EB-3 Employment-Based Green Card: Eligible Jobs, Sponsorship and Costs for India, Pakistan and Nigeria

The EB-3 employment-based green card covers qualifying professional, skilled and entry-level permanent jobs, including nursing, welding and cleaning. Official U.S. wage benchmarks range from a $17.71 hourly median for cleaners to $97,550 annually for registered nurses. Applicants need a genuine sponsoring employer and must meet the job’s requirements. This guide links verified international recruitment programs and explains costs, processing and country-specific barriers, including India’s backlog and restrictions affecting Nigerian nationals. travel.state.gov

1. Eligible jobs and pay at a glance

EB-3 does not have a government-approved list of job titles that guarantees sponsorship. Eligibility depends on the permanent position, its minimum requirements, the employer’s petition and the applicant’s qualifications.

These are May 2025 national BLS figures, expressed in U.S. dollars before tax. The ranges show the 10th and 90th percentile thresholds, not minimum and maximum wages or sponsored offers. Review the official profiles for nurses, welders and cleaners. bls.gov

A cleaner vacancy is not automatically an EB-3 opportunity. The employer must actually support permanent immigration sponsorship.

2. Which EB-3 category matches your experience?

The State Department identifies three EB-3 subgroups:

• Skilled workers: Jobs requiring at least two years of training or experience.
• Professionals: Jobs requiring at least a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent.
• Other workers: Jobs requiring less than two years of training or experience.

The positions must be permanent and nonseasonal. Applicants must satisfy the requirements of the sponsored job. travel.state.gov

Entry-level applicants

Some cleaning, food production or similar positions may fit the other-worker category. However, an employer’s willingness to hire beginners is different from willingness to sponsor immigration.

Hypothetical example: A university graduate accepting a cleaning position does not turn that position into an EB-3 professional job. Classification follows the job’s requirements.

Skilled tradespeople

Welders and other tradespeople should gather training certificates and detailed employment references. References should establish duties, dates and relevant experience.

Employers may require practical tests or specific certifications. Welding requirements vary by assignment; BLS notes that some employers require general or job-specific certification. bls.gov

Nurses

Nurses need to address state licensing and healthcare-worker immigration certification requirements.

Professional nurses can qualify for Schedule A, which uses a different labor-certification filing procedure from ordinary PERM recruitment. It does not remove employer sponsorship, licensing or visa-number requirements. The State Department’s guidance identifies professional nurses and physical therapists as Schedule A occupations. fam.state.gov

3. Where to find legitimate sponsorship opportunities

The strongest verified examples in this research were nursing recruitment programs. These are ongoing application channels, not confirmation of a named hospital vacancy, salary or placement date.

Interstaff: verified international EB-3 nursing program

Interstaff explicitly describes an EB-3 program in which it petitions as the employer. Its application process requests an active nursing license and a current CV, followed by qualification review and interview.

• Apply: Official EB-3 program.
• Application instructions: Documents and application steps.
• Verified recruitment email: recruiting@interstaffinc.com.
• Important uncertainty: Ask whether it currently accepts applicants from your country and obtain the actual assignment, salary and contract terms.

Its current program page states that it does not charge a processing fee, although nurses may incur credential evaluation and English-test expenses. Do not rely on older advertised completion timelines. Leading with Care

Health Carousel International, PassportUSA: verified EB-3 support

PassportUSA states that it files EB-3 cases for nurses and recruits internationally.

• Apply: Official PassportUSA application.
• Sponsorship information: Employment-sponsored visas.
• Contact: Official recruitment contact page.
• Important restriction: It states that recruitment is limited for countries experiencing severe healthcare-worker shortages. Confirm country eligibility before spending money.

Program acceptance, a specific vacancy and immigration approval are separate decisions. passportusa.com

Vacancies with sponsorship unconfirmed

No specific welding or cleaning vacancy with explicit EB-3 support was verified in this research. Ordinary job advertisements should therefore remain sponsorship unconfirmed until the employer confirms otherwise.

Ask directly: “Will your organization sponsor this position through EB-3, and which entity will file my I-140?”

4. How EB-3 employer sponsorship works

For most applicants outside the USA, the process is:

1. Permanent job offer: A U.S. employer offers a qualifying position.
2. Labor certification: Usually, the employer completes prevailing-wage and recruitment requirements and files PERM with the Department of Labor.
3. Immigrant petition: The employer files Form I-140 with USCIS.
4. Visa availability: The applicant waits for the applicable priority date and category.
5. Consular processing: National Visa Center processing, Form DS-260, supporting documents, medical examination and interview.
6. Admission: An approved immigrant enters the USA under the immigrant visa and becomes a permanent resident.

The Department of Labor explains that filing labor certification is the employer’s responsibility. Schedule A cases follow a different certification procedure. U.S. Department of Labor

PERM is not a Canadian LMIA. Neither labor certification nor an approved I-140 independently grants permission to enter or work in the USA. EB-3 is an immigrant route, rather than a temporary work permit.

Country restrictions require a separate check

The State Department says the January 2026 immigrant-visa pause affecting 75 nationalities, including Pakistan and Nigeria, ceased to operate on 21 August 2026 following a court order. travel.state.gov

However, separate guidance under Presidential Proclamation 10998 lists Nigeria among countries subject to immigrant-visa issuance restrictions, subject to scope rules and exceptions. It generally concerns covered nationals outside the USA without a valid visa on the proclamation’s effective date.

Nigerian applicants should obtain an assessment of these restrictions before paying substantial recruitment or immigration costs. Ending the 75-country pause did not itself remove this separate restriction. Read the State Department’s proclamation guidance. travel.state.gov

5. Eligibility, documents and likely costs

Prepare a passport, civil records, education certificates, employment references and any required professional registration. Consular processing also involves the required police certificates, medical examination and vaccinations.

Follow the official employment-based immigrant visa instructions, including country-specific civil-document requirements. travel.state.gov

Employer expenses and prohibited charges

For ordinary PERM cases, the employer cannot seek reimbursement for activities related to obtaining labor certification, including its recruitment expenses and employer attorney fees.

A worker may pay for genuinely separate personal representation. Where the same attorney represents both parties in labor certification, the regulation places those costs on the employer. Selling labor certifications is prohibited. Read the Department of Labor rule. U.S. Department of Labor

Government fees and worker expenses

Check the USCIS fee schedule, State Department fee page and current USCIS fee regulation before payment. USCIS

Medical examinations, vaccinations, translations, credential assessments, travel and professional licensing add to the budget. There is no universal official “EB-3 package price.” Obtain an itemized agreement distinguishing employer obligations from your expenses.

6. Permanent residence and the India, Pakistan and Nigeria queues

EB-3 itself leads to permanent residence when the immigrant process is completed. Eligible spouses and unmarried children under 21 may qualify as accompanying or following-to-join dependants, subject to applicable rules. travel.state.gov

Visa allocation normally follows country of birth, rather than current residence or passport alone.

The published November 2026 Visa Bulletin, applicable from 1 November, shows:

An applicant’s priority date must be earlier than the relevant cutoff for visa issuance. Pakistan and Nigeria normally fall under “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed.” Nationality restrictions remain a separate issue. Check the November bulletin. travel.state.gov

These dates are not forecasts. A 2014 cutoff does not establish a fixed waiting period for a newly filed Indian case. Dates can advance, stop or move backwards.

7. How to apply, step by step

1. Match the job requirements. Identify your likely subgroup and any licensing gaps.
2. Tailor your CV. Provide accurate duties, qualifications and employment dates.
3. Confirm sponsorship. Obtain the employer’s legal name and proposed position.
4. Review the contract. Check salary, location, deductions, service commitments and termination terms.
5. Verify the offer independently. Contact the organization through its official website.
6. Follow the employer-led filing process. Keep copies of relevant notices and submissions.
7. Complete the official immigrant-visa process when eligible. Follow NVC and embassy instructions.
8. Confirm issuance before committing to travel. An approved petition is not a travel document.

8. Common mistakes and offer-verification checks

Reject promises of guaranteed approval or a guaranteed arrival date.

Before signing, check:

• Does the named employer confirm the position and sponsorship?
• Are salary, worksite and duties consistent across documents?
• Does the fee agreement improperly shift PERM costs to you?
• Can you verify the lawyer’s professional registration?
• Is anyone asking you to invent experience or qualifications?
• Does the plan account for both visa availability and nationality restrictions?

Premium processing of a petition does not purchase a visa number or remove a backlog.

9. Frequently asked questions

Is IELTS compulsory for every EB-3 applicant?

There is no single IELTS requirement covering all EB-3 jobs. Employers and regulated professions may impose language requirements. International nursing applicants should check their licensing and healthcare certification requirements.

Can I self-petition under EB-3?

EB-3 generally requires a prospective employer to file the I-140. Hiring an immigration lawyer does not replace the sponsoring employer. travel.state.gov

Can I work in America while waiting abroad?

A pending EB-3 case does not authorize U.S. employment. You would need separate valid work authorization to work before completing the immigrant route.

Does choosing an entry-level job make immigration faster?

Not necessarily. Other-worker visas have a separate allocation and can have older cutoff dates than skilled-worker and professional cases. travel.state.gov

Action checklist

• Match your qualifications to the actual job.
• Verify the employer and explicit EB-3 support.
• Review country restrictions and visa availability.
• Obtain an itemized cost and contract breakdown.
• Keep authentic documents and official filing records.