Immigrant workers who take priority for employment visas

About 140,000 applicants are qualified for employment-based immigrant visas every year. Of these visas, 28.6 percent go to priority workers. Immigrant workers who wish to apply for an employment visa in Florida as first preference applicants must fall into one of three sub-categories.

The first sub-category includes workers who have extraordinary abilities in education, athletics, arts, science and business. These applicants must have enough documentation to demonstrate domestic or international recognition or acclaim for their expertise. They do not require job offers prior to applying as long as they enter the country to continue working in their specialty areas.

The second sub-category for priority workers includes those who are outstanding researchers and professors who have a minimum three years of experience in their respective fields and international recognition. They must be entering the country to seek tenure track teaching, tenure or an equivalent position in research at an institution of higher learning. The applicants’ prospective employers need to offer them a job and file Form I-140.

The third sub-category includes international managers and executives who worked overseas a minimum one of the previous three years for the prospective employer. They must be entering the country with the intention to work as a manager or executive for the potential employer, who must be offering the job and must file Form I-140.

Some immigrant workers may not be able to determine whether they fit into any of these sub-categories without help. These individuals might get assistance determining their status by contacting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or private employment immigration lawyers. Applicants who are refused visas could get lawyers’ to help them appeal the decision.