EB-4 Religious Workers

Praying for Renewal: EB-4 Religious Workers Program to Sunset

This week on the blog, we are covering the four immigration programs that are slated to expire on September 30, 2015 (see our coverage of CONRAD 30 from yesterday). Congress returns from its summer recess on September 8 and will have three weeks to renew the programs, as it last did in 2012. Today, the focus is on the Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Worker program.

The Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Workers fits into the EB-4 category of employment immigration. Please see the Visa Bulletin and scroll to the Employment Based, Category 4 for current priority dates (all countries are listed as current). There is a strict cap of 5,000 workers a year. The non-minister is allowed to bring his or her under 21 children and spouse, given eligibility. The workers whose petitions are approved become permanent residents.

The eligibility criteria include:

  • Member of religious denomination that is a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the US for at least two years before the worker’s petition is filed
  • Entering the US to work in a full time and compensated position
  • Working for either a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the US or bona fide organization affiliated with the religious denomination in the US
  • At least two years of continuous work as a religious worker in the position either abroad or in the US

The major American religious organizations have written a joint letter to the Senate, urging Congress to reauthorize the program for an 8th time. It has been in operation since 1990 and the letter mentions the laudable work that the immigrant workers have helped accomplish. The letter also exhorts the critical need these workers fill in the religious organizations and their communities. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah introduced the bill to extend the program in the Senate in May.

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