The EB-3 Working Visa provides an opportunity to work as skilled laborer, professionals, and unskilled worker who have a demand as per the U.S. employer are entitled to apply for permanent residence in the United States. As of 2025, there are plans to change the application process and requirements; hence, an added burden on the future applicants.
In this enhancement, the article will explicate on the entire process of steps, eligibility requirements, and any alterations that need to be taken once to qualify for the EB-3 visa.
Definition of the EB-3 Working Visa
The EB-3 visa is a third preference immigrant employment-based visa that allows against an alien who works and lives in the U.S. The work visa has three categories:
- Skilled workers, i.e., individuals who have had two years of training and/or work experience in a specific field.
- Professionals, those who possess a U.S. Bachelor’s degree, or its foreign equivalent, from a sufficiently related field.
- Unskilled workers, those with the minimum number of years of work experience in the U.S. of the petitioner.
The EB-3 visa category enjoys a lot of popularity primarily due to the convenience it represents in obtaining a green card, which grants holders the permanent status in the U.S.
Eligibility Requirements for an EB-3 Visa
The basic requirements for getting an EB-3 visa vary from category to category, while a few remain the same. Given below are the general criteria.
- For Skilled Workers: Applicants should possess at least two years of work experience to get employment-based visa. In case the job requires Labor Certification, the U.S. Department of Labor issues one.
- For Professionals: The applicants need to have a bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent from an accredited educational institution to be qualified. The degree shall be in a field related to the present labor certification.
- For Unskilled Workers: The petitioners must be skilled in areas requiring less than two years of experience or training in agricultural and seasonal jobs.
All applicants will need to have a full-time job offer from a U.S. employer who is okay with sponsoring them for the visa.
2025 Application for the EB-3 Visas
The application process of the EB-3 visa is quite an extended and complex one. Here are some steps that you would need to follow:
- Form I-140 (Employee Petition): The U.S. Employer initiates the process by filing a petition which is proceedings on behalf of the applicant. This petition must show a desperate need for a foreign worker into the position and that no capable U.S. worker is available.
- Labour Certificate (PERM): Employers must have labor certification on their behalf, in most of the cases of EB-2 no matter which EB-3 the green card applicant is in. A labor certification into a green card application process is intended to ensure that hiring a foreign worker is not a disadvantage that negatively impacts U.S. workers’ wages or working conditions.
- Priority Date and Visa Bulletin: Completion of the I-140 petition takes a snapshot for their priority dates into the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin. The employer’s perspective on this is very significant so the earliest possible filing of I-140 or LC petition.
- Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing: The natural step now is Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) if they are physically within the U.S. Those working from outside of the U.S. could start going through Consular Processing. Candidates might have to wait for consideration as their petitions were already submitted and approved, either through an approval letter or rejection of petitions bearing a priority date.
- Green Card Issuance: Having attained the goal from the green card in favor of patients, the order then becomes for the best.
2025 EB-3 Updates
In 2025, while the essentials of the EB-3 visa remain unchanged, the processing timelines, visa fees, and documentations required are perennial targets of updates.
It is important for applicants to follow the announcements of these two institutions: the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the United States Department of Labor for any changes that will affect their application.
Conclusion
The EB‑3 Work Visa is a great opportunity for professionals, skilled, or unskilled workers to cross over to the life of permanent residency in the United States of America. By understanding these requirements and steps to the visa application, this will no doubt improve the chances of success. Applicants need to be well-informed as 2025 updates start to emerge, an evidence this will be essential for a smooth application process.