EB-3 Attorney in Dallas
Sponsor — and keep — the skilled workers and professionals your business depends on. We guide Dallas and Texas employers through PERM and the I-140 on the broadest, most flexible employer-sponsored green card.
What Is the EB-3 Green Card?
What this means for you
The most accessible employer-sponsored green card. Where EB-1 and EB-2 demand extraordinary ability or advanced degrees, EB-3 reaches a far wider range of roles — if there is a permanent, full-time job offer, EB-3 can turn a valued employee into a permanent resident.
EB-3 is the third-preference employment-based category and the broadest of the employer-sponsored paths. It is often the right category when a worker does not qualify for a higher preference but has a genuine, permanent job offer.
Every EB-3 case is built on a PERM labor certification — the Department of Labor process that tests whether qualified U.S. workers are available. Because the case depends on both a compliant recruitment effort and a well-prepared petition, a single avoidable error can derail months of work.
EB-3 is also a long-term workforce strategy. Employers use it to retain employees hired on temporary work visas, and because the priority date locks in a worker’s place in line as soon as PERM is filed, starting early is an advantage even when visa numbers are backlogged.
The Atlas advantage
Work directly with your attorney
Same-day response guarantee
Flat fees, no surprises
The Three EB-3 Subcategories
EB-3 is divided into three subcategories, defined by the minimum requirements of the position offered. The subcategory drives both the evidence required and, in practice, the length of the wait:
Skilled Workers
For roles requiring real training or experience.
- Positions requiring at least two years of training or experience.
- The requirement must be genuine — not tailored to one candidate.
- Trades, technical, and specialized support roles.
Professionals
For degreed, baccalaureate-level positions.
- Positions requiring a U.S. bachelor's degree (or foreign equivalent).
- The degree is the normal minimum to enter the occupation.
- Experience generally cannot substitute for the degree here.
Other Workers
For roles with a lower training threshold.
- Positions requiring less than two years of training or experience.
- A lower bar, but often the longest visa-bulletin waits.
- We set realistic timing expectations up front.
Not sure which subcategory the role fits? We'll review the position and your candidate and map it out.
Requirements for an EB-3 Green Card
Beyond fitting a subcategory, an EB-3 case must satisfy several core requirements that USCIS and the Department of Labor examine closely — here is what each demands and how we help you meet it:
A Permanent, Full-Time Job Offer
The role must be a real, ongoing, full-time position that will exist when the green card is issued — not temporary or seasonal.
How we help: We draft an accurate, defensible job description and worksite definition, because those details drive every later step of the case.
PERM Labor Certification
The employer must obtain a prevailing wage determination, run a tightly regulated recruitment campaign, and document that no minimally qualified U.S. worker applied.
How we help: Recruitment errors are the top cause of PERM denials and cannot be redone after filing. We manage timing and documentation so it withstands an audit.
The Employer's Ability to Pay
The sponsor must show it can pay the offered wage from the priority date forward — usually through tax returns, audited statements, or annual reports.
How we help: For smaller employers this takes planning. We structure the evidence early so ability to pay never becomes a last-minute obstacle.
The Worker's Qualifications
The worker must actually possess the qualifications listed for the position as of the priority date — no more, no less.
How we help: We verify foreign-degree equivalency and document prior experience with detailed letters, confirming everything aligns with the PERM before filing.
The EB-3 Process Step by Step
An EB-3 case unfolds across several distinct stages, most of which the employer and attorney drive together:
- 1
Prevailing Wage Determination
We request the DOL prevailing wage that sets the minimum wage for the role in that location. This figure anchors the entire case and must be supportable.
- 2
Recruitment & PERM Filing
The employer runs the required recruitment; we prepare the recruitment report and file PERM so it can withstand scrutiny, including a possible audit.
- 3
Filing Form I-140
After certification, we file Form I-140 with evidence of the worker's qualifications and the employer's ability to pay. The priority date is set when PERM was filed.
- 4
Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing
Once a visa number is available, the worker completes the final step in the U.S. or abroad — and we help maintain valid status throughout.
Why Trust Atlas Immigration Law with Your EB-3 Case?
Our EB-3 attorneys serve both the sponsoring employer and the prospective permanent resident, coordinating their interests so the case moves smoothly. We confirm the right subcategory, build a defensible PERM, and prepare the I-140 and ability-to-pay evidence. Our team removes the guesswork:
Work directly with your attorney
No call centers, no handoffs — the lawyer building your case is the one you talk to.
Flat fees, known up front
You agree on the full cost before we start. No hourly billing, no surprises.
Same-day response
Questions during your case get a reply the same business day.
For workers already in the U.S., we coordinate EB-3 with an existing visa — tracking H-1B extensions, evaluating portability once the I-140 has been approved, and flagging travel or job changes that could affect the case. We do not promise specific timelines or guarantee outcomes; we offer disciplined work and candid advice.
Common EB-3 Challenges — and How We Avoid Them
The single most common reason EB-3 cases fail is a defective recruitment process — and those errors cannot be corrected after filing. The most frequent pitfalls:
- Advertisements that run on the wrong days, or job descriptions that overstate or understate the requirements.
- Incomplete documentation of how U.S. applicants were reviewed.
- Ability-to-pay gaps, especially for newer or smaller businesses — best planned early.
- Letting the worker’s underlying status (often H-1B) lapse during a lengthy process.
- Tailoring job requirements to a specific worker — a serious compliance risk.
We review every requirement against industry norms before recruitment begins, so disciplined, well-documented work protects the case from the start.
EB-3 vs. EB-2 and EB-1
EB-3 vs. EB-2
EB-2 is for advanced-degree professionals or exceptional ability and, like EB-3, generally requires PERM. Because they share that foundation, a worker is sometimes sponsored under both — or downgrades from EB-2 to EB-3 using the same approved PERM when EB-3 numbers are more favorable.
EB-3 vs. EB-1
EB-1 is reserved for extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers, and multinational managers, and skips PERM entirely. Its standard is far higher than EB-3's, but for those who qualify it can be much faster. Most EB-3 candidates do not meet the EB-1 bar — which is exactly why EB-3 exists.
Not sure EB-3 is the right fit? Compare options in our employment-based green card overview.
Common Questions
EB-3 FAQs
Yes. Every EB-3 case is employer-sponsored and requires a PERM labor certification showing that no qualified U.S. workers are available for the position before the I-140 petition is filed.
Sponsoring a skilled worker?
Let's map the EB-3 path from PERM through permanent residence. It's completely free.