I'm from Bangladesh and am pursuing a non-thesis Master’s degree in Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University. My area of specialization is Geotechnical Engineering. I’ll graduate with my degree in May 2025 after completing a co-op with one of the top Engineering and construction companies in the United States. The company also offered me a full-time position after my graduation so that I could continue my work with them. Many PhD candidates from my country with a master's degree are applying for EB2-NIW using their citations and research experience.
1. Since I lack a prominent research background (basically, I have no experience at all in terms of publication/citation), do I have a chance of getting approval for EB2-NIW?
2. Is citation/research compulsory for EB2-NIW to get approved?
3. If I want to apply in the future, how should I prepare my profile to increase my chances? I’m more interested in working in the industry than in research and academia.
4. I want to mention that, from my experience, there is a huge demand for geotechnical engineers in the civil engineering industry, but not many people, especially Americans, are pursuing this major. Can I use this fact to show national interest?
The key is to emphasize activities and achievements that demonstrate your potential to contribute significantly at a national scale. Your profile should highlight projects or initiatives that have a broad, national-level impact, as this aligns closely with the NIW criteria.
FAQs: NIW Required commitment duration, Adjustment of status, Naturalization considerations, and Interim work status option || Impact of DWI conviction on H-1B holder's H-4 dependent visa stamping and future travel considerations || H-1B extension pending: Impact of traveling to India using old visa, returning with 2-3 days remaining on visa, etc. || H-1B options as an F-1 student on STEM OPT in a nonprofit university: Cap-subject vs. cap-exempt strategies and transitioning to cap-subject H-1B in the future
Discussion Topics:
1. How much and for how long do we have to work on an endeavor for which NIW I-140 was approved to avoid any issues in adjustment of status, naturalization, etc.?
2. Is there a way to get any status in the US to work on the approved NIW endeavor until I-485 is filed?
It is important to note that if you are from a country like India, you may face a long wait—up to 10 to 12 years—for a green card. After receiving your green card, you are not required to stay in your job indefinitely; you can leave for valid reasons after a few months, as long as you act in good faith.
Regarding work status for those with an approved NIW, the Compelling Circumstances EAD is an option. Still, it has several drawbacks: unpredictable, uncertain processing times, and requires annual renewal. Another alternative is Entrepreneurial Parole, which offers up to five years of work authorization but may not be ideal for individuals from India due to the lengthy green card process. Please read the articles on the The Economic Times Author Page for more information.
FAQs: EB-1A Use Case -- STEM OPT cloud solutions engineer at a nonprofit university || Layoff on H-1B, Changing status from B-1/B-2 pending to F-1 || Impact of layoff on green card status and future naturalization || H-1B laid off: Second B-1/B-2 visa extension