The employment-based Green Card process is a marathon, not a sprint. It generally involves three distinct stages.
1
PERM Labor Certification
Goal: Prove there are no qualified U.S. workers for your job.
Your employer advertises your role. If no qualified Americans apply, the Department of Labor (DOL) certifies your case. This step sets your Priority Date.
2
I-140 Immigrant Petition
Goal: Prove you qualify for the visa category (EB-2/EB-3) and your company has the money to pay you.
Your employer files this with USCIS. Once approved, it locks in your Priority Date permanently (unless revoked for fraud/error).
3
I-485 Adjustment of Status
Goal: Change from "Visa Holder" (e.g., H-1B) to "Permanent Resident".
→ You can only file this Step 3 when your Priority Date is "Current" in the Visa Bulletin.
Note for Consular Processing
If you are outside the U.S., Step 3 is replaced by "Consular Processing" (DS-260) at a US Embassy abroad. The logic remains the same: you wait for your date to be current.