Under the category of Employment and Investment based immigration, there are 5 main preferences, namely :

1. First Preference : (EB-1 priority workers) – aliens with Extraordinary Ability, including outstanding professors & researchers and certain multinational executives & managers.
2. Second Preference : (EB-2 workers with an advanced degree or exceptional ability) – aliens who are members of a profession holding advanced degrees or their equivalent and aliens who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business will substantially benefit the national economy, cultural/educational interests or welfare of the United States. Under this category, aliens may apply for a National Interest Waiver, if they qualify for it.
3. Third Preference : (EB-3 professionals, skilled workers, and other workers) - aliens with at least two years of experience as skilled workers, professionals with a baccalaureate degree, and others with less than two years experience, such as an unskilled worker who can perform labor for which qualified workers are not available in the United States.
4. Fourth Preference : (EB-4 special workers such as those in a religious vocation or occupation) - aliens who, for at least two years before applying for admission to the United States, have been a member of a religious denomination that has a non-profit religious organization in the United States, and who will be working in a religious vocation or occupation at the request of the religious organization.
5. Fifth Preference : (EB-5 Employment Creation) – for persons who want to be granted immigrant status in the United States for the purpose of engaging in a new commercial enterprise, i.e.,