EB-3 Categories 2026: Skilled, Professional, Other Workers
EB-3 has skilled workers (2+ years), professionals (bachelor's degree) and Other Workers (under 2 years). The job's minimum requirements set the category.
Short answer: EB-3 has three groups: skilled workers (the job requires at least 2 years of training or experience), professionals (the job requires a bachelor's degree and the applicant holds the equivalent) and Other Workers (the job requires less than 2 years of training or experience, with no degree required). The category follows the minimum requirements the employer states in the PERM; it is not chosen by the applicant or the employer. Other Workers is the main category on this site.
What are skilled workers?
The position must require at least 2 years of training or work experience and must be permanent and full-time, not temporary or seasonal. Relevant post-secondary education may sometimes count toward training. Typical examples are technical, manufacturing and IT-support roles that rely on practical experience.
What are professionals?
The position itself must normally require a bachelor's degree, and the applicant must hold a U.S. bachelor's degree or a single-source foreign equivalent. Simply having a degree while the job does not require one does not qualify as professional. Engineers and accountants may fit only where the job clearly requires a degree. The job must be permanent and full-time, not temporary or seasonal.
What are Other Workers?
Other Workers: the job requires less than 2 years of training or experience, and must be permanent and full-time, not temporary or seasonal. A degree is not required. This is the main category on this site, and whether it applies depends on the minimum requirements of the employer's job. See EB-3 Other Workers explained.
How do the three categories differ?
| Item | Skilled workers | Professionals | Other Workers |
| Main threshold | At least 2 years experience or training | Bachelor's degree, and job requires one | Less than 2 years experience or training |
| Common roles | Technical, manufacturing, some IT | Engineering, accounting and similar | Jobs not needing longer experience |
| Temporary or seasonal | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Visa Bulletin | Same line as professionals | Same line as skilled workers | Separate line; dates can differ |
What are the waiting times for each category?
Other Workers has its own dates. In the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the Other Workers Final Action Date for Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and most chargeability areas is 1 January 2022; in November 2026 it is 1 June 2022. Skilled workers and professionals have their own dates: in the November 2026 bulletin the Final Action Date is 15 June 2024 for most areas including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau (mainland China 22 January 2022, India 22 January 2014, Philippines 15 August 2023). Confirm on the current Department of State Visa Bulletin. Dates follow your place of birth; see waiting times for Taiwan- and Hong Kong-born applicants. Dates change every month and are not a promise of any timeline.
How do you tell which category applies?
The category follows the minimum requirements stated in the PERM; only a job that requires a degree can qualify as professional. An employer cannot change a job's requirements to suit one foreign worker, and the PERM ads and I-140 must be consistent. What you can do is check whether you meet the job as written; do not ask the employer to change it.
On costs, the employer must pay the PERM costs; see who pays EB-3 costs. To see current openings and the steps, visit jobs and the process.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree for EB-3?
Not necessarily. Only the professional group requires a job that needs a bachelor's degree. Skilled workers are judged on experience or training, and Other Workers do not need a degree.
Which EB-3 category has no experience requirement?
Other Workers covers jobs needing less than 2 years of training or experience, so it generally does not require longer experience or a degree.
Can I choose which category to apply under?
No. The category follows the minimum requirements the employer states in the PERM.
Are the waiting times the same for all three?
Not necessarily. Other Workers has its own line in the Visa Bulletin and its dates can differ from skilled workers and professionals (15 June 2024 for most areas in November 2026). Check the latest bulletin.
Official sources
General information only, not legal advice. Immigration rules and the Visa Bulletin change; check the official sources above before you decide. Petitions are prepared and filed by the sponsoring employer’s licensed U.S. immigration attorney.