By Natalie McQuilkin
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA, provide many benefits for those who arrived in the US as children, such as protection against deportation, the ability to apply for a work permit and obtain a driver's license, and access to a social security number, education, and healthcare. Although these benefits allow DACA recipients to live in the US legally and without fear of deportation, DACA must be renewed every two years and does not provide a path to US citizenship or legal permanent resident (LPR) status.
The permanence of DACA in the United States government has also been at stake over the past decade, despite the fact that nearly 580,000 people receive DACA. In 2017, former President Donald Trump rescinded the DACA program, and it was not formally reinstated until January 2021 by President Joe Biden. However, that does not mean that DACA works as it did previously. Boundless explains that in October 2022, a federal judge “ruled that [DACA] could continue only on a temporary basis and that new applicants would still not be able to file an application.” As of May 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is “accepting initial DACA applications, but in accordance with the order [from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas], [USCIS] will not process initial DACA applications.”.
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, has characteristics similar to DACA. TPS is designed for those facing an ongoing armed conflict, such as a civil war, an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions, According to USCIS. Some countries designated for TPS beginning in June 2024 can be found here.
As with DACA, those who receive TPS can obtain a work permit and authorization to travel. You will need to re-register for TPS during each re-registration period to maintain your TPS status. However, There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will again designate a country as eligible for TPS, especially if the country's conditions change for the next re-registration period. Furthermore, TPS does not provide a direct pathway to LPR status or citizenship.
So, if neither DACA nor TPS provides a direct path to becoming an LPR or a U.S. citizen, what are your options?
Fortunately, having DACA or TPS does not prevent you from applying for permanent residency in the United States. There are many paths available that lead to green cards. In today's post, we'll discuss the EB-1A, EB-2, EB-2 National Interest Waiver, and EB-3 petitions. These are employment-based green card pathways that can put you on the path to receiving a green card.
The EB-1A Green Card
The employment-based first-preference visa, most commonly known as EB-1, is designed for three categories of people: those with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational managers or executives. In today's post, we will cover the EB-1A, the extraordinary ability green card, what else we excel at in a previous blog post.
One unique aspect of the EB-1A is that you do not need to be sponsored by an employer, which means that The EB-1A is a self-petition category. This is a great appeal for those who do not want to look for employers to hire and petition them, since it can be difficult to find employers who are familiar with those processes.
Now, let's take a look at what it takes to be eligible for the EB-1A.
The EB-1A category is intended for individuals in the sciences, the arts, education, business, or athletics who have received sustained national or international acclaim.. To be eligible for the EB-1A, you must demonstrate to USCIS that you have received a significant achievement, such as a an Olympic medal, an Oscar, or a Pulitzer Prize, which complies with three of the following ten criteria:
- Evidence of having received nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence. These may include awards from national institutions or doctoral dissertation awards.
- Evidence of being part of an association in your field that requires members to have outstanding achievements
- Evidence of material published about you in major professional or trade publications or other major media outlets. Some examples of this include newspaper articles, textbooks, major online publications, or transcripts of professional or significant audio or video coverage.
- Evidence that you have been asked to evaluate the work of others, either individually or as part of a panel. Hannah Whaley, Eagan's lead business immigration attorney, explained in her Webinar on self-petitioning that an example of this is a model or pageant queen who is invited to judge a contest for younger participants. Another example is that of a scientist or professor who is invited to judge science fairs.
- Evidence of your original scientific, academic, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance to the field. Support letters, patents, documentation indicating that your work has been cited, and publications about the importance of your work can be used to meet this category.
- Evidence of having authored scholarly articles in major professional or trade publications or other major media outlets
- Evidence that your work has been displayed in art exhibitions or displays
- Evidence of your performance in a leadership or critical role in distinguished organizations. USCIS explains that primary or critical roles include senior faculty or research positions; department chairs or heads; and founders, co-founders, or contributors to a startup or distinguished organization.
- Evidence of a high salary or significantly high remuneration relative to others in the field. You can provide tax returns, job offer letters, or documents comparing your salary to that of others in your field.
- Evidence of their commercial success in the performing arts. This includes the sales volume and box office revenue of a theatrical production, film, or television show.
In addition to meeting one of these three requirements, you must be able to provide USCIS with evidence showing that you who will continue his work in the United States So what? her work in her field will substantially benefit the United States. You can send proof of job offers, upcoming collaborations or projects, the success of your work in your field, and more.
Once you have gathered the required evidence, you will complete and submit the Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for an Alien Worker) for the EB-1A petition with USCIS. As of June 2024, the Nebraska Service Center takes 14.5 months and The Texas Service Center takes 17 months to process these requests.
If you live in the U.S. under DACA or TPS, once your Form I-140 is approved, the next step is to file the Form I-485 (Application for Permanent Residency or Adjustment of Status), and attend a biometric appointment and a medical exam for immigrants. Once Form I-485 is approved, you will receive your green card.
The EB-2 Green Card
DACA and TPS recipients may also qualify for the second-preference (EB-2) employment-based green card. The EB-2 category covers three subcategories:
- Those who have a higher degree
- Those who have a Bachelor's degree plus five years of postgraduate experience
- Those with exceptional abilities in the sciences, the arts, or business.
Unlike the EB-1A, the EB-2 requires an employer to file a petition on your behalf. Although it may be daunting for some to find an employer who has previously petitioned for employees, working with an employer can provide a great deal of career stability. The employer also covers most of the filing fee, which is another advantage.
If you qualify under the advanced degree or bachelor's degree plus five years categories, you will only need to provide proof of your advanced degree or bachelor's degree and related work experience. If you fall under the exceptional ability category, you must provide three of the following criteria To USCIS:
- An academic record detailing your degree, diploma, or certification from a college, university, school, or other institution
- Recommendation letters from current or former employers documenting at least 10 years of experience
- A license or certification to practice your profession
- Membership in a professional association
- Recognition for achievements in their field by colleagues, government agencies, and/or professional or business organizations
- Evidence of having received a salary or other remuneration for services, demonstrating exceptional ability
Once you have gathered all the required documentation, your employer will need to obtain a permanent work certification, which we highlighted in a post on previous blog post. As of June 2024, the Nebraska Service Center takes 7.5 months in processing Form I-140 and the Texas Service Center 8.5 months. As we mentioned in the EB-1A section, once your Form I-140 is approved, you can file Form I-485 to adjust your status and receive a green card.
The EB-2 National Interest Waiver
The EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) es muy similar a la tarjeta verde EB-2 en el sentido de que se adapta a aquellos con un título avanzado, una licenciatura más cinco años de experiencia o una habilidad excepcional. Sin embargo, las principales diferencias son que el EB-2 NIW es una vía de autopetición, y también debe solicitar la Exención por Interés Nacional. Esto requiere que proporcione evidencia de cómo su profesión y/o habilidad excepcional es importante y beneficiosa para los Estados Unidos. La Exención por Interés Nacional esencialmente “renuncia” a cualquier necesidad de una certificación laboral permanente o una oferta de trabajo, los cuales son necesarios para la tarjeta verde EB-2 general. Destacamos en nuestra publicación de blog sobre el EB-2 NIW que crear un argumento sólido es el núcleo de la solicitud de esta tarjeta verde. Esto se debe principalmente a que el NIW requiere que presente pruebas para cumplir con tres requisitos:
- Su trabajo tiene un mérito sustancial y es de importancia nacional para los EE. UU.
- Tiene el conocimiento y la capacidad para trabajar en su función en los EE. UU.
- Sería beneficioso para los EE. UU. renunciar a una oferta de trabajo y certificación laboral porque es evidente que su trabajo beneficiará al país
Debido a que el EB-2 NIW no requiere que un empleador le haga una petición, puede omitir el proceso de obtener una certificación laboral, lo que puede ahorrarle tiempo. A partir de junio de 2024, los Centros de Servicio de Nebraska y Texas están procesando el Formulario I-140 para EB-2 NIW en 9.5 meses.
La Tarjeta Verde EB-3
La última tarjeta verde basada en el empleo que estamos cubriendo en la publicación de hoy es la tarjeta verde de tercera preferencia (EB-3) basada en el empleo. Mientras que las otras tarjetas verdes basadas en el empleo que hemos destacado en esta publicación requieren títulos avanzados o habilidades sobresalientes, esta opción de tarjeta verde está diseñada para trabajadores calificados, profesionales y otros trabajadores.
Como mencionamos anteriormente con la tarjeta verde EB-2, la tarjeta verde EB-3 requiere que un empleador le solicite, lo que significa que esta tarjeta verde también requiere que reciba una oferta de trabajo a tiempo completo y que su empleador obtenga una certificación laboral.
Según USCIS, los trabajadores calificados deben poder proporcionar evidencia de que poseen al menos dos años de experiencia laboral, educación o capacitación que cumpla con los requisitos laborales especificados en la certificación laboral.
La siguiente categoría EB-3 es la de profesionales. Para ser elegible para esta categoría, debe tener una licenciatura o su equivalente extranjero and cumplir con otros requisitos especificados en la certificación laboral de su empleador.
Finalmente, el EB-3 se extiende a otros trabajadores, también conocidos como trabajadores “no calificados”. Si tiene menos de dos años de capacitación o experiencia, pero puede demostrar que puede realizar trabajos no calificados, puede encajar en esta categoría.
Como mencionamos con la categoría de tarjeta verde EB-2, la EB-3 requiere que su empleador obtenga una certificación laboral antes de contratarlo y solicitarlo. Una vez completado esto, su empleador puede presentar el Formulario I-140. A partir de junio de 2024, el Centro de Servicio de Nebraska está procesando el Formulario I-140 para trabajadores calificados y profesionales EB-3 en 7.5 meses, mientras que el Centro de Servicio de Texas los está procesando en 8 meses. Mientras tanto, el Formulario I-140 para otros trabajadores EB-3 se está procesando entre 8 y 8.5 meses en los Centros de Servicio de Nebraska y Texas.
Next steps
Con tantas vías de tarjeta verde basadas en el empleo para elegir, puede ser abrumador determinar cuál es la mejor para usted. En Eagan Immigration, nuestra abogada principal de negocios, la abogada Hannah Whaley, está aquí para ayudar. El abogado Whaley puede ayudarlo a determinar su elegibilidad, completar los formularios requeridos, presentar argumentos creativos y guiarlo a través del proceso de solicitud.
References
Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA), explicado, sin límites, ¿qué es DACA? Todo lo que necesita saber – Boundless, (última visita: 29 de mayo de 2024).
Consideración de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA), USCIS, (8 de abril de 2024), Consideración de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA) | USCIS, (última visita: 29 de mayo de 2024).
Jasmine Aguilera, DACA ha sido completamente reinstalado. Esto es lo que eso significa para las miles de personas que califican para la protección contra la deportación, TIME, (8 de diciembre de 2020), DACA ha sido completamente reinstalado. He aquí por qué | EL TIEMPO.
Conteo de beneficiarios activos de DACA por mes de vencimiento actual de DACA, USCIS, (31 de marzo de 2023), Beneficiarios activos de DACA – 31 de marzo de 2023 (uscis.gov).
Estatus de Protección Temporal, USCIS, (15 de abril de 2024), Estatus de Protección Temporal | USCIS, (última visita: 3 de junio de 2024).
Richard Link, J.D., ¿Cuáles son mis opciones después de que expire el TPS? Nolo, ¿cuáles son mis opciones después de que expire el TPS? | Nolo, (última visita: 3 de junio de 2024).
Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1, USCIS, (March 1, 2022), Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1 | USCIS, (última visita: 4 de junio de 2024).
Hannah Whaley, seminario web: Opciones de autopetición para visas de trabajo de EE. UU., Eagan Immigration, (28 de marzo de 2024). Seminario web: Opciones de autopetición para visas de trabajo de EE. UU. – YouTube.
Tiempos de Procesamiento, USCIS, Tiempos de Procesamiento (uscis.gov), (última visita: 4 de junio de 2024).
Inmigración Basada en el Empleo: Segunda Preferencia EB-2, USCIS, (20 de abril de 2022), Inmigración Basada en el Empleo: Segunda Preferencia EB-2 | USCIS, (última visita: 4 de junio de 2024).
Inmigración Basada en el Empleo: Tercera Preferencia EB-3, USCIS, (2 de diciembre de 2020), Inmigración Basada en el Empleo: Tercera Preferencia EB-3 | USCIS, (última visita: 4 de junio de 2024).