By profession
Find the visa route for your profession
Pick your field. Each guide shows the visas and green cards that usually fit, the evidence people in that field tend to have, and the first steps.
Last checked October 2026 · Sources
- Profession guides
- 15
- Routes covered
- O-1, EB-1, EB-2 NIW, H-1B, L-1, E-2, P-1 and more
- Sources
- USCIS, CFR and court decisions
- Last checked
- October 2026
Quick answer
Which visa fits my profession?
It depends on your evidence more than your job title. Researchers, engineers and founders often look at O-1A, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW. Artists look at O-1B. Managers moving within a company look at L-1A and EB-1C. Each guide below maps your field to the routes that usually fit.
- No profession qualifies automatically.
- Guides label practical guidance separately from legal rules.
- A partner-firm attorney confirms eligibility before anything is filed.
Tech and engineering
EB-1A, O-1 and NIW for software engineers
EB-1A does not require a PhD or citations.
Read more Data scientists and AIO-1, EB-1A and NIW for data scientists and AI/ML engineers
Papers, conference reviewing, open source and a key role on a model team often map to the criteria.
Read more EngineersEB-2 NIW, EB-1A, O-1A, H-1B and PERM for engineers
The case that set today’s NIW test involved an aerospace engineering researcher.
Read moreScience, academia and medicine
Green cards and visas for researchers
Researchers have four main routes.
Read more ProfessorsGreen cards and visas for professors and academics
Universities have routes that other employers do not: EB-1B, special PERM recruitment for teachers, and H-1B without the lottery.
Read more PhysiciansVisas and green cards for physicians
Doctors have more routes than most professions, plus a few extra rules.
Read more NursesGreen cards and visas for nurses
Most foreign-trained registered nurses come through an employer-sponsored green card.
Read moreBusiness
Visas and green cards for startup founders
Founders have more routes than most people think.
Read more Executives and managersL-1A, EB-1C, EB-1A and O-1A for executives and managers
Most executives either move within a global company or qualify on their own record.
Read more InvestorsE-2, EB-5 and E-1 visas for investors
Investing can open a work visa or a green card, but the rules differ a lot.
Read moreArts, media and sport
O-1B, EB-1A and P-3 for visual artists, writers and creators
Most artists start with the O-1B work visa and aim for an EB-1A green card later.
Read more MusiciansO-1B, P-1B, P-3 and EB-1A for musicians and bands
Solo musicians usually look at O-1B.
Read more Film and TVO-1B, O-2 and EB-1A for film and TV directors, actors, producers and crew
Film and TV work has its own O-1B standard, called extraordinary achievement.
Read more DesignersO-1A or O-1B, EB-1A and NIW for designers and product people
Designers sit between the arts and business, so the first question is which O-1 fits.
Read more Athletes and coachesP-1A, O-1A and EB-1A for athletes and coaches
Most athletes compete on a P-1A or O-1A, then aim for an EB-1A green card.
Read moreFAQ
Questions people ask
Rarely. A few exist, such as TN for listed professions from Canada and Mexico, or Schedule A for professional nurses. Most routes depend on your achievements, your job offer or your employer, not your field.
No. Neither has a degree requirement. EB-2 NIW needs an advanced degree or exceptional ability.
Yes. The free evaluation checks your record against the EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and O-1 criteria. No account or card is needed.
See which route fits your record
Upload your resume and see where you stand for O-1, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW, criterion by criterion. Not legal advice.
Sources · checked October 2026
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; a partner-firm attorney confirms what applies to you before anything is filed.
