Changing job, PERM application with current employer

[Manju_Ram]

Hi Everyone,
I am on an H1-B visa and my employer is willing to apply for my green card, I am planning to change my job in 3-5 months, does it help in anyway if I go ahead with the green card process with the current employer? What happens if I don't go ahead with the PERM process with the current employer and what happens if I do? Can someone help me understand.


Thanks.

[Spaniard88]

Hi Everyone,
I am on an H1-B visa and my employer is willing to apply for my green card, I am planning to change my job in 3-5 months, does it help in anyway if I go ahead with the green card process with the current employer? What happens if I don't go ahead with the PERM process with the current employer and what happens if I do? Can someone help me understand.


Thanks.

Hello Manju_Ram,

My understanding is that if you change your employer, your PERM process will not be valid. If you think that a new employer will also sponsor you for a green card I would transfer to the new employer first and then initiate the Green Card process (that is PERM, I-140 and I-485).
Under H-1B you can transfer your visa to another employer but that takes a process in itself. In my case that took around 3 months. Make sure though that the new employer will initiate your green card right away because the process takes at least 1.5 years if your priority date is current.

On the other hand if you think you can stay at your current employer until you have an I-140 approved (or even better until your I-485 has been pending for more than 180 days), you might still be able to keep your priority date with another employer or transfer while continuing your green card application. This could save you time if you just want to get the green card asap. See this resource
https:///employment-based-greencard/...-employer.html

All this, really depends on your circumstances, whether or not you think you can stand your current job, and also your country of origin (See latest visa bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...arch-2019.html)