Having a STEM PhD can help your EB-2 NIW case

Here’s a post by immigration lawyer Amber Davis on how having a STEM PhD can help your EB-2 NIW case:

Having a PhD can significantly help your EB-2 NIW case, especially if it’s in a STEM field.

Not so much for EB-1A unless you’re presenting a researcher-based or academia-focused case and that PhD has been the base of a strong authorship profile.

Keep in mind though that USCIS only takes your PhD into consideration if you’ve already earned the qualification.

So if possible, try to file for EB-2 NIW after you get your PhD.

If you’re getting your PhD this summer or fall, I’d suggest waiting till you get your PhD before applying for EB-2 NIW.

If you’re expecting to get your PhD later than this upcoming fall, I’d suggest weighing the benefits of filing before the election when things might change with EB-2 NIW, or waiting and filing after with that key qualification as part of your petition.

It’s not a clear cut choice for most people.

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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.