EB3 Job Change Info

[J.M. 367]

I've got a friend that arrived in the US in January 2026 on an EB3 visa.  She seems to have adjusted surprisingly well and already has her permanent resident card and just bought a new car.  She is an RN.  The issue is her work hours are insane.  16 hour days, and very, very busy.  I am somewhat familiar with the outfit she works for, and they don't have a very good reputation.  She would like to find employment elsewhere (still as a RN).  She is aware she will have to buy her way out of her contract, which is 2 or 3 years (I don't remember which).  I don't have a lot of other details.  What are the immigration ramifications if she does this?  Should she wait 6 months?  A year?  I don't think it would be smart for her to start asking her employer about a buyout just 3 months into her contract, but I want to help her understand her options.

[TBoneTX 49,584]

It's kind of you to think about your friend.

 

What has she done within her employer's system to relieve the stress and reduce hours?  Has she exhausted all such efforts, or is there more to try?  Sometimes, a heartfelt talk with the right executive can start some positive movement.

[EatBulaga 519]

4 hours ago, J.M. said:

I've got a friend that arrived in the US in January 2026 on an EB3 visa.  She seems to have adjusted surprisingly well and already has her permanent resident card and just bought a new car.  She is an RN.  The issue is her work hours are insane.  16 hour days, and very, very busy.  I am somewhat familiar with the outfit she works for, and they don't have a very good reputation.  She would like to find employment elsewhere (still as a RN).  She is aware she will have to buy her way out of her contract, which is 2 or 3 years (I don't remember which).  I don't have a lot of other details.  What are the immigration ramifications if she does this?  Should she wait 6 months?  A year?  I don't think it would be smart for her to start asking her employer about a buyout just 3 months into her contract, but I want to help her understand her options.

 

I may be missing a few details but my wife has a Filipina RN friend who came on an EB2 which is different from EB3 since EB2 starts with a permanent residence green card on entry. She recently bought out her 3-year recruitment agency contract after 2 years and got hired direct with another hospital system. For EB2, it is a matter of how much can be saved to pay off the remaining part of the contract since immigration-wise, they already have a green card.

 

If your friend already has her permanent resident green card, then she could have came on an EB2? Paying off a 2- or 3-year contract in 3 to 6 months is fairly rare unless she already had huge savings coming into the US.

[appleblossom 5,953]

2 hours ago, EatBulaga said:

 

I may be missing a few details but my wife has a Filipina RN friend who came on an EB2 which is different from EB3 since EB2 starts with a permanent residence green card on entry.

EB3 is also an immigrant visa and she became a LPR upon entry just as your wife’s friend did. 
 

@J.M. I would advise your friend try and resolve her working hours with her current agency, as suggested by @TBoneTX. Although technically, as a green card holder, she has the freedom to leave and go and work somewhere else, I wouldn’t advise it this soon after becoming a LPR. If there was any suspicion that she had got the green card and never really intended to work in that job, her status could be at risk.