Does EB-4 require PERM labor certification like EB-2 and EB-3?

A major distinction of EB-4 is that it does not involve the PERM labor certification process. The special immigrant categories were created by Congress for specific groups, so applicants do not need the Department of Labor to test the U.S. labor market.

This removes one of the longest and most uncertain steps found in EB-2 and EB-3 cases. However, it does not make EB-4 simple; each subcategory has detailed eligibility criteria, and some, such as the religious worker category, require proof of qualifying experience and a bona fide employing organization. Avoiding labor certification changes the process but does not lower the evidentiary bar for the underlying eligibility.