August 18, 2025

EB-3 Visa Categories: Skilled Workers, Professionals & Other Workers

If you are exploring a permanent move to the United States through employment, you have probably come across the term “EB-3.” EB-3 stands for Employment-Based, Third Preference — a green card category for people who have a permanent, full-time job offer from a U.S. employer. What many people don’t realize is that EB-3 is not a single lane. It splits into three distinct subcategories, and the one you fall under depends entirely on the job and your qualifications.

Understanding these subcategories matters because they affect your eligibility, and in one case, how long you may wait. Below we break down all three using U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) eligibility standards.

A quick note before we start: every EB-3 path requires a labor certification (or a Schedule A designation) and a permanent, full-time job offer from a U.S. employer. The employer acts as your sponsor and files Form I-140 on your behalf. Overseas Job Solutions connects overseas workers with U.S. employers and partner attorneys who handle the legal work — we focus on candidates chargeable to “Rest of World,” not India or China.

Skilled Workers

The Skilled Worker subcategory is for jobs that require at least two years of training or work experience that are not temporary or seasonal. The key is the requirement of the position itself: the job must genuinely call for two or more years of training or experience, and you must meet that requirement.

Relevant post-secondary education can sometimes count as training toward the two-year threshold, but the underlying rule is straightforward — the position demands meaningful skill built over time. Like all EB-3 cases, you must also meet any other requirements the labor certification lists for the job.

Many healthcare and trade roles fall here. Registered nurses, for example, are commonly classified as professional or skilled workers depending on how the role and credentials are structured.

Professionals

The Professional subcategory is for jobs that require a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a foreign equivalent degree, and that degree must be the normal requirement for the profession.

This is where a critical distinction comes in. For the Professional subcategory, USCIS requires a single degree. Education and experience may NOT be substituted for the required bachelor’s degree. In other words, you cannot combine a shorter diploma plus several years of work experience and have it “add up” to a bachelor’s for this category. You need the actual degree (or its recognized foreign equivalent).

If you hold a bachelor’s degree and your U.S. job offer requires that degree, the Professional subcategory is likely where you belong.

Other Workers (Unskilled Workers)

The Other Workers subcategory — sometimes called “unskilled workers” — covers jobs that require less than two years of training or experience and that are not temporary or seasonal. These are essential roles that keep U.S. businesses, care facilities, and households running.

Common examples include caregivers, home health aides, and nurse aides, which typically fall under Other Workers rather than the professional or skilled categories.

There is one important, honest caveat here. Of the roughly 40,000 EB-3 immigrant visas available each year, no more than 10,000 may go to Other Workers (source: U.S. Department of State). Because that annual cap is smaller relative to demand, applicants in the Other Workers subcategory often face longer waits than skilled workers and professionals. This is simply how the numerical limits are structured — it is not a reflection of the value of the work.

(As of July 2026 — visa availability, cut-off dates, and category demand change frequently. Always verify current dates against the live Visa Bulletin at travel.state.gov and the USCIS filing-charts page.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which EB-3 category do nurses fall into? Registered nurses are commonly classified as professional or skilled workers, depending on how the position and credentials are structured. The exact classification should be confirmed by a licensed immigration attorney for your specific case.

Which category do caregivers and home health aides fall into? These roles typically fall under the Other Workers (unskilled) subcategory, since they generally require less than two years of training or experience. Remember the 10,000-per-year cap on Other Workers visas can mean longer waits.

Can I use my work experience instead of a bachelor’s degree to qualify as a Professional? No. For the Professional subcategory, USCIS requires a single U.S. bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent, and education or experience may not be substituted for that degree. If you lack the degree, a different subcategory (such as Skilled Worker) may fit depending on the job.

Does OJS help people from any country? Overseas Job Solutions focuses on candidates chargeable to “Rest of World” — not India or China, which face significantly longer wait times under the per-country limits. Your exact wait depends on your country of chargeability and the current Visa Bulletin.

Sources

• USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-third-preference-eb-3
• USCIS — Permanent Workers: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers
• U.S. Department of State — Employment-Based Immigrant Visas: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/employment-based-immigrant-visas.html
• U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html

---

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Immigration rules, category demand, and wait times change frequently, and every case is different. Overseas Job Solutions does not provide legal services and makes no guarantees regarding jobs, green cards, or timelines. For advice about your specific situation, please consult a licensed U.S. immigration attorney and confirm all details against official government sources.