APPLY FOR A GREEN CARD FOR WORK PURPOSES

The green card represents the absolute grail for many people, and opens the door to the many states that make up the United States of America: Florida, California, Iowa, Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Oregon… Unlike theESTA, it allows anyone to work, gain work experience, reside or join a family member on American soil on a long-term basis. By applying for and obtaining an ESTA card, you become a permanent resident and live the American dream in the raw! Before you leave, you’ll need to know what you need to do to visit, live or work in the United States. Let’s take a look at how to get a job in the U.S. labor market, and the green card. If you’d like to find out more about applying for a green card to work as an immigrant, we invite you to read this article!

THE GREEN CARD FOR WORK

Immigration is tightly controlled, and it’s very difficult to live and work in the United States, as you have to apply for a green card and find an employer in an American company. The precious work permit is obtained by a minority of applicants, as there are quotas to be met. Every year, around 140,000 green cards are issued for jobs in the USA. 9,800 green cards are authorized per country. As you can see, competition for green cards is fierce, especially if you’re an immigrant from a populous country.

The work green card is obtained through your employer; to qualify and receive the USA green card, you’ll need to find work and get hired. Your employer can apply for a green card for work purposes once you’ve been hired, but it’s also advisable to talk to a law firm, which is familiar with the procedures to be followed and the conditions to be met. A specialized lawyer will be able to check that all the necessary documents have been supplied and that the file is complete, so as to avoid any refusal, and will give you all the legal advice you need.

If you’re visiting the U.S. temporarily (for less than three months), you don’t need to apply for a green card to work. You can simply apply for an ESTA (ESTA is a visa waiver program), which won’t allow you to get a job, but you can, for example, host or attend professional conferences or sign contracts on U.S. territory.

OBTAINING A GREEN CARD THROUGH EMPLOYMENT

There’s no need to be in a hurry to obtain a green card after you’ve been hired, as it can take time to process your application. To obtain permanent residency, you may have to wait several years.

Want to know if you’re eligible? First of all, you need a valid passport. Then the next steps may be different, depending on the job you’ve landed. In general, your sponsor will be responsible for applying for your green card through work. The employer must present a work certificate issued by the Ministry of Labor; this is one of the documents needed to prove that you bring real know-how and added value to the company. The next step is to complete the l-140 registration form, which will provide you with a visa number. All you have to do is wait a few months or more than a year, depending on a number of criteria, such as the position or the applicant’s qualifications. Note that L1 visa holders benefit from faster processing. Once your application has been approved, as a holder of a permanent resident card, you can legally work and live in the USA on a permanent basis. Expat life is waiting for you!

How else can you get a green card and move abroad? Quite simply through marriage. Marrying an American citizen can enable you to obtain the document and live in the United States. Be careful, though: you and your spouse will be investigated to ensure that the marriage is not a sham. You can also take part in the green card lottery (Diversity Visa Program), under certain conditions, such as having a good level of English and a sufficient level of schooling. Even if this possibility is slim, perhaps you’ll be lucky and be able to fulfill your expatriation dream? Unless Donald Trump’s plan to abolish the green card comes to fruition…