employment offer in the United States.

The future employer will be considered the sponsor. Also, some visa categories require an employment certification approved by the Labor Department. This work permit will state that: 

• There are not enough available and qualified American workers willing to work for the salary the company offers. 
• Hiring a foreigner will not have a negative effect on the salaries and employment conditions of American workers in similar positions.

Preference of E Visa Categories

EB-1: The EB-1 category applies to people with extraordinary skills in science, business, arts, academia, sports, or top executives in multinational companies. You are not required to have an Employment Certification. 

You are required, however, to prove that you possess at least 3 out of ten possible skills which are considered ‘extraordinary’, such as: published scientific articles, publications about you or your work, awards, critical role in a top market organization, membership in a professional association, original contributions, high pay for your work, exhibition of your artistic work, experience based on the commercial success of your art. It is divided into 3 basic categories:

1. People with extraordinary abilities in science, education, business, arts, and sports.
2. Professors or outstanding scholars internationally recognized with at least 3 years of experience.
3. Top executives from multinational companies, with at least 1 year of experience in a foreign company branch. The position must have been of an executive nature. 

EB-2: The EB-2 Visa applies to professionals with a postgraduate education, or with exceptional abilities in the arts, science, or business. You are required to have an Employment Certificate, although in some cases you can get a waiver. It is important to prove that the complexity of the position offered requires a person who has postgraduate studies. If you do not have a postgraduate diploma, an undergraduate degree and 5 years of experience might suffice.

EB-3: The EB-3 Visa applies to professionals and highly qualified workers. It requires an Employment Certificate. There are 3 different groups: 

• Skilled workers: people who can do a job that requires at least 2 years of training or experience.
• Professionals: people with professions that require an undergraduate degree. 
• Other workers: these are positions that require less than 2 years of training or experience.

EB-4: The EB-4 Visa applies to special immigrants, such as religious workers, members of a foreign service, retired staff from international organizations, foreign minors protected by the US government and related cases. It does not require an Employment Certificate. This is the Visa with the largest number of categories, we will mention the most relevant: 

1. Religious workers
2. Employees or former employees of the United States government abroad (the DS-1884 Form must be filled, and the instructions must be followed). 
3. Some former employees from the Panama Canal Company, from the government of the canal zone, and from the United States government in the canal zone.
4. Some foreign physicians.
5. Some retired from international organizations (including single children, and surviving spouses of deceased employees).

EB-5: The EB-5 Visa applies to investors who invest 1 million dollars in a new company that has at least 10 full-time American employees. The investment can be of $500,000 in some areas. It does not require an Employment Certificate.