Jin Park

EB2 NIW Approved Without Employer - My Complete Guide

Replied to: F1 PhD Student - Planning for Post-Graduation Immigration

PhD in ML is perfect for immigration planning! Here's my advice: 1. H1B lottery is risky - don't count on it 2. EB1A is possible with strong publications but you need quality (conferences like NeurIPS, ICML, top journals) 3. EB2 NIW is very viable for ML - frame it as AI national competitiveness 4. OPT + STEM gives you 3 years, use that time wisely 5. Cap-exempt at university is smart - build experience and publications there I'd recommend: Try for postdoc/research position at university (cap-exempt H1B), start NIW or EB1A process immediately, then move to industry once GC is in progress. ML/AI is hot for immigration right now. Play your cards right!

Oct 15, 2025, 12:00 PM

Replied to: EB2 NIW Approved Without Employer - My Complete Guide

@liwei_eb1b_research I considered EB1B but chose NIW for two reasons: 1. Self-petition means I'm not tied to any employer 2. My profile was borderline for EB1B but strong for NIW EB1B requires employer sponsorship and "outstanding researcher" status. NIW bar is slightly lower and gives you more freedom. But EB1B is faster if you qualify (no labor cert like PERM). If you have a strong publication record and employer willing to sponsor, EB1B might be worth trying. You can always file NIW as backup.

Sep 16, 2025, 11:00 AM

Replied to: EB2 NIW Approved Without Employer - My Complete Guide

@david_f1_phd ML/AI is actually GREAT for NIW right now! Frame it around AI competitiveness for the US, national security implications, economic impact, etc. There are many successful ML/AI NIW cases. The key is showing your specific research has substantial merit beyond just academic interest.

Sep 15, 2025, 8:30 PM