1. What is EB-3?
EB-3 (Employment-Based, Third Preference) is a US employment-based green card category, third preference. It has 3 groups:
- Skilled Workers – workers with skills, usually requiring at least 2 years of training or experience.
- Professionals – people with a US bachelor's degree or equivalent.
- Other Workers – unskilled workers, for jobs requiring less than 2 years of training or experience: restaurant service, food preparation, hotel housekeeping, factory work…
US immigration law caps the Other Workers group at a maximum of 10,000 visas per year, so this group often waits longer on the visa schedule than the other groups.
2. Who does EB-3 Other Workers suit?
- People ready to do manual work: standing for long periods, lifting, working shifts.
- People willing to move to the specific city where the job is (often small and mid-sized cities). See the city guide.
- People who can wait patiently for many years and accept that no one can guarantee a timeline.
- People able to prepare civil documents, police certificates and a medical exam.
- People who have planned ahead for the costs for the whole family.
3. Step-by-step process
- PWD and US labor market test – the employer asks the US Department of Labor (DOL) to determine the prevailing wage and advertises the job as required by regulations.
- PERM (Labor Certification, Form ETA-9089) – the employer files the labor certification application; the employer pays the PERM costs. The date DOL receives the PERM application is usually your Priority Date. See What is PERM.
- I-140 – after PERM is approved, the employer files the immigrant petition with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- Wait for the Visa Bulletin – wait for your priority date to become “current” on the monthly visa schedule. See how to read the Visa Bulletin.
- NVC and interview – if you are in Vietnam: pay fees, submit Form DS-260 and documents to the National Visa Center (NVC), complete the medical exam, and interview at the US Consulate. If you are lawfully in the US: you may be able to adjust status (I-485) – an attorney should review your specific case.
- Enter the US and receive the green card – start working for the sponsoring employer.
4. Dependents
A legal spouse and unmarried children under 21 can receive green cards through the principal applicant's case. A child close to 21 may have their age “protected” under the CSPA (Child Status Protection Act) in some cases – an attorney should check. Costs for dependents are significant, so ask for details in advance.
5. What do EB-3 costs include?
Total costs vary by program and by the number of family members. Common cost groups:
- Government fees – USCIS fees, Department of State visa processing fees, green card issuance fees… per the official fee schedules.
- Service fees of the case support provider.
- Attorney fees (some providers include them in the service fee).
- Costs for dependents, medical exams, translation, airfare, and initial settling-in costs.
Note: PERM costs are paid by the employer under US Department of Labor rules. Always ask for an itemized quote in writing before signing.
6. How long does EB-3 take?
No one can guarantee it. The timeline includes: PERM processing (per DOL, the average PERM processing time is about 336 days – figure recorded in Aug 2026), I-140, and the wait for your priority date on the Visa Bulletin. See the latest news each month.
7. Things to be careful about
- Be careful with anyone who “guarantees” a green card or promises a specific timeline.
- Do not send your passport, national ID card or photos of documents over social media to anyone before signing a contract.
- Check whether the job has a PERM record on flag.dol.gov, and check your I-140 yourself on egov.uscis.gov.
Sources: USCIS – EB-3 · DOL – processing times · Visa Bulletin.
📌 General information, not legal advice for any specific case. Independent information & referral page.