A foreign national may be eligible for a green card without having to have a job offer or go through the labor certification process if they apply for a green card through one of the following two categories:

• EB-1 Aliens of Extraordinary Ability.
• EB-2 Advanced Degreed Professionals and Aliens of Exceptional Ability who can show that their presence in the United States is in the Countries' "national interest".

There are a number of advantages to the EB-1 Extraordinary Ability and National Interest Waiver immigrant visa ("green card") approaches:

• They are much quicker than either the normal or "reduction in recruitment" labor certification processes.
• They do not require a job offer. Therefore, a foreign national can sponsor him/herself based upon his/her abilities, education, and experience. Even if a foreign national is employed, the employer is not required to get involved in the immigrant visa process. This means that the foreign national need not impose upon his/her employer, and can change jobs, if necessary, without having to start the entire immigrant visa process over.