EB-3 Visa: Requirements, Process, Costs & Timelines

The EB-3 visa is an immigrant visa category designed for skilled workers, professionals, and other workers who want to become lawful permanent residents of the U.S. With broader eligibility than an EB-1 or EB-2, the EB-3 visa is often more accessible than some other employment-based visa categories. As a result, it also sees higher demand and longer waits for visas to become available, particularly in backlogged countries.

At a glance: EB-3 Green Cards

• Eligibility: A full-time job offer in a skilled labor, professional, or other worker role
• Timeline: One to two years to get an approved visa petition, plus potentially three or more years to get an actual Green Card
• Costs: An estimated $2,000 in fees and expenses for employers, potentially $2,000 or more for employees, plus optional premium processing (almost $3,000) and thousands in lawyer fees
• Getting started: Securing a permanent, full-time job with a U.S. employer, who will start the PERM labor certification process

What is the EB-3 visa?

The EB-3 visa is the third-preference immigrant visa category for employment-based Green Cards, meaning it offers a direct path to becoming a lawful permanent resident. It’s available to a wide range of individuals who have received a permanent, full-time U.S. job offer:

• Workers doing skilled labor (at least two years of experience or training)
• Workers with a professional degree
• Workers with less than two years of training or experience (unskilled workers)

EB-3 eligibility categories

There are three eligibility categories that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses when determining who qualifies for an EB-3 visa. In all cases, applicants must have a job offer and meet any additional requirements for the role, including education, training, or experience.

	EB-3A	EB-3B	EB-3C
Category	Skilled workers	Professionals	Other workers
Experience/Training	At least 2 years	Varies by job	Less than 2 years
Minimum Education	Varies by job	Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent	Varies by job
Job Offer Required?	Yes	Yes	Yes

EB-3A skilled workers

Skilled workers perform what USCIS refers to as skilled labor, including job duties that require at least two years of training or experience (not from temporary or seasonal work). Post-secondary education or degrees can be considered as training.

• Examples of EB-3A workers: electricians, plumbers, machinists, chefs, cooks, and medical technologists

EB-3B professionals

Workers are considered professionals if they hold a minimum of a U.S. bachelor’s degree, or a foreign equivalent, and work in roles that require at least a bachelor’s degree.

• Examples of EB-3B workers: engineers, accountants, teachers, software developers, and architects

EB-3C other workers or unskilled workers

Other workers, referred to by USCIS as unskilled workers, are people in positions that require less than two years of training or experience (not from temporary or seasonal work). These are typically entry-level roles.

• Examples of EB-3C workers: caregivers, home health aides, housekeeping or janitorial workers, food preparation workers, and general laborers

Pros and cons of the EB-3 visa

Pros

• Broader eligibility: EB-3 covers skilled workers, professionals and other workers ( includes jobs that require less than 2 years of experience)
• Direct path to a Green Card: Wait times may be long, but you can become a permanent resident.
• Your family can come with you: Your spouse and any unmarried children under 21 can live with you in the U.S. and are eligible to become legal permanent residents.
• Stable for long-term planning: EB-3 is structured and predictable in terms of filing steps and involves long-term planning.

Cons

• Long wait times: Priority dates for EB-3 visas are often backlogged, and even applicants who meet the eligibility criteria face long waits for a visa to become available.
• Lack of career flexibility while you wait: Your petition depends on your employer, so changing employers early in the process could jeopardize your case.
• More steps in the process: Most EB-3 visas require PERM certification through the Department of Labor (DOL). The PERM cycle steps such as recruitment (testing the labor market) which increase processing times

⚠️ Avoid compliance mistakes. Because EB-3 cases often require a PERM labor certification and other strict compliance steps, small errors can lead to long delays or denials. An experienced immigration attorney can help you and your employer build a clear, compliant strategy. You can request a consultation with an EB-3 attorney at any point in the process.

How to apply for an EB-3 visa

There are three key steps to applying for an EB-3 visa.

Step 1: Employer obtains a PERM labor certification

Once a worker has a job offer, an EB-3 case starts with a PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) labor certification. PERM shows that the employer is offering a fair wage and can’t find a qualified U.S. worker for the role. It requires the employer to ask the DOL to determine the minimum required wage for the specific job, advertise the job for a certain period of time, and then submit a formal application (Form ETA-9089).

💡 Some EB-3 roles can skip the PERM process. Some EB-3 roles qualify as Schedule A,  This means the employer doesn’t file a PERM. Rather, the employer files the I-140 with USCIS with an uncertified Form ETA 9089. Eligible jobs include professional nurses, physical therapists, and individuals who can prove “exceptional ability in the sciences or arts.”

Step 2: Employer files Form I-140

After the PERM labor certification is approved, an employer files a Form I-140 petition with USCIS. This petition asks USCIS to classify the beneficiary (the employee) in the EB-3 category for a Green Card. It also requires the employer to confirm they have a real, permanent job to offer and the ability to pay the offered wage.

A petition packet includes a lot of supporting documentation, and missing documents or inconsistent information could cause months of processing delays or even a denial.

Step 3: Employee applies for EB-3

The last stage of the process is the Green Card stage. When the Visa Bulletin shows a visa number is available for the employee’s priority date, the employee can apply for a Green Card.

📘 Your priority date is basically your spot in line for a visa, and it’s usually set to the day the PERM application is filed or a receipt is issued by the DOL. If you have a Schedule A job, your priority date is set when the I-140 immigrant petition is filed. Once your date becomes current on the applicable monthly Visa Bulletin, you can submit your Green Card application.

There are two ways to apply:

• Adjustment of status: If you’re in the U.S., use Form I-485 to apply for your Green Card through USCIS.
• Consular processing: If you’re outside the U.S., use DS-260 and consular processing, which requires you to apply through a U.S. embassy or consulate instead of USCIS.

After filing your application, you may be scheduled for a biometrics appointment—to provide your photo and fingerprints—and to attend an interview.

How the Visa Bulletin works

There are only a certain number of available immigration visas each year, including caps on how many can go to individuals from any single country. The federal government uses the Visa Bulletin to show when Green Cards are available by category and country. You will need to check the Visa Bulletin each month and wait for your priority date to be current before you can file for a Green Card.

EB-3 visa costs

The EB-3 visa process requires fees at several stages. Most are paid by the employer, and some are paid by the employee.

Employer costs

Item	Typical cost
Required recruitment, ads, and compliance documentation during PERM	Varies, but often hundreds to a few thousand dollars
Form I-140 filing fee	$665 online or $715 by mail
Asylum Program Fee	$600 for most employers, $300 for small employers, $0 for nonprofits
Premium Processing (Form I-907)	$2,965 (as of March 1, 2026), can be paid by either the employer or the employee
Attorney fees	Varies, but thousands of dollars

Note that the DOL requires employers to pay all PERM-related costs, while the cost of premium processing can be paid by either employer or employee, or both.

Employee costs for adjustment of status in the U.S.

Item	Typical amount
Green Card application filing fee (Form I-485)	$1,440 (by mail) or $1,390 (online)
Optional employment authorization (Form I-765)	$260 (if filed with I-485)
Optional travel document (Form I-131)	$630
Medical exam (Form I-693)	Varies, often a couple hundred or more

Employee cost for consular processing

Item	Typical amount
Green Card application filing fee (Form DS-260)	$345
USCIS Immigrant Fee (Green Card production)	$235
Panel physician exam	Varies
Police certificates, translations, and other document fees	Varies

EB-3 visa processing timelines

Processing times vary by case, but here is how long each stage typically takes.

1. Prevailing Wage Determination: 6 to 9 months or more (DOL provides updates on the queue each month)
2. PERM labor recruitment: 2 to 6 months before filing the PERM application
3. PERM filing: 12+ months, with backlogs for EB-3 PERM processing
4. Form I-140 processing: Currently 5-11 months for most EB-3 petitions, or 15 business days with premium processing
5. Green Card application: Approximately 3 to 12 years, depending on your country and priority date

How to speed up the EB-3 process

There are just a few ways to potentially save time in the EB-3 visa process:

• Pay for premium processing. If you’re eligible, it reduces Form I-140 processing to 15 business days. Only available at the I-140 stage.
• Avoid audits and RFEs. You can avoid months of PERMs audits with careful attention to the requirements for eligible roles and recruitment. An initial filing with strong documentation can also save weeks or months for evidence requests.
• Apply as soon as possible. File the final-stage application as soon as you’re allowed, based on the Visa Bulletin. Green Card applicants need to monitor the Visa Bulletin to determine whether USCIS allows final action date or dates of filing chart

Get help preparing your EB-3 application

EB-3 is a multi-agency process where small compliance errors or missing documents can cause months of unnecessary delays. The immigration attorneys at Manifest Law can help you and your employer navigate PERM correctly, build a strong I-140 packet, and avoid mistakes in the final Green Card application stage. Request a free consultation with our team today.

EB-3 visa FAQs

Can I change jobs with an EB-3 visa?

It depends on your stage. If you’re in the U.S. and your I-485 has been pending for 180 days or more, you may be able to move to a new, permanent job offer in the same or similar occupational classification.

What if I get laid off with an EB-3 visa?

Because an EB-3 is employer-specific, a layoff or loss of employment sponsorship can materially impact the process. However, after 180 days of a pending I-485, you might have more options if you can get a same or similar role as a new job offer.

What is the annual limit for EB-3 visas?

The number of EB-3 visas is capped at 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based immigrant visa limit. Within the EB-3 category, up to 10,000 visas can be used for the other workers subcategory (EB-3C).

Can I file EB-3 and EB-2 at the same time?

Yes it is permissible to file more than one I-140 as long as each I-140 pathway independently meets the requirements and compliance. Strategy is very important here which is why it is important to work with an experienced immigration attorney.

EB-2 wait times are often shorter, though there are other differences between an EB-2 and EB-3 that you should consider.

Can I travel while my EB-3 application is pending?

In general, you should not travel while your I-485 is pending unless you have advance parole. Even with Advance Parole, reentry is not automatically guaranteed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) makes the final decision on admission at the port of entry.

Before making any international travel plans, it’s important to speak with an experienced immigration attorney to assess your individual situation.