Business & Employment Visas – EB-1, EB-2, NIW, O-1, EB-3, H-1B, H-2B

Beyond investment, most business immigration runs through talent and employment. These are the categories for people whose skills, achievements, or job offers bring them to the United States, from extraordinary-ability petitions to seasonal work visas. Kinzy Law has handled these filings for more than 20 years.

Choosing among these categories is rarely obvious. The same person can sometimes qualify under more than one, an accomplished researcher might fit EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, or O-1, and the right choice depends on the evidence available, the timeline, and whether a green card or a temporary visa fits the goal. The firm starts by matching the facts to the category with the strongest case, not the one that sounds most impressive.

The categories below are grouped by how they work: talent-based paths that the applicant can often self-petition, and employer-sponsored paths that require a U.S. job offer or petitioner.

Talent-Based Paths: For Skill, Achievement, and National Interest

EB-1A Extraordinary Ability – Green Card

EB-1A is the green-card category for individuals at the top of their field in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. It does not require a job offer or a labor certification, which makes it one of the strongest self-petition options for those who qualify. The case is built by documenting sustained national or international acclaim against defined regulatory criteria, awards, published work, judging, original contributions, and the like.

EB-1B Outstanding Researcher & EB-1C Executive – Green Card

The EB-1 first-preference category also covers outstanding professors and researchers (EB-1B) and multinational executives and managers (EB-1C). EB-1C in particular is investor-adjacent and is often the next step for an L-1A executive; it is covered in more depth on the Investor Visas page.

EB-2 and the National Interest Waiver (NIW) – Green Card

EB-2 covers professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability. It normally requires an employer and a labor certification, but the National Interest Waiver lets a qualified applicant skip both by showing that their work has substantial merit and national importance and that waiving the job-offer requirement benefits the United States. NIW has become a leading path for entrepreneurs, researchers, and skilled professionals who can document the impact of their work.

O-1 Extraordinary Ability or Achievement – Temporary

The O-1 is the temporary counterpart to EB-1A, for individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, business, athletics, or extraordinary achievement in film and television. It requires a U.S. petitioner or agent and is a frequent bridge for someone building toward an EB-1A or EB-2 NIW green card while continuing to work in the United States.

Employer-Sponsored Paths: For Job Offers and Workforce Needs

H-1B Specialty Occupation – Temporary

The H-1B is the primary work visa for professionals in specialty occupations that require a bachelor’s degree or higher. It requires an employer petitioner and, for most cap-subject cases, selection in the annual lottery. The firm advises both employers and employees on eligibility, the registration and petition process, extensions, transfers, and the path from H-1B to a green card.

H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers – Temporary

The H-2B lets U.S. employers bring in temporary or seasonal non-agricultural workers when qualified U.S. workers are not available, common in hospitality, construction, landscaping, and similar industries. These cases run on tight timing and a labor-certification step, and the firm helps employers plan the filing calendar so the workers arrive when they are needed.

EB-3 Skilled, Professional & Other Workers – Green Card

EB-3 is an employment-based green-card category for skilled workers, professionals, and certain other workers. It generally requires an employer, a labor certification, and a permanent job offer. In investor cases, EB-3 is sometimes used during or after an E-2 as a route to permanent residence, one reason it also appears on the Investor Visas page.

EB-4 Special Immigrants, Including Religious Workers – Green Card

EB-4 covers certain special-immigrant categories, including religious workers coming to serve with a bona fide U.S. religious organization. These cases have their own eligibility rules and documentation, and the firm has handled religious-worker matters within this category.