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- EB-2 for Engineers: 2025 essentials
- Eligibility pathways: Advanced Degree vs. Bachelor+5 vs. Exceptional Ability vs. NIW
- Advanced degree documentation: what to submit
- Foreign degrees & evaluations: single-source degree and progressive experience
- PERM vs. NIW for engineers: pick your track
- Evidence matrix: document → what it proves → common mistakes
- Typical EB-2 engineering case timeline (Chart)
- RFE-proofing checklist for engineers
- USCIS policy insight
- Official sources (gov)
Who qualifies as “Advanced Degree”
Master’s/PhD in engineering (or related field) or a U.S. bachelor’s (or foreign equivalent) plus 5+ years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience in the specialty.
Advanced Degree
Bachelor+5
Engineers
Evidence standard
Provide official academic records and employer letters detailing progressive duties, technologies, and leadership scope. For NIW, also show national importance and that you’re well-positioned.
Official records
Progressive duties
NIW (optional)
2025 fee notes
I-140 base filing fee $715 + usually the $600 Asylum Program Fee for most employers; optional Premium Processing $2,805. Always verify current amounts before filing.
I-140
Asylum Program Fee
Premium
Eligibility pathways: Advanced Degree vs. Bachelor+5 vs. Exceptional Ability vs. NIW
| Pathway | Core requirement | Typical evidence | When engineers use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Degree | U.S. master’s/PhD (or foreign equivalent) in engineering or closely related field | Official academic record; transcripts; degree verification | Clear graduate degree in the target specialty; job requires at least a bachelor’s |
| Bachelor + 5 (progressive) | U.S. bachelor’s (or foreign equivalent single-source) + ≥5 years progressive, post-baccalaureate experience | Official academic record; detailed employer letters proving growth in scope, tech stack, leadership | Solid experience trajectory without a master’s; duties show increasing complexity |
| Exceptional Ability | Meet ≥3 of 6 regulatory criteria (e.g., academic record, 10+ years exp., license, high salary, memberships, significant achievements) | Academic records, letters of experience, PE license, salary docs, memberships, media/patents/impact | When graduate degree path is weak or field evidence is unusually strong |
| NIW (within EB-2) | Serve a nationally important endeavor; you’re well-positioned; benefits outweigh job-offer/PERM | Project portfolios, publications, patents, deployments, letters from stakeholders, funding, policy/standards impact | R&D, critical infrastructure, energy, AI/semiconductors, safety—where impact extends beyond one employer |
Advanced degree documentation: what to submit
1) Official academic record
- Diploma + transcript (master’s/PhD) or bachelor’s transcript for Bachelor+5 route
- Certified translations (if not in English)
- Name consistency across all records
2) Employer letters (for Bachelor+5)
- Full-time dates, title, hours
- Progressive duties: technologies, scope, budget, reports, deliverables
- Signed on company letterhead with contact details
3) Position & endeavor
- Show the occupation itself is a profession (normally requires a bachelor’s)
- Describe the proposed endeavor (what you’ll advance in the U.S.)
4) Optional: evaluation
- Independent credential evaluation (when needed)
- Focus on single-source degree and equivalency rationale
Foreign degrees & progressive experience: what USCIS looks for
- Single-source degree: a foreign degree must equal a single U.S. bachelor’s; pieced-together programs may fail equivalency.
- Post-baccalaureate only: the 5 years must accrue after the bachelor’s award date.
- Progression matters: each role should reflect growth in complexity, autonomy, leadership, or impact.
- Consistent specialty: experience should align with the degree and the engineering endeavor you will pursue in the U.S.
- Detail your tech stack: platforms, standards, CAD/EDA tools, coding languages, safety/QA frameworks, regulatory interfaces.
PERM Track (most employer-sponsored EB-2)
- Employer obtains prevailing wage & completes recruitment
- Job must require at least a bachelor’s (for EB-2 classification, often Master’s or Bachelor+5)
- I-140 follows certified ETA-9089
NIW Track (self-petition within EB-2)
- No PERM/job offer if you prove national importance + you’re well-positioned + benefit to waive PERM
- Engineers often: critical infrastructure, safety, semiconductors, energy, AI, environment
- Evidence emphasizes impact beyond one employer
Evidence matrix: document → what it proves → common mistakes
| Document | Proves | Common mistakes to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Official academic record | Advanced degree (or bachelor’s for Bachelor+5) | Unofficial copies; missing translations; name mismatch; degree not in related specialty |
| Employer letters (post-bacc 5 years) | Progressive experience in the specialty | Generic duties; no dates/hours; no growth in complexity; outdated contact info |
| Professional license (PE, state) | Eligibility/standing in regulated engineering practice | Inactive/expired license; no issuing authority detail |
| Publications/patents/standards contributions | Impact and field recognition (esp. NIW/Exceptional Ability) | No context on citations, adoptions, deployments |
| Project portfolios & deployments | Real-world engineering outcomes; national/industry importance | No metrics (MTBF, yield, safety), no third-party corroboration |
Typical EB-2 engineering case timeline (indicative)
Indicative ranges; always verify current processing with USCIS/DOL and Visa Bulletin before filing.
RFE-proofing checklist for engineers
- Occupation is a profession: show that entry typically requires a bachelor’s (e.g., engineering roles).
- Progression is explicit: employer letters detail growth (complexity, autonomy, team size, budgets, safety or compliance ownership).
- Dates match: degree award date precedes all “post-baccalaureate” experience.
- Single-source bachelor’s: avoid combining unrelated programs to equal U.S. bachelor’s.
- Translations & names: consistent spelling across passport, diplomas, letters.
- For NIW: national importance, your positioning, and “on balance” arguments are clearly evidenced.
- Fees: correct I-140 fee, Asylum Program Fee (if applicable), and form editions.
“Meeting at least three criteria does not, by itself, establish eligibility.”
— USCIS Policy Manual, EB-2 guidance
2025 fee snapshot (verify before filing)
- I-140 filing fee: $715
- Asylum Program Fee (employers): usually $600 (some may qualify for $300 or $0)
- Premium Processing (optional): $2,805 (I-907)
Check current USCIS pages for any updates.
Official sources
- USCIS Policy Manual — EB-2: Chapter 5
- 8 CFR 204.5(k) (EB-2 definition & initial evidence): eCFR
- Form I-140 & Instructions: I-140 page | Instructions (PDF)
- USCIS Alert — Asylum Program Fee with I-140: Guidance
- Premium Processing fees: USCIS alert | I-907 page
- DOS Visa Bulletin (current): Monthly Visa Bulletin
- USCIS — Which chart to use for AOS filing: Filing charts
- DOL — ETA-9089 Instructions (PERM): Instructions (PDF)
Main Types of U.S. Immigration & Business Visas
EB-2
For professionals, scientists, and advanced degree holders
EB-2A
For holders of master's or doctoral degrees
EB-2B
For professionals with exceptional ability
EB-3
For skilled, professional, and unskilled workers
O-1
For individuals with extraordinary ability (science, arts, sports, business)
EB-1
For outstanding individuals, professors, and executives
EB-1A
For individuals with extraordinary talent (science, arts, sports)
EB-1B
For outstanding professors and researchers
EB-1C
For multinational managers and executives
L-1
For intracompany transferees and managers
E-2
For investors and entrepreneurs
E-1
For entrepreneurs and companies engaged in trade with the U.S.
