United States immigration guide

Open only to nationals of countries with a qualifying trade treaty with the US, and tied to ongoing trade between the two countries rather than a one-time investment.

Also treaty-nationality only, built around actively running a US business the applicant has invested in and controls, rather than a passive stake.

For applicants at the top of their field, with a track record strong enough that most can self-petition without an employer or a labor market test.

For professionals with an advanced degree or equivalent experience, usually anchored in an employer's sponsorship and a labor market test.

The same advanced-degree category, but for applicants who can argue their work serves the US national interest closely enough to skip the employer-sponsorship step.

The broader skilled and professional worker category, open to a wider range of occupations than EB-2 but generally slower-moving.

The same investor category outside a targeted employment area, where the qualifying amount is higher.

The investor category at its lower qualifying amount, available when the investment lands in a targeted employment area.

The main temporary route for specialty-occupation roles, employer-sponsored and subject to an annual numerical cap that most years draws more applicants than slots.

For executives and managers being transferred to a US office of a company they already work for abroad, with a shorter route to a green card than most temporary categories.

The same intracompany transfer route for staff with specialized knowledge of the company's product or processes, rather than a management role.

For individuals with sustained national or international acclaim in the sciences, education, business, or athletics.

The equivalent route for the arts, motion pictures, and television, judged against achievement standards specific to those fields.

Open only to Canadian and Mexican citizens in a defined list of professional occupations under the USMCA trade agreement, with a comparatively light application process.