Jobs in USA: Is America calling you to work? EB-2 visas will be available from next month, know who can apply

US Work Visa: Foreign nationals need an EB-2 visa to work in the US. Only a limited number of these visas are issued every year. However, now the visa issuing department, i.e. ‘US State Department and US Citizenship and Immigration Service’ (USCIS), has confirmed that the number of ‘Employment Based Second Preference’ (EB-2) visas for the financial year 2024 has been completed. In such a situation, people will have to wait for the EB-2 visa. However, citizens of other countries including Indians will not have to wait too long to work in America. This is because the new financial year is starting from October 1, 2024 and the issuance of visas will start from this day itself. Through the EB-2 visa category, those skilled workers are given an opportunity to come to America who have an advanced degree or have extraordinary qualifications in their field. This visa is divided into three other categories.

What are the three other categories of EB-2 visas?

EB-2A: Professionals with advanced degrees- In this category, US visa is given to those who have advanced degrees (Master or Doctorate). A person having a bachelor’s degree with five years of work experience also gets this visa.

EB-2B: Extraordinary Ability- This visa is given to those who have extraordinary ability in fields such as arts, science or business. They also have to prove that their skills are very good and will make a major contribution to the economy or culture of America.

EB-2C: National Interest Waiver (NIW)- Skilled professionals whose work is considered beneficial to the national interest of the US get the opportunity to apply through this category. No American sponsor is required for this visa, rather the applicant has to prove his/her ability himself.

Usually EB-2 visa is given only to those who are sponsored by an American company. If someone is getting National Interest Waiver then he/she also gets the visa.

How many EB-2 visas were issued?

For the financial year 2024, USCIS had set a limit of issuing 47 thousand EB-2 visas. About 1.65 lakh employment-based visas are allotted annually in the US, of which 28.6% are EB-2 visas. These figures are determined annually by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and include the remaining visas from previous years.

Indians have to wait for visa

Indian citizens in particular are facing a lot of hurdles in getting EB-2 visa. It is expected that when new visas are issued, Indians will get some benefit. Indians are included in large numbers in the category of professionals with advanced degrees. In such a situation, it may be easier for them to get a visa under this category.

“Waiting times for the EB-2 and EB-3 categories are currently longer than for any other US employment-based visa, including the popular EB-5,” said Sam Silverman, managing partner of EB5AN, a company specializing in US immigration visas. he/she further explained that global demand for EB-2 visas has reached four times the available quota. More than 1,80,000 applications come for 40 thousand visas.