Form I-140

Changing jobs (shortly after a promotion) with I-140 approval, I-485 pending, and the 180-day AC-21 portability rule

2 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

I currently have my I-140 approved from two employers for a Senior Software engineer position under EB3 quota. I have my green card EAD with priority date: Nov 2014. I-485 has been pending for more than 180 days. I expect to be promoted to be a manager in the same line of work in the next 6 months. Due to personal circumstances, I might have to move to a different employer right after. Could you please let me know if there are any concerns if I switch right after getting promoted? The job duties would change but the line of work will be the same.

FAQ Transcript

I do not see any problem because remember there is the possibility of self-portability as well. But of course, you should have your lawyers review the two job descriptions and make sure they are same or similar.

Note: Where transcribed from audio/video, this is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.

Leaving employer while an I-140 is pending

2 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

I am in a situation where my current employer has filed PERM and as per the timelines there are high chances that it will be approved till January. And as per immigration team in the current company says it could take a week or two to file for I-140. I am going to pay for premium processing. But at the same time, I have accepted an offer from another company and the start date is 31st January. I am sure that I-140 would not get approved till then. Can I pay for premium processing, leave after they file the I-140 and before it gets approved? Will it go through?

PS: As per company's policies they don't revoke I-140 of the employees if they leave before 6 months.

Theoretically, an I-140 does not require you to be continued to be employed by the petitioning employer. You could leave after applying, but if there is an RFE, the employer would not be motivated to respond to it. As a practical matter, there is a second difficulty as well.

FAQ Transcript

Note: Unless the context shows otherwise, all answers here were provided by Rajiv and were compiled and reported by our editorial team from comments and blog on immigration.com

Nov 11, 2021 Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Discussion Topics:

Change of jobs with an approved I-140 from employer A and Reapplying PERM through B

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

I have an approved I-140 from my old employer 'A' with a priority date from 2017. Now I am working for employer 'B'. I have a couple of questions about this:

i) Is it worth doing my PERM here through employer 'B' again if I plan to change jobs soon (maybe in a year or so)?

ii) Are there any benefits of doing the PERM now through employer 'B'?

iii) Or would you suggest doing the PERM with my next employer and not bother with the PERM through employer 'B'?

FAQ Transcript

If you are likely to keep moving employers, you could hold off until you know where you will be working long term. You already have a priority date. The date is not likely to become current soon, although freak fluctuations do occur. It makes sense to wait to file PERM again once you are in a long-term position. More...

Oct 28, 2021 Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Discussion Topics, Thursday, October 28, 2021:

FAQ: Change of jobs with an approved I-140 from employer A and Reapplying PERM through B || Impact of reportees outside the U.S. or in third countries on L-1A and EB-1 petitions || Are L-1B visa holders eligible to work remotely? || Approved EB-2/EB-3: Interfiling/upgrading to EB-2 with employers A and B || Working outside the U.S. for four months with a recently issued green card || Documents needed by and anticipated questions for green card holders at the port of entry

EB-2/EB-3 Options in PERM Filing and EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade and upgrade

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

Q: 1. If the Priority date is current in EB-3 then my I-140 and I-485 can be filed EB3 (Lower it) but you said that after EB-3 will come then I should file I-140 in EB-2. Not sure about the whole concept, if possible can you elaborate in more detail?

2. Can I-140 be filed in EB-2 and EB-3 together? Or I-140 can be filed in EB-3 first once it gets approval in EB-3 and then need to file in EB-2 or vice versa.

3. My company attorney told me that once I downgrade to EB3 then I can't upgrade to EB2.

FAQ Transcript

A: 1. You can always downgrade if you start your case in a higher category, but if you file your case in the lower category it's not possible to upgrade without refiling.

2. The answer is yes, although I like to do it separately for several reasons, most of all to avoid confusion, but now the government is well aware of these downgrades and I think you could file both of them together as two separate filings.

3. They must be saying something different as that is not true. If your PERM was filed as an EB-2 and I-140 was approved as an EB-3 you can always go back to EB-2 by filing another I-140 under EB-2. More...

Green card holder working on multiple jobs - Is it legal?

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

I received my green card two days ago. I work 40 hours a week in IT company A as a full-time software engineer from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Can I work on another full-time job 40 hours a week in IT company B as a software engineer from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the same time while working for company A if I can manage because I am working remotely? While I am employed with company A full-time 40 hours a week, can I work on another part-time IT job like 20 hours a week assuming that some hours of IT full-time job overlap with some hours of IT part-time job? Can I work on another non-IT full-time or non-IT part-time job during weekends/holidays, or after my other job working hours while I am employed with company A full time?

FAQ Transcript

I believe if you want to take up a second job by not leaving your main job (that got your green card) you could do it. You could have a part time or a full time job. More...

Nuances of changing employers during the green card process

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

My question is related to green card filing. My green card was filed with Employer A. I have an approved I-140. I moved to Employer B, working on an H-1B valid until April 2023. They have not filed the labor for me yet. My priority date is February 2012. As per the latest visa bulletin I can file for EAD but the final date is September 2011. Currently I am not in the U.S. so I can't file for EAD. I hope to be in the U.S. in the next 4-5 months. Do I need to join Employer A for processing my green card? What would be the best option for me to get the green card without wasting time when I reach the U.S?

FAQ Transcript

First of all you have to be in the United States to apply for your Adjustment of Status. Secondly in your case, because no new green card was started, your old employer must offer you the same job which you have to go and join eventually in good faith.
You can actually have I-485 filed through a job offer from employer A, the same job which was the basis of your green card. If you don't have that, you cannot file I-485. You can only file for I-485 /Adjustment of Status when your priority date is current and the job that is the basis of the green card is available to you right then. After 180 days of the I-485 pendency, you may never have to join the old employer because you can take a same or similar job anywhere. Just make sure that you have the good faith, honest intention of joining the old employer when you file the I-485. More...

Sept 30, 2021, Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Discussion Topics, Thursday, September 30, 2021:

FAQ: Obtaining student or visitor's visa while a green card is pending || Continuing to use H-1B when I return on Advance Parole || Nuances of changing employers during the green card process || Green card holder working on multiple jobs - Is it legal? || How long can green card holders stay outside the U.S.? || Effect of a career change on naturalization process and timing.

Sept 16, 2021 Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)

3 years ago By Chief Editor

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Discussion Topics, Thursday, Sept 16, 2021

FAQ: Consequences of extending parents’ B-1/B-2 (visitors/tourist) status more than once||Consequences of green card holders staying outside the USA for an extended time. Reentry permit protection ||Applied for EB-3 downgrade and change of employer after 180 days while I-140 is pending

Subscribe to Form I-140