CASE: Immigrant Visa / I-140 (EB-3 Category) / Schedule A
EMPLOYER: Nursing / Rehabilitation Center
BENEFICIARY: Filipina Registered Nurse in the Philippines
LOCATION: Houston, TX
Our client is Filipina registered nurse who currently works in the Philippines. Her prospective employer was willing to petition for a third-preference employment immigrant 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 nursing degree and has Texas Registered Nursing License. Our firm told her that her prospective employer can petition her as a Registered Nurse under the schedule A category. Our office was retained on April 15, 2019 and we started on her Prevailing Wage Request. We filed the I-140 application on August 8, 2019 via premium processing. We included the job offer letter, the notice of filing, and other necessary supporting documents. Without any issuance of Request for Evidence (RFE), on August 17, 2019, the I-140 was approved.
Once her I-140 was approved, our client retained our office again for her immigrant visa processing. Once we were retained, our office filed the immigrant visa packets to the National Visa Center on January 26, 2021, who in turn forwarded the client’s materials to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines. An interview notice was set for the client at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. On February 17, 2022, our client appeared at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines. The interview went well, and the Embassy approved and issued her immigrant visa. With the approved Immigrant Visa, our client can come to the United States immediately, and she will get her green card within two months of entry.