USA eb-3 visa For healthcare workers: eligibility And process 2026
The EB-3 (Employment-Based Third Preference) Visa will continue to be the top choice to international healthcare practitioners eager to secure permanent residency (a Green Card) in the United States in 2026: Schedule A “fast-track” processing of nurses and physical therapists will be balanced with Visa Bulletin retrogression, which will demand an international healthcare practitioner to plan in the long term.
This guide will deconstruct the requirements of eligibility in 2026, the special benefit of the Schedule A and the chronological planning of the healthcare migrants.
Eligibility Who Qualifies in 2026?
EB-3 is broken down into 3 categories.2 Majority of the healthcare workers are either under the Skilled Workers or Professionals.
Competent Workers (Nurses and Technicians)
- Experience: 2 Years of training or experience is required.
- Licensure: In the case of Registered Nurses (RNs), you should have successfully written NCLEX-RN (or have a full, unrestricted license in the state where you want to work).
- English Proficiency: The VisaScreen certificate (TOEFL, IELTS, OET, or PTE Academic) needs unlimited English proficiency.
Professionals (Therapists and Physicians)
- Education: Should have a U.S. Bachelor’s degree or a foreign equivalent.
- Physical Therapists: Included in the Schedule A, i.e. evading the long PERM labor certification process.
The “Schedule A” Advantage
The employer also has to demonstrate to the Department of Labor (DOL) that there are no U.S. workers to employ (the PERM process), which at the moment takes 1215 months to complete
Registered Nurses and Physical Therapists are however pre-certified under schedule A.
- Advantage: Your employer bypasses the DOL recruiting process and submits the I-140 Petition to USCIS.
- Time Saved: This will save approximately one year of administrative waiting.
The 2026 Process Roadmap
Step 1: Credential Evaluation (VisaScreen ®)
To be issued with a visa you have to acquire a VisaScreen certificate of CGFNS (or any similar body)12 to confirm your education and English proficiency meet the requirements of U.S. federal standards.
Step 2: Filing Form I-140
Your sponsoring employer submits the Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers.13 In 2026, Premium Processing is a great dealzywill handle your petition at a fee of 2805 USCIS will give their verdict in 15 business days.14
Step 3: Supervision of the Visa Bulletin (Priority Dates)
With approved petition, you have to wait until your Priority Date becomes Current.15
- Retrogression Update: The Final Action Date of EB-3 “All Other Areas” (rest of world) is July 1, 2023 as of January 2026. This implies that applicants are now waiting almost 2.5 years once they have submitted their first petition.
Step 4: Consular Processing/ Adjustment of Status
- Foreign: The interview will be at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate (Consular Processing).16
- In the USA: In case you already have another type of a visa in the U.S. (such as an H-1B or F-1), you submit Form I-485 to change your status.
FAQs
Can I be employed in USA pending my EB3 Green Card?
Just when you possess an independent work-based permit (such as a H-1B or TN permit). The EB-3 petition in itself does not award work permission until the last phase which is the grant of Green Card.
Does my employer need to file NCLEX before it can?
Yes. In the case of nurses, the I-140 petition is usually not possible until upon passing the NCLEX-RN, as it is a requirement to the Schedule A designation.
What will become of me in case I switch employers in the meantime?
In case your I-140 has already been approved and it has not been extended beyond 180 days and you have submitted an I-485 which is pending more than 180 days, then you might be in a position to have your priority date ported to a new employer in a similar position.
Is my family going to be included under the EB-3 visa?
Yes. Your wife, unmarried children below 21 years of age can receive derivative Green Cards and reside and work/study in the U.S.22.
What is retrogression going to be like in 2026?
The January 2026 Visa Bulletin reflected small forward progress in certain areas (such as the EB-3 India increasing by one month), but All Other Areas was at July 2023.23 Expect a trotting pace of move during the year.
Final Thought
The EB-3 visa is a marathon and not a sprint. Although Schedule A eliminates the first obstacle of labor certification, the Visa Bulletin is the main obstacle in 2026. It is important to start your NCLEX and VisaScreen in order to obtain the Priority Date as soon as possible.
Disclaimer
This is an educative informative article. It is recommended that the readers should confirm the information available at official government websites, including USCIS.gov, or seek the advice of a licensed immigration attorney