A genuine sponsor will give you a written job offer, a company you can verify and an attorney you can contact. No one can sell you a guaranteed visa slot or green card. Here is a practical checklist.
People who want to work in the United States are a common target for immigration scams, and applicants from Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China are often approached through social media, messaging apps and word of mouth. The good news is that a real EB-3 sponsorship leaves a paper trail you can check. This guide gives you a checklist. It cannot prove that an employer is honest, but it can help you spot the usual warning signs before you pay or hand over documents.
What a genuine sponsorship looks like
- A named U.S. employer with a real business address and a federal employer identification number (FEIN)
- A written job offer that sets out the job title, duties, work location, wage, schedule and that the job is permanent and full-time
- An immigration attorney of record, whom you can contact directly, who files the labor certification and petitions on the employer's behalf
- An employer that pays for the labor certification, as 20 CFR 656.12 requires
- A plain explanation that the process takes years and that approval is decided by the U.S. government
A checklist to verify an employer
- Confirm the company exists. Search the Secretary of State business registry in the state where it says it operates. Check the name, status, address and registered agent, and compare them with the job offer.
- Ask for the FEIN and the written offer. A genuine employer should not object. Be careful if you are only offered a verbal promise or a chat message.
- Verify with the attorney of record. Find the attorney's contact details independently, for example through the state bar, rather than using a phone number or link supplied by the person recruiting you. Ask whether the firm represents this employer and whether the employer is paying the PERM costs.
- Look at public DOL data. The Department of Labor publishes disclosure data about PERM and prevailing wage filings at flag.dol.gov, and you can search it by employer name. An employer with earlier filings is not automatically trustworthy, and a new sponsor is not automatically fake, but the data can show whether the claimed employer, location and occupation match what you were told.
- Check how the process begins. A real case starts with the employer's wage request and recruitment. If someone says you can "buy" a place and skip these stages, walk away.
Statements that should make you stop
- "We guarantee your visa or green card." Nobody can guarantee this.
- "Pay now to secure a visa slot or a job." Visa numbers are not sold, and the Visa Bulletin controls the queue.
- "You must pay the PERM, advertising or attorney fees for the labor certification." This is against 20 CFR 656.12.
- "Send your passport and bank details by chat first."
- "Pay in cash, cryptocurrency or to a personal account," or "keep this confidential from the lawyer."
- "You can arrive on a tourist visa and start work right away." Working without authorization can seriously harm any future immigration case.
How Global Immigrate approaches this
We verify an employer before a job is listed on this site, which includes confirming the company's registration and that a real position exists. That verification reduces risk but it is not a guarantee of any outcome: we cannot guarantee a job, a visa or a timeline, and the government makes the final decisions. We also recommend that you confirm everything yourself, including with the attorney of record. You can read the experiences of other families on our stories page, and if you have been approached by someone and are unsure, you can contact us for a second opinion. For the cost rules, see who pays EB-3 costs.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (FLAG)
- 20 CFR 656.12, Improper commerce and payment
- USCIS, Avoid Scams
More articles
- October 2026 Visa Bulletin: what it means for EB-3 Other Workers
- EB-3 unskilled costs: what the employer pays and what you pay
- Born in Taiwan or Hong Kong? How country of birth affects your EB-3 wait
- Who qualifies for EB-3 Other Workers (unskilled) sponsorship?
- PERM labor certification, step by step: what happens and who does what
- Who pays for EB-3? What the employer must cover and what you normally pay
- EB-3 unskilled jobs: typical duties, how wages are set and how to read a listing
- Can my spouse and children come too? How EB-3 family members are included
- Consular processing or adjustment of status: which route applies to EB-3 workers abroad?
- The immigrant visa medical exam and interview: what to expect and what to bring
- Living costs by state: how to think about rent, transport and food on an EB-3 wage
- Can I change jobs after the green card? The intent-to-work principle and job portability
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- Your rights as a green-card worker in the US: minimum wage, overtime, safety and where to complain
- Why EB-3 cases get delayed or refused: common reasons and what you can control
- EB-3 vs EB-2: what changes if your qualifications go up, and what happens to your priority date
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- Your first 90 days in the U.S. after arriving on an immigrant visa