How long each employment-based green card category takes from PERM to approval. EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 timelines, India/China backlogs, and strategies to shorten the wait.
The employment-based green card process has 3–4 major steps, depending on category. For most EB-2 and EB-3 cases: PERM labor certification (DOL) → I-140 petition (USCIS) → wait for priority date to become current (Visa Bulletin) → I-485 adjustment of status or consular processing.
EB-1 (priority workers) has no PERM requirement and is typically the fastest employment-based category. EB-1A (extraordinary ability) and EB-1B (outstanding researcher) can be approved in 6–18 months with premium processing for most countries. For India and China, EB-1 dates are typically current or only slightly backlogged — making EB-1 significantly faster than EB-2 or EB-3.
For most countries (except India and China), EB-2 is relatively fast: PERM (12–24 months) + I-140 (6–12 months) + I-485 (8–24 months) = approximately 3–5 years total. For India, the EB-2 backlog is catastrophic — priority dates in 2026 are in the 2011–2013 range, meaning a new applicant today faces a theoretical 50+ year wait without regulatory relief.
EB-3 timelines mirror EB-2 for most countries. For India, EB-3 has historically been more advanced than EB-2 in recent years — making EB-2 to EB-3 downgrades a popular strategy. China EB-3 has similar backlog issues, though less severe than India.
Sumit covers US work visa strategies, green card pathways, and career navigation for foreign professionals.