EB-3 Visa Path for Filipino Nurses Moving to the United States
By Muntasir • Published Jan 07, 2026 • Visas & Student Mobility, Study in Southeast Asia
The EB-3 visa lets a US employer sponsor a Filipino registered nurse for a green card, and nurses skip the labor certification step because the job sits on the Department of Labor's Schedule A list. Philippine applicants still wait years past their priority date because of high demand in the category.
🎓 Nurses file under EB-3 Professional, using Schedule A to skip PERM labor certification.
📩 CGFNS VisaScreen certifies your license, education, and English score before the visa step.
⏱️ The July 2025 Visa Bulletin set the Philippine EB-3 Final Action Date at February 8, 2023.
💵 The employer files Form I-140, then you wait for the priority date to become current before applying for the immigrant visa.
What the EB-3 visa covers
The EB-3 is an employment-based green card category for skilled workers, professionals, and other workers. Registered nurses file under the professional subcategory because the job needs a bachelor's degree or a US state nursing license. A US hospital, staffing agency, or healthcare employer sponsors you, and the green card gives permanent residence, not a temporary work permit.
Why nurses skip PERM labor certification
Most EB-3 applicants need PERM labor certification, where the employer proves no qualified US worker wants the job. Registered nurses and physical therapists sit on the Department of Labor's Schedule A, Group I list, so employers skip PERM and file Form I-140 directly with USCIS . This removes a step that takes a year or more for other occupations.
CGFNS VisaScreen and licensing exams
Before the visa stage, apply for a VisaScreen certificate through CGFNS International . VisaScreen checks your nursing education, license, and English test score, and confirms your credentials match US licensing standards. Most employers also require the NCLEX-RN exam and an active or eligible state nursing license before they extend a job offer, since the visa alone does not authorize you to practice.
The Philippine backlog
The EB-3 category has a yearly cap split by country, and the Philippines sends more nurse applicants than the cap absorbs each year, so the category retrogresses instead of staying current. The Department of State Visa Bulletin tracks this month by month through a Final Action Date, the cutoff priority date that must be current before you get a visa interview.
| Visa Bulletin | Philippine EB-3 Final Action Date |
|---|---|
| March 2025 | December 1, 2022 |
| July 2025 | February 8, 2023 |
The gap between the Final Action Date and the current month shows the length of the wait. Dates move forward some months and retrogress in others when demand rises, so track the bulletin directly instead of relying on a fixed wait estimate.
Family members on the same petition
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 qualify as derivative beneficiaries on your EB-3 petition. They share your priority date and apply for their own immigrant visas or adjustment of status once your date becomes current, so the whole family moves together instead of applying separately.
Direct hospital sponsorship or a staffing agency
Some Filipino nurses get sponsored directly by a US hospital or health system. Others go through a healthcare staffing agency that recruits, trains, and places nurses across multiple facilities. Agency contracts often include a return-of-service clause that requires you to repay recruitment and relocation costs if you resign before a set number of years, so read the contract before signing and compare it against a direct hospital offer if you have one.
Step by step timeline
Pass the NCLEX-RN and get a state nursing license or license eligibility.
Apply for CGFNS VisaScreen certification.
Find a US employer willing to sponsor an EB-3 nurse.
Employer files Form I-140 with USCIS, which sets your priority date.
Wait for your priority date to become current on the Visa Bulletin.
Complete the immigrant visa interview at the US Embassy in Manila, or file for adjustment of status if already in the US on another visa.
While you wait
Locking in your priority date early matters more than the length of the wait itself, since your place in line does not reset once USCIS approves the I-140. Keep your NCLEX-RN license active, update CGFNS records if your name or credentials change, and check the Visa Bulletin each month so you file for adjustment of status or attend your consular interview as soon as your date turns current.