This course provides an in-depth, practice-oriented study of employment-based immigration law, focusing on U.S. permanent residency pathways through employer sponsorship and the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) labor certification process. Students will explore the full lifecycle of employer-sponsored green card filings, including immigrant preference categories, prevailing wage determination, recruitment, audit preparation, and adjustment of status or consular processing.
Special attention is given to real-world issues faced by corporate counsel, HR professionals, and immigration practitioners, such as compliance with Department of Labor (DOL) regulations, maintaining lawful status during the process, handling RFEs or audits, and managing multinational workforce strategies. Hands-on legal training throughout the course will equip students to confidently navigate both straightforward and complex EB-2 and EB-3 filings.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
-
Understand the structure and legal requirements of employment-based immigration under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
-
Navigate the PERM labor certification process from recruitment through filing and audit response.
-
Prepare employer and employee documentation for EB-2 and EB-3 preference petitions.
-
Manage prevailing wage determinations and analyze job requirements for compliance with DOL standards.
-
Assist clients with adjustment of status or consular processing post-I-140 approval.
-
Advise corporate clients on immigration strategy, compliance, timelines, and risk mitigation.
-
Draft filings, assess eligibility, and handle procedural challenges through simulation-based exercises.
