As someone who is looking to move to Atlanta, Georgia, or another part of the United States permanently for work, you may be exploring your options and trying to determine how, exactly, you might be able to do so. At Schwartz Posel Immigration Law Group, we are well-versed in the options that may be available to clients looking to move to the United States permanently, and we have helped many people navigate the processes involved in attempting to do so.
According to the American Immigration Council, if you wish to live and work in the United States for the long-term, you will first need to establish what is known as lawful permanent residency. Once you do so, you should be able to apply and hold virtually all jobs available in the country, with the exception of those reserved exclusively for U.S. citizens. Once you adopt lawful permanent resident status, you can move forward with pursuing U.S. citizenship once five years have passed.
Currently, the United States limits the number of people it can make lawful permanent residents to 140,000 a year, and this figure includes not just workers, but their eligible spouses and minor children, as well. If you wish to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, you will first need to have your employer submit a petition on your behalf that asserts that there are no U.S. workers ready, willing and capable of doing the job you would fill for a reasonable wage. In very limited circumstances, you may be able to submit the petition yourself.
If you are already working in the United States using a temporary visa, you can apply for an “adjustment of status” to become a permanent resident once your employer’s petition undergoes approval, provided there is a visa number available for you. You can find out more about the process and immigrating to the United States for work-related reasons by visiting our webpage.
