EB-1     |      EB-2     |      EB-3     |      EB-4     |      EB-5     |      PERM

The second employment preference is for: 'Professionals holding advanced degrees (or equivalent) and aliens of exceptional ability in the arts, sciences or business'. There are 40,000 visas available for this category.

EB-2 Professionals/Advanced Degree Holders

'Advanced degree' means a US degree or a foreign degree equivalent to a US degree above that of a baccalaureate. A United States baccalaureate degree or a foreign equivalent degree followed by at least five years of progressive experience in this specialty shall be considered the equivalent to a master's degree. If a doctoral degree is customarily required by the specialty, the alien must have a United States doctorate degree or a foreign equivalent degree.

'Exceptional ability in the sciences, arts or business' means a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered in the sciences, arts or business. Exceptional ability is a very high standard, but is less than that of 'extraordinary ability' found in the 'priority worker' category, thus a degree by itself is not enough.

Unlike the EB-1 category, the EB-2 category requires an employer and a labor certification. There is however an exception to this rule. If the alien's job is deemed to be "in the national interest" of the United States there is a "waiver" of the labor certification requirement. Obtaining this waiver is beneficial because the processing times will be greatly reduced.

For more information please read about National Interest Waivers: