HomeEmployed professionalUnited States
Routes to United States: employed professional
Per sources (unverified): open but tightly restricted: H-1B and PERM need a US employer (H-1B from abroad now costs the employer USD 100,000 unless exempted); EB-2 National Interest Waiver can be self-petitioned.
The H-1B and PERM-based routes require a US employer; the EB-2 National Interest Waiver can be self-petitioned (USCIS EB-2 page). EB-1A extraordinary ability: NOT VERIFIED here, including whether it can be self-petitioned. The H-1B is capped, uses a wage-weighted lottery, and a USD 100,000 payment is required for beneficiaries outside the US until at least 21 September 2027 unless DHS exempts the case; DHS published a proposed rule (25 Aug 2026) for a further fee on cap-subject petitions; it is a proposal only, not payable, and no amount is entered in the cost fields. The permanent route runs through DOL PERM, whose analyst-review table on the DOL site shows waits of roughly ten to twelve months before any immigrant petition. O-1, L-1, TN and EB-1A exist but their requirements were not verified so far and are not stated here.
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0 paths are named in United States's official demand list, ranked below.
What United States wants, in its own order
This order is the official shortage analysis, not our opinion. The source is linked under the list.
The routes
Each route below is a separate permit with its own listed requirements. A requirement you do not meet can stop an application for that route, however strong the rest of the case is. A requirement we cannot confirm is shown as unknown, not as a failure.
H-1B specialty occupation worker
Preview — under verificationEmployer-sponsored and capped, with a weighted lottery that favours higher wage levels; for a worker outside the US the petition must be accompanied by a USD 100,000 payment unless DHS grants a national-interest exception.
Who this is for
- Graduate-level professionals with a US employer willing to file and pay
You must have every one of these
- A US employer files the H-1B petition; a worker cannot apply for this category alone (the entry restriction is framed around the employer's petition).
- For a beneficiary outside the US, a USD 100,000 payment must accompany or supplement the petition, unless DHS grants a discretionary national-interest exception. The restriction was extended on 18 Sep 2026 until 21 Sep 2027 unless extended again.
- Cap-subject registrations enter a weighted selection: wage level IV gets 4 entries, III 3, II 2, I 1 (rule effective 27 Feb 2026).
- Degree, specialty-occupation and labour condition application criteria: NOT VERIFIED (not yet verified — official source could not be read: USCIS).
Source: White House — Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers (extension, signed 18 Sep 2026) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-09-18; Government or public body) · State Department — Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers (visa-applicant notice) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2025-09-21; Government or public body) · Federal Register — Weighted Selection Process for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions (DHS final rule, 90 FR 60864) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2025-12-29; Government or public body) · Federal Register — Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions (USCIS proposed rule, 91 FR 54817) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-08-25; Government or public body; draft or consultation: not an adopted rule, do not rely on it as a requirement) · State Department — Nonimmigrant visa fee increases effective 17 June 2023 (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2023-06-02; Government or public body) · State Department — India reciprocity schedule (visa validity by class) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
Employer-sponsored permanent residence via PERM labour certification
Preview — under verificationA US employer must first obtain a prevailing wage determination and run recruitment before filing PERM; the immigrant visa category, per-country queues and fees were not verified here.
Who this is for
- Professionals whose US employer will sponsor a permanent, full-time job
You must have every one of these
- The employer needs a US FEIN and a US location where US workers can be referred.
- The job must be permanent and full time, and a prevailing wage determination from the DOL National Prevailing Wage Center is needed before filing.
- Pre-filing recruitment and a Notice of Filing apply; filing is online through a FLAG account (paper filing is also allowed).
- Immigrant petition, visa bulletin cut-off dates and India per-country queue: NOT VERIFIED (not yet verified — official source could not be read: State Dept bulletin).
Source: DOL FLAG — Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DOL FLAG — Processing times (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-10-31; Government or public body)
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (self-petition)
Preview — under verificationA permanent-residence category that needs no employer or labour certification, but USCIS must be persuaded the endeavour is of national importance; visa-bulletin queues were not verified.
Who this is for
- Advanced-degree professionals or people of exceptional ability with a proposed endeavour of national importance
You must have every one of these
- Qualify for EB-2 as an advanced-degree professional or a person of exceptional ability; the number and list of exceptional-ability evidence criteria is NOT VERIFIED (not yet verified — official source could not be read: eCFR 8 CFR 204.5, and the USCIS page figure conflicts with the regulation as reported).
- USCIS weighs substantial merit and national importance, being well positioned to advance the endeavour, and whether waiving the job offer and labour certification benefits the US on balance.
- The applicant may self-petition by filing Form I-140 personally; a signed Final Determination and ETA-9089 Appendix A are included.
- Visa bulletin cut-offs and India per-country queue: NOT VERIFIED.
Source: USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2 (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
What it costs
Costs are shown in USD as the cited source states them, with the unit the source gives. We do not convert currencies. A line with no stated unit or date is marked as such and is not an exact official charge.
Per proclamation; exceptions are DHS discretion.
Source: White House — Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers (extension, signed 18 Sep 2026) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-09-18; Government or public body)
USD 100,000Employer paysState Dept schedule dated June 2023; check current fee.
Source: State Department — Nonimmigrant visa fee increases effective 17 June 2023 (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2023-06-02; Government or public body)
USD 205You payHow long it takes
Timeline not published by the authority
No authority-published end-to-end timeline. The DOL FLAG processing page (as of 31 Oct 2026) shows an analyst-review table of 300, 315 and 360 calendar days for the last 30, 90 and 180 days, but the page does not state which queue the table belongs to. USCIS processing times: NOT VERIFIED.
Published figures for this route
Published figures on how often this route is used, with their sources.
Documents, insurance, housing and money
These needs are the same whichever track you choose, so they are published once for United States, with sources and check dates.
Quick answers
Which routes to United States exist on the employed professional track?
Per sources (unverified): open but tightly restricted: H-1B and PERM need a US employer (H-1B from abroad now costs the employer USD 100,000 unless exempted); EB-2 National Interest Waiver can be self-petitioned.
How long does it take?
Timeline not published by the authority. No authority-published end-to-end timeline. The DOL FLAG processing page (as of 31 Oct 2026) shows an analyst-review table of 300, 315 and 360 calendar days for the last 30, 90 and 180 days, but the page does not state which queue the table belongs to. USCIS processing times: NOT VERIFIED.
How much does it cost?
The published costs on this page total USD 205. Items that are not in that total, such as proof of funds or later permit fees, are labelled on this page where our sources state them.