ANG green card ay maaaring makuha ng isang dayuhan sa pamamagitan ng employment-based (EB) petitions. Kailangan ng sponsorship ng US employer para sa isang permanenteng posisyon sa kumpanya. May tatlong hakbang para sa mga EB petition: (1) ang PERM Labor Certification; (2) ang Immigrant Petition; at (3) ang Green Card Application sa USCIS o ang consular processing ng immigrant visa kung aprubado na ang una at ikalawang hakbang.
Unang Hakbang: Ang PERM o Program Electronic Review Management labor certification ay kailangang i-file sa US Department of Labor (DOL) para sa mga EB cases maliban lamang sa mga Schedule A Workers tulad ng mga nurse at physical therapist. Ang layunin ng PERM ay protektahan ang US labor market kaya’t ang local labor market ay sinusuri muna para malaman kung may availability ng mga kwalipikado at handang mga US workers (mga US citizens at green card holders) para sa permanenting posisyon sa kumpanya. Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng paghanap ng US workers sa recruitment at advertising na kailangang gawin ng US employer. Ang permanenteng posisyon ay kailangang bayaran ng sweldo na katumbas o higit pa sa prevailing wage ayon sa pagdetermina ng DOL. Sa PERM, isinasaad ng US employer kung ano ang minimum education at work experience requirements para sa permanenteng posisyon sa kumpanya. Kung ang minimum requirement ng US employer ay Bachelor’s degree at wala pang 5 taon na work experience, ang kategorya ng trabaho ay EB3. Kung ang minimum requirement naman ay Master’s degree o Bachelor’s degree + 5 taon na work experience, ang kategorya ng trabaho ay EB2. Ang dayuhang empleyado ay kailangang nagtataglay ng mga kwalipiskasyong ito sa petsa ng filing ng PERM sa DOL
Pangalawang Hakbang: Kapag ang PERM ay certified na ng DOL, ang US employer ay maaari nang mag-file ng I-140 Immigrant Petition para sa dayuhang empleyado. Para maaprubahan ang I-140 Immigrant Petition, kailangang ipakita ng US employer na ito ay may “ability to pay” ng sweldo para sa permanenteng posisyon mula priority date hanggang madesisyunan ang I-140 Immigrant Petition.
Ang pagkakaiba ng proseso ng EB3 at EB2 ay maliwanag pagdating ng immigrant petition. Ayon sa May 2019 Visa Bulletin, ang priority date para sa EB3 sa may country of chargeability na PHILIPPINES ay 1 June 2018. Para naman sa EB2, ito ay CURRENT. Kailangang current ang priority date upang makapagpatuloy sa pangatlong hakbang.
Pangatlong Hakbang: Ang green card application ay maaaring i-file kung ang priority date ay current. Para sa EB2, ang green card application at immigrant petition ay maaaring i-file ng magkasabay sapagkay ang priority date ay CURRENT. Para naman sa EB3, may panahon na paghihintay na 11 buwan upang mag-file ng green card application.
Kung ang dayuhang empleyado ay wala sa US, ang consular processing ng immigrant visa ay maaari lamang simulan kapag aprubado na ang immigrant petition at current na ang priority date para sa EB petition.
The green card can be obtained through employment-based (EB) petitions which generally require the sponsorship of a US employer for a permanent position. There are three steps to EB petitions: (1) PERM Labor Certification; (2) Immigrant Petition; and (3) Green Card Application with the USCIS or consular visa processing of the immigrant visa based upon the approval of the first two steps.
First step: The PERM or Program Electronic Review Management labor certification must be filed with the US Department of Labor (DOL) for EB cases, except for Schedule A Workers like nurses and physical therapists, which are pre-certified. The purpose of the PERM labor certification is to protect the US labor market. This is the reason why the local labor market is first tested for availability of qualified and willing US workers (US citizens and green card holders) through recruitment efforts and advertising. The permanent position must be offered a wage that is at least the prevailing wage as determined by the DOL. At this stage, the employer states the minimum education and work experience requirements for the permanent position. If the minimum requirement of the US employer is Bachelor’s degree and less than 5 years work experience, the position falls under the EB3 category. If the minimum requirement is Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree + 5 years work experience, the position falls under the EB2 category. The foreign worker has to possess the required qualifications during the PERM date of filing with the DOL.
Second step: Once the PERM is certified by the DOL, the US employer may file an I-140 Immigrant Petition for the alien worker. Approval of the immigrant petition requires the employer to demonstrate “ability to pay” proffered wages from the priority date up to the adjudication of the I-140.
The difference in processing times for EB3 and EB2 positions is evident during this stage as the immigrant petition may be filed with the green card application if the priority date is current. According to the May 2019 Visa Bulletin, the priority date for EB3 for aliens whose country of chargeability is PHILIPPINES is 1 June 2018. For EB2, priority date is CURRENT. Priority date must be current in order to proceed with the third step.
Third step: The green card application may be filed if the priority date is current. This means that for EB2 cases, the green card application can be filed simultaneously with the immigrant petition. For EB3 cases, there is a waiting period of 11 months.
If the alien employee is abroad, the consular processing of the immigrant visa may only commence upon approval of the immigrant petition provided that the priority date is current.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
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