Overview: EB-1B is the first-preference green card for professors and researchers recognized internationally as outstanding in a specific academic field. It needs no Labor certification (PERM)The Department of Labor process in which an employer shows that no qualified U.S. worker is available for a position, required for most EB-2 and EB-3 petitions.See it in the glossary, but it does need an employer and a qualifying job offer. This guide covers the three EB-1B requirements and the evidence USCIS reviews.
The three requirements
Under the USCIS Policy Manual, an EB-1B petition must show three things: international recognition as outstanding in a specific academic area, at least three years of teaching or research experience in that area, and an offer from a qualifying employer. The person cannot file for themselves. The employer files Form I-140Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, filed by an employer (or in some categories the worker) to classify a person under an employment-based category.See it in the glossary.
The job offer
The offer has to be one of the following:
- A tenured or tenure-track teaching position at a university or other institution of higher education.
- A permanent research position at a university or institution of higher education.
- A permanent research position with a private employer, if the department, division, or institute employs at least three full-time researchers and has documented accomplishments in an academic field.
A permanent research position is one with no fixed term, where the employee ordinarily expects continued employment unless there is good cause to end it. The Policy Manual adds that government agencies do not count as private employers for this purpose.
Three years of experience
The three years must be in teaching or research in the same academic field. Work done while earning an advanced degree counts only in limited cases. As this practice summary explains the regulation, the person must have received the degree, and either had full responsibility for the classes they taught or done research recognized in the field as outstanding.
The six evidence criteria
International recognition is shown through at least two of six types of evidence:
- Major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement in the field.
- Membership in associations that require outstanding achievement of their members.
- Material published in professional publications, written by others, about the person’s work.
- Participation as a judge of others’ work in the same or an allied field.
- Original scientific or scholarly research contributions to the field.
- Authorship of scholarly books or of articles in scholarly journals with international circulation.
Meeting two criteria is the first step, not the finish line. USCIS then weighs all the evidence together to decide whether it shows international recognition as outstanding.
EB-1B compared with EB-1A
Extraordinary ability (EB-1A)The EB-1 category for people who can show sustained national or international acclaim, with achievements recognized in their field. The petition must include either a one-time major internationally recognized award or evidence meeting at least three of the criteria listed in 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3). No job offer or labor certification is required, and the person can file the Form I-140 on their own.See it in the glossary is a self-petition with a higher bar: sustained national or international acclaim, shown through three of ten criteria. EB-1B requires an employer and a permanent job offer, but its standard and evidence threshold are lower. Our EB-1A criteria guide covers that category in detail.
Both share the EB-1 line in the Visa BulletinA monthly State Department publication showing which family and employment visa categories currently have visas available.See it in the glossary. In October 2026, EB-1 was current for most countries, with Final Action DatesThe Visa Bulletin chart showing the priority dates for which a visa number can actually be issued or a green card approved in that month.See it in the glossary of July 1, 2023 for China and February 1, 2023 for India, per this October 2026 summary.