How long does the green card process take at UC San Diego?

The PERM stage (prevailing wage determination + recruitment + filing) typically takes 8–14 months, followed by I-140 (premium processing available, ~15 business days). The final I-485/green card timeline then depends on your priority date and country of birth, applicants born in India or China may wait several additional years due to per-country limits.

Who pays for the green card process?

By law, the employer must pay all PERM-related costs (recruitment advertising, attorney fees for the PERM step). I-140 fees are typically employer-paid as well; I-485/adjustment-of-status costs are sometimes shared or employee-paid. Confirm the fee breakdown in writing during your offer negotiation with UC San Diego.

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Does UC San Diego Sponsor Green Cards (PERM / EB-2 / EB-3)?

Q: What green card categories does UC San Diego use, EB-2 or EB-3?

Most employers sponsor EB-2 (for roles requiring an advanced degree, or a bachelor's plus 5 years of progressive experience) and EB-3 (for professional roles requiring a bachelor's degree). The category is determined by the job's minimum requirements, not by your personal qualifications, confirm which category applies to your specific role at UC San Diego.

No recent DOL H-1B/PERM filing history on record · EB-2 & EB-3 pathways still possible, confirm directly

UC San Diego Green Card Sponsorship Overview

We don't have recent DOL H-1B or PERM filing data on record for UC San Diego. This may reflect limited recent filing activity, a smaller or more selective hiring program, or a legal entity name that doesn't match public disclosure records exactly. It does not necessarily mean UC San Diego won't sponsor a green card, confirm current sponsorship policy directly with the employer.

Company-specific PERM filing counts are not itemized in the same public DOL dataset as H-1B LCA data, so this page does not state a specific annual PERM volume. Confirm UC San Diego's current green card sponsorship policy, timeline commitment, and fee coverage directly during your offer negotiation.

The PERM Green Card Process

Prevailing wage determination (PWD): The employer requests the DOL prevailing wage for your role and location (~4–6 months).
Recruitment: Required test of the US labor market (job ads, ~60+ days) to confirm no qualified US worker is available.
PERM filing (ETA-9089): Filed with DOL; certification currently takes several months and may be audited.
I-140 petition: Filed with USCIS after PERM is certified; premium processing yields a decision in ~15 business days.
I-485 / green card: Filed when your priority date is current. Wait times depend on category and country of birth.

EB-2 vs EB-3

EB-2

Roles requiring an advanced degree (master's+) or a bachelor's plus 5 years of progressive experience. Common for senior engineering, science, and analytics roles.

EB-3

Professional roles requiring a bachelor's degree. The category is set by the job's minimum requirements, not your personal qualifications.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Priya Sharma, Immigration Specialist

Immigration specialist with 10+ years advising H-1B and green card applicants. Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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