TN Visas for Mexicans and Canadians PART 2

So, as you can see, some options will require a U.S. company to sponsor you, while others do not. However, once you have your work visa, the next step is to secure your Green Card. For the vast majority of aliens on one of the visa types above, they now have to apply for one of the following Green Card pathways:

NOTE: You can apply for a Green Card whether or not you currently live or work in the U.S. Again, some options will require a U.S. “Company-Sponsored” or “Self-Sponsored.”

EB-1 Direct to Green Card – If you are in the U.S. working at a very high level, or you have secured an H-1B visa, you may be able to qualify for an EB-1 Green Card. EB-1 Green Card is typically Self-Sponsored, even though there are instances where company sponsorship may be required. We discuss those instances on a case-by-case basis.

EB-2 National Interest Waiver –To apply for this visa, you will need a bachelor’s degree or higher, but the focus is on how your skill set benefits a National Interest. For example, Improving Healthcare, Natural Resources, Government Agencies, etc. It is Self-Sponsored.

EB-2 Direct to Green Card – The visa is meant for Advanced Degree Holders. A U.S. sponsorship is required.

EB-3 Skilled and UN-skilled Workers – This visa requires a U.S. sponsorship.

EB-5 – You can make a $500K investment into a Regional Center or $1,000,000 into your own business. This visa is Self-Sponsored

The goal is to pick one of the options above that will work best for you.

Every month, the U.S. Department of State publishes a bulletin outlining the waiting times for issuing every Green Card. Please note that this bulletin is updated on the first day of each month, so you should check the website for the most updated information available. We will use the bulletin from June 2025 to illustrate how to analyze the information.

If you look down on the left column, you will see the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. categories. Here, they mean EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and so on.