EB-3 Visa: The Skilled Worker and Professional Green Card
Written by the Ellis Porter content team. This article has not been reviewed by an attorney. It is general information, not legal advice.
In plain English
The EB-3 is a permanent green card for people with a US job offer in one of three groups: skilled workers (jobs needing at least two years of training or experience), professionals (jobs needing a bachelor’s degree), and other workers (jobs needing less than two years). You cannot apply on your own; an employer has to sponsor you, usually by first completing the Department of Labor’s PERM process and then filing a petition with USCIS. How long you wait after that depends on your country of birth and your group, and the monthly Visa Bulletin shows where the line is. If you have an advanced degree, EB-2 may also be an option.
Who the EB-3 is for
If you have an employer ready to sponsor you, and your job needs real training or a degree, the EB-3 is probably the green card category you keep hearing about. It has a lower entry bar than EB-1 or EB-2, which makes it reachable for many more workers. The trade-off is that it always depends on an employer, and for some countries the wait can be long. Here is how it works.
EB-3 is the third-preference employment-based category under INA 203(b)(3). It is a permanent green card, not a temporary work visa. USCIS’s EB-3 page (last updated 08/20/2026) describes three groups.
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What are the three EB-3 categories?
All three require a permanent, full-time job offer from a US employer. The other-worker group has a special limit: under INA 203(b)(3)(B), no more than 10,000 EB-3 visas a year may go to other workers.
One recent wrinkle: USCIS’s EB-3 page notes that, following an April 2025 executive order, DOL guidance requires an English language proficiency standard in labor certifications for jobs that involve operating a commercial motor vehicle, and USCIS generally expects evidence the worker meets it.
Does every EB-3 need PERM?
Nearly every one. Under INA 203(b)(3)(C), an EB-3 immigrant visa cannot be issued until there is a Department of Labor labor certification. For most jobs, that means the employer completes PERM: a prevailing wage request, required recruitment to test the US labor market, and Form ETA-9089.
The exception is Schedule A. According to USCIS, DOL has designated two groups of occupations where it has already found too few US workers:
- Group I: professional nurses and physical therapists.
- Group II: people of exceptional ability in the sciences or arts (including college and university teachers) and in the performing arts.
For these, the employer files an uncertified Form ETA-9089, a valid prevailing wage, and the other required documents directly with the I-140 at USCIS, under 20 CFR 656.15.
There is no self-petition in EB-3. Unlike the EB-2 National Interest Waiver, you cannot file for yourself.
How does the EB-3 process work, step by step?
- Prevailing wage determination from DOL. As of 9/30/2026, DOL was processing PERM wage requests received in June 2026, per its processing times page. See our prevailing wage determination guide.
- Recruitment and notice of filing, following 20 CFR 656.17(e). For professional jobs, that is a 30-day job order, two Sunday ads, and three more recruitment steps; for nonprofessional jobs, a job order and two Sunday ads.
- PERM filing and DOL review. As of 10/05/2026, DOL analysts were reviewing applications filed in January 2026, and decided cases averaged 336 days.
- Form I-140. The employer files within 180 days of PERM certification. It must also show the ability to pay the offered wage from the priority date until you get your green card, under 8 CFR 204.5(g)(2).
- Wait for your priority date, then file for adjustment of status in the US or go through consular processing abroad.
If your I-140 is approved, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may be eligible to come with you or follow you, according to USCIS.
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What does EB-3 cost in government fees?
Under the current USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26) and 8 CFR 106.2:
These are the employer’s petition fees. The PERM stage has its own rule: under 20 CFR 656.12(b), the employer may not seek or receive payment from you for any activity related to the labor certification, including its attorneys’ fees. Our I-140 filing fee guide covers who pays what.
How long does EB-3 take, and how do you read the Visa Bulletin?
The total is PERM, plus the I-140, plus your wait for a green card number. PERM alone is well over a year right now. The wait after that depends on two things: your subcategory and your country of birth.
By law, EB-3 receives 28.6 percent of the worldwide employment-based level each year, plus any numbers unused by EB-1 and EB-2. Separately, under INA 202(a)(2), natives of any one country generally may not receive more than 7 percent of the family and employment visas in a year. When demand from a country is high, its line moves more slowly.
The Department of State publishes the line each month in the Visa Bulletin. We could not access the State Department site to confirm the November 2026 dates when writing this, so we are not quoting them here. To read it yourself:
- Find the employment-based tables, then the "3rd" row for skilled workers and professionals, and the "Other Workers" row.
- Find the column for your country of birth (or "All Chargeability Areas" if your country is not listed separately).
- Compare the date shown with your priority date, which for a PERM case is the date DOL accepted your PERM application, under 8 CFR 204.5(d). "C" means current.
- There are two charts: Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing. USCIS says each month which one to use for adjustment of status. For November 2026, its filing charts page says employment-based applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart.
EB-2 vs EB-3: which fits?
EB-2 is not automatically faster. The cutoff dates for each category and country move separately every month, so the only reliable comparison is the current Visa Bulletin. Under 8 CFR 204.5(e), an approved EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 petition gives you its priority date for any later petition in those categories, so switching does not have to mean losing your place in line. Our EB-2 visa guide and EB-2 priority dates for India explain the other side.
If you hold an advanced degree and strong achievements, the EB-2 National Interest Waiver could skip PERM entirely. See our EB-2 NIW requirements.
What the October 2026 PERM suspension means for EB-3
On October 8, 2026, the administration announced that DOL would not accept new PERM applications from, or process pending ones for, eight companies: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL, and Capgemini. Because nearly every EB-3 depends on PERM, EB-3 cases sponsored by those companies are on hold at the DOL stage. As of reporting through October 21, 2026, no end date had been announced.
PERM, and EB-3, continue for all other employers. If you are affected, our analysis of the PERM suspension explains what options may remain. If you are looking for a sponsor, our guide to EB-3 visa sponsorship companies in the USA shows how to find employers that sponsor.
Is EB-3 right for you?
EB-3 is the natural route when you have a sponsoring employer and a job that fits the skilled, professional, or other-worker definitions. Which category to file in, and whether to keep an EB-2 option open, depends on your degree, the job, and your country’s dates. A licensed Ellis Porter attorney can assess that with you and your employer. Learn more about our employment-based immigration practice.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, processing times, and Visa Bulletin dates change monthly. Confirm current details with USCIS, the Department of Labor, and the Department of State, and consult a licensed immigration attorney.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EB-3 visa?
EB-3 is the third-preference employment-based immigrant category under INA 203(b)(3). It covers skilled workers in jobs requiring at least two years of training or experience, professionals with a US bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent in jobs that require one, and other workers in jobs requiring less than two years of training or experience. Every EB-3 case needs a permanent, full-time job offer from a US employer.
Does EB-3 require PERM?
Usually. Under INA 203(b)(3)(C), an EB-3 immigrant visa requires a Department of Labor labor certification, which most employers obtain through PERM. The exception is Schedule A: for professional nurses, physical therapists, and certain people of exceptional ability, DOL has already found a shortage, so the employer files an uncertified Form ETA-9089 with the I-140 at USCIS instead of running PERM recruitment.
How long does the EB-3 process take?
It has three stages. PERM currently takes well over a year, since DOL analysts were reviewing January 2026 filings as of 10/05/2026, after a wage request and recruitment. The I-140 follows, with optional premium processing in 15 business days. Then you wait for your priority date to be current in the Visa Bulletin, which depends on your country of birth and subcategory and can add years.
How much does an EB-3 cost in government fees?
Under the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26), the Form I-140 costs $715 on paper or $665 online, plus an Asylum Program Fee of $600 for most employers, $300 for employers with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, or $0 for qualifying nonprofits. Premium processing is $2,965. Separately, the employer may not pass its PERM labor certification costs to you.
What is the difference between EB-2 and EB-3?
EB-2 requires an advanced degree or exceptional ability, and its National Interest Waiver lets some people skip PERM and self-petition. EB-3 has a lower threshold and always needs an employer. By statute, each receives 28.6 percent of the employment-based worldwide level, plus unused numbers from higher categories. Which moves faster varies by month and country of birth, so compare both in the current Visa Bulletin.
Can I switch from EB-3 to EB-2, or EB-2 to EB-3?
An employer can file a new I-140 in the other category if the job and your qualifications support it. Under 8 CFR 204.5(e), an approved EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 petition gives you its priority date for any later petition in those categories, unless the approval is revoked for reasons such as fraud or material error. Whether switching helps depends on your country’s dates.
Have immigration questions?
Ellis Porter works with individuals, families, and employers on high-skilled immigration.
Have immigration questions?