CASE: I-140 (EB-3 Category) / Schedule A
EMPLOYER: Hospital
BENEFICIARY: Mexican Registered Nurse
LOCATION: Texas
Our client’s beneficiary is a registered nurse from Mexico licensed in the state of Texas. She came to the United States and currently works in the United States on her TN visa. Her current employer was willing to petition her for a third-preference employment immigrant visa petition (I-140).
Since she is a registered nurse, she is eligible for “Schedule A” classification. The Department of Labor (DOL) maintains a schedule of occupations in its regulations, Schedule A included, for which the individual permanent labor certification procedure is not required. The schedule of pre-certified occupations is referred to as Schedule A, and is included in DOL regulations at 20 CFR 656.10. Based on an occupation’s inclusion on Schedule A, an employer may file an immigrant visa petition (I-140) directly with the (USCIS) without first going to the DOL for a labor certification. Usually, prior to filing I-140 petitions (EB-2 or EB-3 category), the employer must file a Labor Certification to the Department of Labor. However, for Schedule A cases, the employer does not have to go through the labor certification process. The position of Professional Nurses is included in Schedule A.
Our client has a Bachelor’s of Nursing degree from a U.S. institution and has worked for the sponsor-employer. Our firm told her that her employer can petition her as a Registered Nurse under the schedule A category. Our office was retained on December 2, 2015 and started on her Prevailing Wage Request.
We filed the I-140 application on March 23, 2016 via premium processing. We included the job offer letter, the notice of filing, and other necessary supporting documents. However, on April 4, 2016, the USCIS issued a Request for Evidence (RFE) and requested our client to submit documents to prove her employer’s “ability to pay”. Our client’s employer provided a federal corporate tax record and other documents to demonstrate that they have the ability to pay our client’s proffered wage. Our office filed the response to RFE on April 29, 2016. Eventually, the I-140 was approved on May 11, 2016. Our client can file her I-485 adjustment of status application once her priority date becomes current.