Employment Green Card Attorneys for Employers and Professionals

Whether you are a U.S. employer seeking to sponsor a valued employee or a professional exploring permanent residence through your career, Immigration Universe Attorneys can help you identify the right employment-based immigration strategy.

We help employers and professionals understand which employment-based green-card pathway fits their situation, what role the employer may need to play, and what steps should be evaluated before a case moves forward.

Not every employment-based green card follows the same process. Some cases depend on a permanent job offer and employer sponsorship. Other classifications may allow a self-petition or a waiver of the job-offer requirement when the applicable legal standard is met.

Who is this service for?

Our employment green-card practice supports both sides of the immigration relationship.

U.S. employers

We work with employers that are considering permanent sponsorship for an international employee, planning retention of key talent, or evaluating how a green-card strategy fits into broader workforce planning.

For HR and leadership teams, the first question is often not simply “Which form do we file?” It is whether the position, employee profile and business objective point toward an employer-sponsored immigrant category and what responsibilities the company would assume.

International professionals

We also work with professionals who want to understand their employment-based permanent-residence options.

Some professionals may need an employer sponsor. Others may be evaluating classifications where self-petitioning can be available, including certain EB-1 cases and EB-2 cases involving a National Interest Waiver.

The right route depends on the specific facts and legal requirements. A consultation is the appropriate place to evaluate those facts.

How Does an Employer Sponsor an Employee for a Green Card?

Many employer-sponsored permanent-residence cases involve more than one step.

Depending on the classification, an employer may first need a permanent labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor before filing an immigrant petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The exact path is category-specific. That is why it is important to identify the immigrant classification before assuming that PERM, a particular recruitment process or a specific employer filing is required.

PERM labor certification

PERM is the U.S. Department of Labor’s permanent labor certification process. When PERM is required, the U.S. employer generally must complete specific recruitment and labor certification steps before filing the employment-based immigrant petition with USCIS.

The process is intended to protect the employment opportunities, wages, and working conditions of U.S. workers while allowing qualifying employers to pursue permanent sponsorship of foreign workers.

Form I-140

Form I-140 is the immigrant petition used for several employment-based classifications.

In many employer-sponsored matters, the employer files the petition after completing the required preliminary steps for that category. In recognized self-petition classifications, the individual may be the petitioner.

Approval of an immigrant petition is not the same thing as receiving permanent residence. Additional steps apply based on the person’s circumstances and visa availability.

Employer-sponsored employment green-card pathways

Employer-sponsored permanent-residence cases can arise under several employment-based classifications. The employer’s role, whether PERM is required, and the evidence needed depend on the specific category.

EB-3 employer sponsorship

EB-3 covers skilled workers, professionals and other workers under the applicable statutory classifications. These cases commonly involve a U.S. employer sponsoring the worker for a permanent position and completing permanent labor certification before the immigrant petition is filed.

Learn more about the EB-3 Green Card process and the questions employers should evaluate before beginning sponsorship.

Employer-sponsored EB-1 and EB-2 cases

Some EB-1 and EB-2 classifications also involve a petitioning U.S. employer. The requirements are not identical across classifications, so the employer should identify the specific immigrant category before assuming that PERM or another preliminary step is required.

Self-petition employment green-card pathways

Some professionals may be able to pursue employment-based permanent residence without a sponsoring employer when the requirements of a qualifying self-petition classification are met.

EB-1 extraordinary ability

The EB-1 extraordinary-ability classification can allow a qualifying individual to self-petition. Other EB-1 classifications, including certain outstanding professor or researcher and multinational manager or executive cases, involve a petitioning employer.

Learn more about the EB-1 Green Card and the evidence that may be relevant to the specific classification.

EB-2 National Interest Waiver

EB-2 includes professionals with advanced degrees and individuals of exceptional ability. In many employer-sponsored EB-2 cases, a job offer and labor certification are part of the process. A National Interest Waiver is different: USCIS may waive the job-offer requirement, allowing the individual to self-petition, if the person first qualifies for EB-2 and meets the NIW standard.

If you are evaluating this option, review our EB-2 NIW guidance before assuming that employer sponsorship is required or that a waiver will apply.

What Should an Employer Know Before Sponsoring an Employee for a Green Card?

Permanent sponsorship is both an immigration matter and a workforce decision.

Before choosing a route, employers should be prepared to discuss:

the permanent role the organization needs to fill;
the employee’s education, experience and professional background;
whether the proposed immigrant classification requires labor certification;
how the immigration process fits the company’s retention and workforce plans;
the responsibilities the employer may assume as petitioner;
whether another employment-based classification should be considered.

Legal strategy should be based on the actual position, employee and business objective rather than choosing a category from a checklist.

What Should Professionals Evaluate Before Choosing an Employment Green Card Strategy?

If you are the professional seeking permanent residence, it is useful to understand whether your potential route depends on an employer or may permit self-petitioning.

Questions to discuss can include:

whether you have a permanent U.S. job offer;
what salary is the employer willing to pay;
whether your education and experience align with a particular employment-based classification;
whether your background may support a category with different sponsorship rules;
whether an EB-2 National Interest Waiver or an EB-1 self-petition classification should be evaluated;
what additional immigration steps may apply after an immigrant petition.

These questions do not determine eligibility on their own, but they help identify which legal analysis is actually relevant.

Why legal review matters before filing

Employment-based immigration rules contain important differences between categories.

A statement that is generally true for one route may be wrong for another. A job offer can be central to an employer-sponsored case, while a qualifying NIW or EB-1 extraordinary-ability case does not follow a sponsorship structure.

Legal review helps identify the correct framework before the employer or professional invests time in the wrong process.

It also creates a clearer plan for documentation, responsibilities and next steps without promising an approval or a specific timeline.

Employment Immigration Counsel for Companies and Professionals

Choosing an employment-based immigration strategy is an important decision for both the employer and the professional. The right legal guidance should consider not only the immigration category, but also the employer’s business objectives, the professional’s qualifications, and the long-term immigration strategy.

Immigration Universe Attorneys provides attorney-led immigration counsel to U.S. employers and international professionals navigating employment-based permanent residence and other business immigration matters.

Experience You Can Rely On

With more than 12 years of experience practicing immigration law, Attorney Ileana M. Rivera has represented individuals, professionals, and businesses in a wide range of U.S. immigration matters. Her experience includes successfully handling immigration cases involving employment-based petitions and other complex immigration issues.

Attorney Rivera is also an immigration law educator and professor who trains legal professionals on immigration law, procedures, case preparation, and professional responsibility. That combination of legal practice and teaching brings a detailed, practical approach to every case handled by the firm.

Attorney-Led Immigration Strategy

At Immigration Universe Attorneys, employment immigration is not treated as simply a matter of completing forms.

Each case begins with understanding the objective. For an employer, that may mean retaining a key employee, building a long-term workforce strategy, or determining whether permanent sponsorship is appropriate. For a professional, it may mean evaluating employer sponsorship, EB-1, EB-2 National Interest Waiver, EB-3, or another employment-based pathway.

Our attorneys evaluate the immigration strategy, identify potential issues, and guide the case through the applicable legal process. Clients have direct access to a legal team working under attorney supervision throughout the representation.

Serving Orlando and Employers Nationwide

Immigration Universe Attorneys has two locations in Orlando, Florida, and provides corporate immigration representation to employers throughout the United States.

Because U.S. immigration law is federal, our firm can work with companies and professionals across the country. Virtual consultations and case management also allow us to assist employers with employees and operations in multiple locations.

Bilingual Immigration Representation

Our team provides legal services in both English and Spanish, allowing employers, professionals, and their families to communicate comfortably and understand the immigration strategy, responsibilities, documentation, and next steps involved in their case.

A Strategy Built Around the Employer and the Professional

No two employment immigration cases are identical. A successful strategy begins with understanding the position, the employer, the professional’s qualifications, and the immigration options available under the law.

Whether your company is considering sponsoring an employee for permanent residence or you are a professional exploring an employment-based green card, Immigration Universe Attorneys can help you evaluate the options and develop a legal strategy tailored to your circumstances.

Frequently asked questions about employment green cards

Does every employment-based green card require an employer sponsor?

No. Employer sponsorship is common in employment-based immigration, but it is not universal. Certain classifications can allow self-petitioning, including qualifying EB-1 extraordinary-ability cases and EB-2 cases where USCIS grants a National Interest Waiver.

What is PERM?

PERM is the U.S. Department of Labor’s permanent labor certification process. In most cases where labor certification is required, the employer completes that process with the Department of Labor before the related immigrant petition is filed with USCIS.

Does every EB-2 case require PERM?

No. Many employer-sponsored EB-2 cases involve labor certification, but a qualifying EB-2 National Interest Waiver can waive the job-offer and labor-certification requirements.

Can an employer sponsor an employee for EB-3?

EB-3 is commonly an employer-sponsored category. The specific requirements depend on the EB-3 classification, the permanent job opportunity and the worker’s qualifications.

Can a professional file an employment-based case without a job offer?

Some employment-based classifications can permit self-petitioning or a waiver of the job-offer requirement. Whether one of those routes applies requires an individual legal assessment.

Do you represent employers outside Florida?

For the firm’s corporate immigration services, Immigration Universe Attorneys can serve employers nationwide from Orlando, Florida, including through virtual consultations.

How can a company sponsor an employee for a green card?

The process depends on the employment-based category. In many EB-2 and EB-3 cases, the employer first completes the required PERM labor certification process with the U.S. Department of Labor and then files Form I-140 with USCIS. Other classifications follow different rules and may not require PERM. The company should identify the correct immigrant category, confirm the permanent position and requirements, and evaluate its filing responsibilities before beginning the case.

What is the difference between PERM and Form I-140?

PERM and Form I-140 are different steps handled by different federal agencies. PERM is the Department of Labor permanent labor certification process used when labor certification is required. Form I-140 is the immigrant petition filed with USCIS to request classification in an employment-based immigrant category. A PERM approval does not itself grant permanent residence, and not every I-140 case requires PERM.

Can a small business sponsor an employee for a green card?

Yes. A business does not have to be large to pursue an employment-based immigrant petition. The company must still meet the requirements of the specific category and, when applicable, demonstrate its continuing ability to pay the offered wage and comply with the required labor certification or petition process. Business size alone does not determine eligibility.

Does an employer have to pay for the employment green card process?

It depends on the stage and the type of case. When PERM labor certification is required, Department of Labor rules generally require the employer to bear the costs connected with obtaining the labor certification, including recruitment expenses and the employer’s legal fees for that process. Costs outside the PERM process can be treated differently depending on the filing and representation arrangement, so payment responsibilities should be reviewed for the specific case.

Discuss your employment-based immigration strategy

Whether you are an employer considering permanent sponsorship or a professional evaluating an employment-based green-card pathway, the first step is understanding which legal framework actually fits the situation. Immigration Universe Attorneys can review the employer’s objective, the professional’s background and the available employment-based routes before a filing strategy is selected.