Overview
Permanent residence is permission from the United States government to reside and work permanently in the U.S.
Permanent residence is usually obtained by applying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) based on either a qualifying family relationship or qualifying employment (although there are other grounds of eligibility), and is documented by a permanent residence card or “green card”. Employment-based permanent residence may require employer sponsorship or be self-sponsored, depending on the category. In general, the permanent residence process can take years or even decades, depending on the basis for eligibility and whether the applicant is subject to a per-country backlog.
The University of Washington sponsors anywhere from 20 to 50 faculty for permanent residence each year. The sponsoring unit must provide certain information and documentation to International Scholars Operations (ISO) as part of that process, including filing fees of up to $3,520 to be paid to USCIS. Without exception, permanent residence petitions requiring employer sponsorship are processed through International Scholars Operations (ISO) on behalf of the UW, although some of these sponsorships may be referred to outside immigration counsel.
Permanent Residence Pathways
The University of Washington sponsors faculty for permanent residence through two pathways:
This is UW’s default sponsorship pathway for any competitively-recruited, professorial track title. ISO will identify cases eligible for EB-2 sponsorship as part of the H visa request process and will reach out to the unit to gather documents and track associated timelines. See our How to Sponsor EB-2 Permanent Residence page for more information.
While the evidentiary burden and costs for EB-2 sponsorship are relatively low, it has a long processing time and involves long backlogs for individuals from certain countries. Contact ISO for more information if you have concerns about these issues.
This pathway is for researchers and professors who can demonstrate sustained international recognition as outstanding in their field. UW sponsors EB-1B visas only based on requests from the unit and school/college/campus. See our How to Sponsor EB-1B Permanent Residence page for more information.
While EB-1B sponsorship can be much faster than EB-2 sponsorship, it usually requires extensive work by both ISO and the faculty member. ISO’s work on EB-1Bs is billed hourly to the unit and cannot be passed on to the scholar.
Eligible Titles
UW sponsors full-time, UW-salaried employees in competitively-recruited faculty titles for permanent residence. Eligible ranks and tracks include all ranks and tracks listed on our Professorial Tracks page, as well as clinical assistant professor, associate professor, and professor, salaried, on the dental pathway.
In order to be eligible for UW sponsorship, appointments must include some teaching responsibilities, whether through classroom teaching, laboratory instruction, or mentorship. Affiliate, acting, and emeritus titles are not eligible for sponsorship; nor are temporary titles such as Postdoctoral Scholar, Acting Instructor, Resident/Fellow, or other term-limited titles. UW does not sponsor any staff title or position for permanent residence.
Because the sponsorship process is complicated and can be lengthy, units must contact ISO regarding appointments eligible for permanent residence sponsorship as soon as possible in order to facilitate a successful green card sponsorship.
Recruitment guidance for permanent residence sponsorship eligible positions is available in the Recruitment section of the Academic Personnel and Faculty website.
Discussing Permanent Residence Sponsorship at Time of Hire
When extending an offer in a position eligible for permanent residence sponsorship, the hiring department should agree only that the University will sponsor the employee for permanent residence consistent with UW policy. It is impossible for any employer to guarantee that its efforts to secure permanent residence for an employee will be successful. Applying for permanent residence is a detailed and time-consuming process and takes one to several years to complete, depending on the circumstances of the case.