The EB-2 Visa is a second preference immigrant visa reserved for professionals holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business. The EB-2 Visa is further divided into two subcategories: EB-2A for those holding advanced degrees and EB-2B for those with exceptional ability.
A job offer and a labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor are generally required for the EB-2 Visa category. However, an applicant may seek a waiver of these requirements if they can demonstrate that their admission to the U.S. is in the national interest.
The EB-2 Visa also offers a path to lawful permanent resident status (Green Card). Given that this visa category is a preference category, there may be a waiting period before an immigrant visa number becomes available, particularly for individuals born in countries with high levels of immigration to the U.S.