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| Immigration Options for Researchers |
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Researchers are more general than the
title "scientists". But the same or similar green card
options are available to researchers or scientists.
There are many immigration options available to foreign researchers.
The specific option available to an individual researcher must depend on
several factors associated with the researchers. Generally speaking,
US immigration law gives immigration priorities to these researchers who
have made some achievements or contributions to their field of study or
who have been offered a full time in the United States doing research in
important areas.
Generally a foreign researcher has the following
four immigration options: |
1. For these researchers who can provide evidence to prove that
he/she belongs to the small percentage of researchers who have risen to
the very top of his/her field, they can get green card through a
person of "extraordinary
ability" (in English) or "extraordinary
ability" (in
Chinese). This category is called "EB1A". |
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| 2. Many researchers,
particularly postdoctoral researchers, apply for green card under the national interest
waiver (NIW)
category because it is relatively easy for a researcher to prove that their
research is in the national interest. Most medical researchers, materials
researcher, energy researchers, chemists, biologists and so on, are working in the federal
funded projects and are playing key role in the research, it is not disputable that their
research activities are in the national interest. NIW has become
the most popular option for postdoc researchers. Our office has
successfully done hundreds of NIWs for postdoc researchers. Click
here for some sample NIW approvals. |
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3. Many researchers get green card
through "Outstanding
Researcher/Professor" IF they have outstanding achievements and have a permanent
job offer. This is the most safe way for a researcher to get the green
card. This category is called "EB1B".
The main difference between EB1B and EB1A is EB1A requires the applicant's
extraordinary achievements in the field and EB1B requires "permanent
job" offer.
The main difference between EB1B and NIW is that EB1B requires
"permanent job" offer. This is the biggest barrier for a
postdoc researcher to overcome.
Ask us
what
constitutes a "permanent job offer". |
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| 4. Some researcher do not have many
scientific achievements or contributions in their fields or they do not want to take
any of above options, and the employer is willing to sponsor the green card
application through the normal labor certification process, we can start
the PERM labor certification process with US Department of Labor for the
researchers' green card case. This category is called "PERM
Labor Certification". Please click
here to see what the PERM Labor Certification is.
However, if you are hired as a researcher at an
institution of higher education, but you also have teaching assignments in
addition to your
research assignments, you should contact us within 18 months of
your hiring, you can qualify for "Special
Handling", now Optional
Special Recruitment Process under the new PERM labor certification
process, a fast track labor certification for teaching faculty that
is filed online.
It takes relatively longer time, but sometimes
it is the safe way to get green card for you and your family members.
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| We suggest you
contact us as soon as you
receive the job offer or email us
your resume
and a brief introduction of your current work and let us do the evaluation work for your
green card options. |
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