green card on L1B - can i switch employer

[get_answers]

Hi,

I am on L1B visa and my current employer is ready to file my green card. I have stayed for 4.5 Yrs on L1B for this company so I have to go back to india but they can start my green card process in parallel.
But i have got few questions on this.
(1) How much time it will take to get the green card on EB1C (specialized skill - from L1B)
(2) Just in case if i want to switch the employer in the middle of the process, can i do that ?
(2.1) If yes, at what level of the process and after how much time i can switch the employer ?

I have read the various threads that switching an employer is easy for H1B visa (through AC21 - after 180 days of from I-485 submission) But i want to confirm that, will this same method of switching an employer will be applicable for green card filled on L1B visa ?

Please note that the intention is not to switch the company after filling green card but at the same time it is going to be 10 Yrs to get green card that it is very difficult to assume that I will have full satisfaction and growth in same company for 10 Years. So, I do not want to stuck in kind of 10 Yrs of unspoken bond with this employer.

 

[lisaanderson05]

Hi,

I am on L1B visa and my current employer is ready to file my green card. I have stayed for 4.5 Yrs on L1B for this company so I have to go back to india but they can start my green card process in parallel.
But i have got few questions on this.
(1) How much time it will take to get the green card on EB1C (specialized skill - from L1B)
(2) Just in case if i want to switch the employer in the middle of the process, can i do that ?
(2.1) If yes, at what level of the process and after how much time i can switch the employer ?

I have read the various threads that switching an employer is easy for H1B visa (through AC21 - after 180 days of from I-485 submission) But i want to confirm that, will this same method of switching an employer will be applicable for green card filled on L1B visa ?

Please note that the intention is not to switch the company after filling green card but at the same time it is going to be 10 Yrs to get green card that it is very difficult to assume that I will have full satisfaction and growth in same company for 10 Years. So, I do not want to stuck in kind of 10 Yrs of unspoken bond with this employer.

1. It depends on what country you are from. If you are from India, your wait is 10+ years. If you are from mainland China, about 4-5 years. If you are from any other country, your wait is about 2-3 years.
2. No. If you are not in the country, you cannot “switch employers”. Any new employer would need to restart the process from the beginning (labor certification).
AC21 doesn’t have to do with H-1B as much as it has to do with you being in the U.S. Since you cannot remain in the U.S. on L-1B and you can’t extend your L-1B, you will have to wait outside the country unless you try to return in L-1B status after 1 year. You cannot switch employer or use AC21 if you are not in the U.S.