Employment-based immigration provides pathways for foreign nationals to work and eventually live permanently in the United States through employer sponsorship. Each year, the U.S. government allocates 140,000 green cards for employment-based immigrants across five preference categories, as established by the Immigration Act of 1990. This system allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for specific positions while protecting job opportunities for U.S. workers through careful labor market testing and wage requirements.

In Arizona, employers must specifically comply with state-mandated E-Verify requirements and maintain strict documentation of their workers’ eligibility. Under A.R.S. § 23-214, all employers must verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees, which adds an additional layer of compliance to the federal immigration requirements