A U.S. permanent resident is someone lawfully admitted to the U.S. on a permanent basis and is informally known as a “green card” holder.
An individual can become a permanent resident through several avenues. Two of the most common routes to permanent residence are:
- Close family relationship to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident which qualifies in one of the family-based preference categories; or
- Having education, skills or talents which are in demand in the U.S. and which qualify in one of the employment-based or profession-related preference categories. In this category, there are two sub-groups: those that require an employer sponsor and those that do not.
Applications for permanent residence are made to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
PSU Policies
PSU assists only with employment-based permanent residence petitions and only in those employment-based categories that require an employer sponsor. PSU sponsors individuals for permanent residence in the following employment-based preference categories (briefly summarized below):
- Outstanding Professor or Researcher (EB-1)
- Advanced Degree Holder (EB-2, Special Handling only)
Categories Used by PSU
EB-1 Outstanding Professor or Researcher
Requirements
- Recognized internationally as outstanding in a specific academic area, as demonstrated through publications, research contribution, and participation as the judge of the work of others in the field, etc.
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the field
- Tenured/tenure-track position or permanent research position
- Must be employed full-time
Notes on EB-1
- Appropriate for scholars who are some years past his/her terminal degree and who have an exceptional record of scholarly achievement in his or her field, as evidenced by significant publication and research records.
- No labor certification required.
EB-2 Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees (Teaching Faculty)
Requirements
- Must have teaching duties that involve classroom teaching
- Must have been selected through open search process
- Must meet prevailing wage
- Must meet Dept of Labor criteria for selection
- Permanent, full-time position
Notes on EB-2
- Appropriate for recently hired individuals, as PSU must file a Labor Certification application within 18 months of decision to hire.
- A print ad in a national journal must have been placed during the recruiting process.
The Office of International Affairs, in consultation with the hiring department, determines whether an individual may be sponsored by Portland State University under these guidelines, and if so under which category.