Does EB-3 Other Workers require a degree?

USCIS defines Other Workers as jobs requiring less than 2 years of training or experience; no bachelor's degree is required. The worker must still meet the requirements in the job offer.

Can my family come with me?

Yes. According to USCIS, once the I-140 is approved, the spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply for green cards with or after the worker.

It's the Department of Labor's labor certification, confirming the employer recruited under the rules and found no qualified U.S. worker. Most EB-3 cases need PERM before the I-140.

How long does EB-3 take?

It depends on PERM, I-140 and the Visa Bulletin line. PERM alone currently averages 336 days. See the wait-time article for details.

Can I do EB-3 while in the U.S.?

You may be able to file Form I-485 to adjust status in the U.S. if eligible, depending on your current status. Ask a licensed immigration attorney about your case.

How many EB-3 Other Workers visas are there each year?

Up to 10,000 a year for Other Workers, minus a NACARA reduction (about 150 in fiscal year 2027).

What Is EB-3 for Unskilled (Other) Workers? Eligibility, PERM, I-140 and the Visa

EB-3 Other Workers is an employment-based green card category, often called "unskilled workers", for jobs that need less than 2 years of training or experience, are full-time, and are not temporary or seasonal. The worker needs a U.S. employer to sponsor them: the employer gets a labor certification (PERM) from the Department of Labor, then files Form I-140 with USCIS. When the worker's turn comes in the Visa Bulletin, they interview at a consulate (if abroad, for example in Vietnam) or file Form I-485 (if eligible in the U.S.). The spouse and unmarried children under 21 can get green cards as derivatives.

Information from the USCIS EB-3 page (updated August 20, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.

Key takeaways

For permanent, full-time jobs needing less than 2 years of training or experience.

The employer files PERM, then Form I-140; the worker waits for the Visa Bulletin.

The spouse and unmarried children under 21 can come too.

EB-3 has three subcategories

Subcategory	What the job requires
Skilled Workers	At least 2 years of training or experience
Professionals	A U.S. bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent
Other Workers	Less than 2 years of training or experience

In all three, the job must be a permanent, full-time job in the U.S., not temporary or seasonal, and the worker must meet the requirements in the job offer.

Steps in an EB-3 Other Workers case

The employer requests a prevailing wage from the Department of Labor for the position.
The employer recruits under the rules to show no qualified, willing U.S. worker is available.
The employer files PERM (Form ETA-9089). PERM is the Department of Labor's labor certification. According to the Department of Labor, as of October 5, 2026 it was reviewing cases filed in December 2025, averaging 336 days per case.
The employer files Form I-140 with USCIS, with the approved PERM and proof it can pay the wage.
The worker waits for their turn in the Visa Bulletin. Other Workers has its own line.
The worker completes the last step:
- Abroad: Form DS-260, a medical exam and an interview (for Vietnam, at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City).
- In the U.S.: Form I-485 if eligible to adjust status. Eligibility depends on current immigration status; ask a licensed immigration attorney.
The worker gets the green card and starts working for the sponsoring employer.

How many green cards are there each year?

According to the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-3 gets 28.6% of employment-based visas each year, of which no more than 10,000 go to Other Workers. Part of that number is reduced under NACARA; for fiscal year 2027 the reduction is about 150. With so few numbers, Other Workers usually waits longer than Skilled Workers.

Common industries

Other Workers positions are often in food processing, hotels, restaurants, elder care and manufacturing. The actual job depends on an employer with a real need and an approved PERM.

What to understand from the start

An employer must sponsor you. There is no EB-3 case without a U.S. employer and PERM (apart from Schedule A jobs such as nursing, which aren't Other Workers jobs).
The employer pays PERM costs. Federal rules bar employers from taking money from workers for PERM. See EB-3 Costs: Who Pays What.
No one can guarantee timing or results. Timing depends on the Department of Labor, USCIS and the Visa Bulletin. Be wary of "fast track" promises; see EB-3 Scam Warning Signs.
The job is real. An EB-3 green card rests on the intent to work for the sponsoring employer.

How Manna One Solution helps

On Manna One Solution's EB-3 page you can check your basic eligibility; we then connect you with U.S. employers and licensed immigration attorneys who handle the legal work. We coordinate the case, translate, and keep you updated in Vietnamese. Manna One Solution is not a law firm and does not give legal advice; licensed immigration attorneys are responsible for the legal side of the case.

Sources

USCIS: Employment-Based Immigration, Third Preference EB-3 (updated August 20, 2026; checked October 19, 2026)
U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin for October 2026 (checked October 19, 2026)
U.S. Department of Labor, FLAG: Processing Times (data as of October 5, 2026; checked October 19, 2026)
U.S. Department of Labor: Permanent Labor Certification (checked October 19, 2026)

We prepare USCIS forms online for clients across the U.S. Manna One Solution is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Some states require non-attorney immigration document preparers to register with the state, so we confirm your state before taking your case.