Office of International Affairs

Advisor Contact

Nilenders, Eve
International Faculty Advisor (H-1B, Permanent Residence, TN and J-1 Special Programs)

503-725-5075
East Hall- 106A

PR Policies

Policies on Permanent Resident Sponsorship

PSU assists with those employment-based permanent residence petitions that require an employer sponsor. PSU sponsors individuals for permanent residence in the following employment-based preference categories (briefly summarized below):

  • Outstanding Professor or Researcher (EB-1)
  • Advanced Degree Holder (EB-2, Special Handling only)

Only individuals in positions considered “permanent” and who are employed full-time are eligible for permanent residence sponsorship by PSU.

Category

Requirements

Notes

EB-1

Outstanding Professor or Researcher
  • Recognized internationally as outstanding in a specific academic area, as demonstrated through publications, research contribution, and participation as the judge of the work of others in the field, etc.
  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the field
  • Tenured/tenure-track position or permanent research position
  • Must be employed full-time
  • Appropriate for scholars who are some years past his/her terminal degree and who have an exceptional record of scholarly achievement in his or her field, as evidenced by significant publication and research records.
  • No labor certification required.

EB-2
Special Handling

Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees (Teaching Faculty)
  • Must have teaching duties that involve classroom teaching
  • Must have been selected through open search process
  • Must meet prevailing wage
  • Must meet Dept of Labor criteria for selection
  • Permanent, full-time position
  • Appropriate for recently hired individuals, as PSU must file a Labor Certification application within 18 months of decision to hire.
  • A print ad in a national journal must have been placed during the recruiting process.

The Office of International Affairs, in consultation with the hiring department, determines whether an individual may be sponsored by Portland State University under these guidelines, and if so under which category. Any exceptions to the above policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Authority to Sign Petitions for Permanent Residence based on PSU Employment

The Office of International Affairs is responsible for handling employer-sponsored permanent residence petitions on behalf of PSU. OIA is the only authorized petitioner/signatory to USCIS for permanent residence petitions based on PSU employment. Only designated individuals in OIA may sign the Labor Certification (ETA-9089) and the I-140.

Options to self-petition without PSU sponsorship

There are several employment-based petitions that do not require an employer’s support and are thus considered self-petitions. They may be filed through an outside immigration attorney without need for PSU’s approval or involvement. The outside attorney may only represent the petitioner and his/her dependents and may not represent PSU.

A PSU employee may self-petition (apply to USCIS on his or her own behalf) for permanent residence in the following two employment-based categories, as these categories require neither a job offer nor the signature of any PSU representative:

  • EB-1 Aliens of Extraordinary Ability:
  • EB-2 Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees — National Interest Waiver

Portland State University is not involved in filing these two types of petitions, nor can a PSU employee (other than the self-petitioner) sign these documents. An individual may choose to hire an immigration attorney to assist in self-petitioning but PSU funds may not be used to pay for self-petitions.

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