These top tips will help you to plan and strategize to maximize your ability to get a Green Card employer sponsorship before you graduate. Your chances of getting the
employer green card sponsorship are higher if you begin planning in your first or second year of college. If you only have one to two years until you graduate, then you must be extremely qualified or develop a strategy for getting the Green Card, after getting a temporary work visa such as an H-1B, O Visa, or L Visa.
Research the requirements of each
employer green card sponsorship visa, including the fees, and the type of evidence you will need to submit. This way you know what you need to do to meet all the requirements and can start planning
The whole point of the EB-2 or EB-2 NIW is that the employer is telling the government that they could not find a qualified U.S. employee for a job posting and that is why they want to sponsor you and the government should give you a Green Card. Research the type of degrees that are most in demand in the U.S. and where there are not many qualified U.S. workers, and pursue that degree, if you are interested in that field.
Start looking for an employer to sponsor you at least two years before you need the visa so there is enough time to find an employer, start the process, and reduce the amount of time needed to process the visa.
Take courses in specialized topics to make your qualifications stand out, in addition to all the requirements for your Bachelor’s Degree. The job positions for an EB-2 and EB-3 require a showing of certain skills, knowledge, and technical qualifications. You should acquire unique skills, have in-depth knowledge, and technical skills required in the industry.
Remember, the objective is to find a Green Card employer sponsorship by the time you graduate, rather than to already have the visa by the time you graduate. It is very rare to already have the visa by the time you graduate so anticipate the waiting period after you graduate and plan to extend your visa, or understand you will have to temporarily return to your home country while you wait for the Green Card visa application to be processed.
Make sure you do not violate the terms of your F-1 visa by working without authorization because that will be a violation of immigration law and will jeopardize your eligibility for the EB-1 Visa or EB-2 Visa.