Can I apply for EB-2 NIW while on F-1 OPT and with only a little work experience?

Here’s a post by immigration lawyer Amber Davis on whether you can apply for EB-2 NIW while on F-1 OPT and with only a little work experience:

This is definitely possible.

If you can show that you are promoting a STEM area that is in the national interest, you do have a strong chance of qualifying for EB-2 NIW.

There are a whole bunch of priorities that you can say you’re advancing but it’s best to focus on just one as part of your proposed endeavor.

You also need to show that your work experience positions you well to achieve what you’re setting out to do that is in the national interest.

It also doesn’t matter that you only have a few months of work experience.

As long as your work experience is related to an area of national interest and that you are part of a team that is doing work that advances said area of national interest, you can argue that you are well positioned to pursue your proposed endeavor.

You also want to show some professional participation outside of work so you can show USCIS that you are contributing not just to your employer but to your overall field.

These cases aren’t guaranteed to be approved, but I have seen approvals. Talk to a lawyer if you want to understand your own chances more specifically.

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Interested in EB-1A, EB-2 NIW or O-1? Feel free to reach out to Amber at amber.davis@waypointimmigration.org or via LinkedIn messages.

Interested in profile-building for EB-2 NIW and maximizing your chances of approval? Check out Amber’s course, NIW Ready, which helps those of you who want to build a strong NIW profile in 2-3 months. You’ll also be considered for Amber’s refundable case package, which guarantees a refund of only attorney fees if your case does not get approved. At the end of the course, assuming you do the work, you’ll be ready to file.