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United StatesThe EB-3 is a US green card for skilled workers, professionals and other workers whose US employer sponsors them. Unlike the TN or other work visas, it’s permanent: you can live and work anywhere in the US and later apply for citizenship. It takes patience, but for many Canadians it’s the most direct path to staying for good.
Updated November 2026 with the latest Visa Bulletin and US Department of Labor processing times.
If so, the EB-3 is worth understanding, including how long it really takes.
Jobs that require a US bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent, such as accountants, engineers, teachers or nurses.
Jobs that need at least 2 years of training or experience, such as many trades, technicians and supervisors.
Jobs needing less than 2 years of training, such as caregivers and many entry-level roles. This category has a longer wait.
Canadians fall under “all chargeability areas” in the Visa Bulletin, which is usually much faster than for people born in India or China. In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin:
These dates move every month, forwards and sometimes backwards. Your priority date is usually the date your employer files PERM.
Many Canadians start an EB-3 while working in the US on a TN. It can work, but the TN requires you to intend to leave, and a green card process signals the opposite.
Once an I-140 is filed, renewing your TN or re-entering the US can be refused for “immigrant intent”. Travel and renewals need careful timing.
Some people switch to a status that allows green card plans, such as H-1B or L-1, or time their filings around TN renewals. Get advice before your employer files anything.
A US family can sponsor a caregiver for a green card under EB-3, usually as an “other worker”. It’s a real option for nannies and elder-care workers, but the wait is longer, and the employer has to meet all the PERM rules. How to sponsor a caregiver in the US
| Route | Best for | Needs a US employer? | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-3 | Workers with a permanent US job offer | Yes | Several years |
| EB-2 | Advanced degrees, or the National Interest Waiver | Usually, but not for the waiver | Varies |
| EB-1C | Managers and executives of a company with a Canadian parent or affiliate | Yes, your own company can qualify | Often faster |
| EB-5 | Investors with US$800,000 or more | No | Varies |
| Family | Spouses, parents and children of US citizens | No | Often a year or more for spouses |
The EB-3 is a US green card for professionals, skilled workers and other workers who have a permanent job offer from a US employer willing to sponsor them.
Usually several years in total. The labor certification (PERM) is currently taking about 10 to 12 months, then there’s a wait for your priority date. In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, that wait was roughly 2 and a half years for skilled workers and professionals, and 4 to 5 years for other workers.
Yes. Skilled workers with at least 2 years of training or experience qualify, and the “other workers” category covers jobs needing less than 2 years, though it has a longer wait.
The employer must pay for the labor certification, including recruitment and legal costs for that step. Other parts, like your own green card application, can be paid by you.
Yes, but it needs planning. The TN requires temporary intent, so renewals and border crossings can become harder once a green card process starts. Get advice before your employer files.
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can get green cards as your dependents.
Tell us about your job, your employer and your current status. We’ll tell you plainly whether EB-3 fits, how long it’s likely to take, and how to protect your status while you wait.
VisaPlace Immigration works with licensed and experienced immigration lawyers, who are independent and operate separately from VisaPlace Immigration. VisaPlace Immigration does not provide legal advice. This page is for information purposes only and reflects information available in November 2026. Rules, dates and processing times change. For legal advice, consult a licensed immigration lawyer. Sources: US State Department, Visa Bulletin for November 2026; US Department of Labor, FLAG processing times (as of October 31, 2026); USCIS, Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3; US Embassy and Consulates in Canada, Immigrant Visa Process.
