Everyone keeps telling you the same thing: to get a US Green Card, you need to be a Registered Nurse, a software engineer, or someone with a four-year university degree.
They are wrong.
Right now, the United States is facing a shortage of caregivers and certified nursing assistants so severe that employers in rural states, senior living centers, and major healthcare networks are turning to the EB-3 Unskilled Visa program to sponsor entry-level care workers for full, permanent US residency.
Not a temporary work permit. Not an H-1B. A Green Card for you and your entire immediate family.
According to the US Chamber of Commerce, millions of jobs remain unfilled across the US healthcare support sector in 2026, with nursing homes and assisted living facilities facing some of the most acute shortages anywhere in the economy.
This guide is specifically for three groups of people. Healthcare assistants currently working in the UK who want to move to the US for higher pay. Personal support workers in Canada who want a path to permanent American residency. And F1 international students already living in the US who want to convert their visa status through employer sponsorship without leaving the country.
If you are an already-qualified Registered Nurse, your pathway is faster and separate. Check out our detailed guide on 90,000 nursing jobs in the USA with visa sponsorship to see your specific options.
But if you are not an RN and you still want a permanent American life? Keep reading.
What Is the EB-3 Unskilled Visa? The CNA Green Card Explained
Most people have heard of the H-1B visa, the lottery-based system for tech workers and specialists that gets enormous press coverage every spring. The EB-3 is completely different, and for people in caregiving roles, it is actually a far more accessible route.
According to the official US Citizenship and Immigration Services website, the EB-3 category covers three types of workers: Professionals who hold a bachelor’s degree, Skilled Workers who have at least two years of experience or training, and Other Workers, which USCIS formally defines as “persons capable of performing unskilled labor whose job requires less than 2 years training or experience, not of a temporary or seasonal nature.”
Certified Nursing Assistants and caregivers fall squarely into that third category.
This distinction matters enormously. The “Other Workers” classification covers jobs that require less than two years of training or experience, and caregiver and home health aide roles are explicitly listed as standard positions within this subcategory. Your CNA certificate from Nigeria, your Healthcare Assistant qualification from the UK, or your Personal Support Worker credentials from Canada all constitute relevant preparation for these roles.
Here is what makes this visa genuinely different from everything else you have heard about:
It is permanent residency. Not a temporary permit. Not a renewable work visa. When your EB-3 petition is approved, you receive a Lawful Permanent Resident card, what everyone simply calls a Green Card. Your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21 receive derivative Green Cards alongside you. They can live, study, and work anywhere in the United States without needing separate visas.
USCIS issues approximately 40,000 EB-3 visas per year across all subcategories, and the Other Workers category remains active and available to applicants from countries without extremely long wait times in the monthly Visa Bulletin.
There is one structural reality you need to understand upfront, and acknowledging it is what separates honest information from the kind of misleading content that wastes people’s time.
Because CNAs and caregivers are not classified as Schedule A occupations, unlike Registered Nurses who receive special expedited treatment, the employer sponsoring you must go through a full PERM Labor Certification process. This means they have to formally demonstrate to the US Department of Labor that no qualified American worker was available and willing to take the specific job being offered to you. This adds significant time to the process. Realistically, from the day your employer begins PERM to the day you receive your Green Card, you should plan for two to four years.
That is the honest timeline. Anyone quoting you something significantly shorter for a CNA or caregiver EB-3 without explaining the PERM requirement is not giving you complete information.
But here is the perspective that matters: two to four years of predictable, government-structured processing for a result that gives you and your family permanent American residency is a trade-off that thousands of people have decided is entirely worth it.
From the UK or Canada to the US as a CNA or Caregiver: Who This Works For
This section is the part of the guide that most immigration articles skip entirely, and it is the section that will be most relevant if you are reading this from Britain, Canada, or as an international student already on American soil.
Healthcare Assistants in the UK and care workers employed in care homes, community care settings, and NHS-adjacent support roles have direct experience that US EB-3 sponsoring employers recognize and value. If you have been working in adult social care in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, you already have documented, verifiable caregiving experience. That experience makes you a stronger candidate when an EB-3 agency is reviewing your application against other international applicants. The pay difference is also significant. The average Healthcare Assistant in the UK earns between £21,000 and £25,000 annually. US CNAs in the same caregiving function earn between $35,000 and $45,000 at base rates, with substantial overtime opportunities that frequently push real annual compensation above $60,000.
If you are currently trying to decide between staying in the UK healthcare system and pursuing other options, our UK versus Australia comparison for Nigerian nurses and care workers gives you a clear picture of how those two markets compare before you commit to the longer US-focused EB-3 route.
Personal Support Workers in Canada face a very similar situation. Canadian PSW credentials, combined with documented employment history in Ontario, British Columbia, or any other province, translate directly into the kind of care experience that EB-3 sponsoring healthcare employers are looking for. The annual salary range for Canadian PSWs sits at CAD $35,000 to CAD $45,000, which is comparable to US base CNA pay on paper. The structural difference is what happens above the base rate. The US system has no cap on overtime, and many caregivers in states like California, Texas, and Florida routinely work 50 to 60 hour weeks, generating $60,000 to $75,000 in annual income. Your spouse also receives a Green Card, which means they can work anywhere in the US economy immediately upon arrival.
F1 international students currently studying in the United States have access to a pathway that most people in this situation are completely unaware of. If you are on a valid F1 student visa and you secure a sponsoring employer willing to file your PERM and I-140, you can potentially pursue Adjustment of Status using Form I-485 rather than going through Consular Processing outside the country. This means you could complete the majority of your Green Card application while remaining inside the United States. The adjustment of status route requires that you were lawfully admitted and have maintained valid status, which most F1 students on an active visa will satisfy. This is a complex area of immigration law, and you should consult a qualified US immigration attorney to confirm your specific eligibility before proceeding.
Agencies and Employers Sponsoring EB3 Visas for CNAs and Caregivers in 2026
This is the practical information most guides either get wrong or present in deliberately vague terms. Here is what is accurate about the sponsorship landscape for CNA and caregiver EB-3 applications in 2026.
Direct sponsorship from large hospital systems is uncommon for CNA-level positions because the administrative burden of managing PERM labor certification over a multi-year process is significant. Most major hospital networks do not have the in-house HR infrastructure to manage EB-3 PERM filings at scale for entry-level roles. What actually powers CNA and caregiver EB-3 sponsorship is a network of specialized staffing intermediaries that connect international workers with employer partners across the country.
BDV Solutions
BDV Solutions is one of the most established EB-3 Unskilled Visa intermediaries in the United States, with over 13 years of operational experience specifically in this immigration category. The company describes itself as connecting foreign nationals with US employers who are offering Green Card sponsorship, and according to their verified documentation, they have successfully guided over 1,200 people through the complete EB-3 process to lawful permanent residency.
BDV partners with employer sponsors facing chronic entry-level labor shortages across multiple industries including healthcare support, senior living, and caregiving. They guide clients from sponsor selection through the PERM Labor Certification filing, I-140 petition preparation, and all the way through to Green Card issuance and post-arrival relocation support.
One important note on their fee structure: BDV Solutions charges a processing fee to foreign nationals they assist. Their published plans include a payment option structured at approximately $4,500 upfront with ongoing monthly installments. This fee is paid to BDV Solutions for their immigration consulting services, not to the sponsoring employer. Under US federal law, employers are prohibited from passing PERM costs to the sponsored worker.
Apply and check your eligibility at the official BDV Solutions portal
PRS Global
PRS Global is a healthcare-specific international staffing and immigration company that focuses on connecting healthcare workers with US employers through the EB-3 visa pathway. Their model is end-to-end, covering visa processing, credentialing, licensure support, and post-arrival integration for the healthcare professionals they place.
PRS Global primarily focuses on registered nurses and licensed healthcare professionals in their standard programs, but given the scale of the 2026 healthcare staffing crisis, their network of hospital and healthcare facility partners increasingly includes positions for patient care technicians, medical assistants, and entry-level healthcare support workers. Their published data states that healthcare talent they submit to employer partners receives job offers 99 percent of the time, which reflects the genuine desperation of US healthcare employers to fill these roles.
Apply directly at the official PRS Global application page
Health Carousel International (PassportUSA)
Health Carousel International, which operates the widely known PassportUSA program, is primarily known for Registered Nurse EB-3 sponsorship. However, their partnerships with major US healthcare facilities extend into patient care and support roles during periods of heightened national staffing demand.
Their EB-3 process is fully employer-funded for nurses, meaning Health Carousel covers legal filing costs, with reimbursements available for pre-acquired documents. For non-RN roles opened through their hospital network partners, their process follows the same PERM and I-140 pathway, with timelines varying based on country of origin and current Visa Bulletin priority dates.
Apply at the official Health Carousel PassportUSA portal
Rural Healthcare Networks and Nursing Home Chains (Direct Employer Sponsorship)
This is the EB-3 sponsorship channel that receives the least attention and is arguably the most active for CNA and caregiver roles specifically.
Large nursing home chains and senior living facility networks in rural and semi-rural states across the American interior, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and parts of the Midwest, have historically struggled to attract American workers to fill entry-level caregiving roles. Local US workers in these regions are often unwilling to take the physically demanding, lower-paying direct care positions that are essential to daily facility operations.
This persistent, structural labor shortage means these facilities have strong motivation to go through the PERM process to sponsor international caregivers. Some of the most active direct employer sponsors in this category include regional nursing home operators, assisted living groups, and home health agencies in states where the labor shortage is most severe.
The best way to identify active direct employer sponsors is to search the Department of Labor’s Foreign Labor Application Gateway, called FLAG, which maintains public records of active PERM labor certification filings. You can also monitor the EB-3 job boards that aggregate active sponsorship listings directly from employer ATS systems.
Search active EB-3 employer sponsorship listings at EB3.work
IHPS (International Home & Professional Services)
IHPS operates a dedicated Caregiver Sponsorship Program specifically structured for the EB-3 Other Workers category. Their program is built around the DOL requirement that caregiver applicants have at least six months of documented work experience in a caregiving context, whether as a family caregiver, in a nursing home, a medical clinic, or a healthcare center.
IHPS is worth noting specifically because their program is explicit about the six-month experience minimum for their PERM filings. This is not a formal USCIS or DOL rule for all unskilled EB-3 positions, but it reflects the specific documentation standard IHPS uses to satisfy the labor certification process for caregiver roles. Having documented caregiving experience from your home country, the UK, or Canada puts you in the strongest possible position with programs like this.
You can research their caregiver sponsorship program at ihps.com/caregiver-sponsorship-program.
Salary Comparison: US CNA versus UK Healthcare Assistant versus Canadian PSW
Numbers make decisions easier, so here is the full picture side by side.
| Country | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Naira Equivalent (Approx.) | Visa Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | CNA / Caregiver | $35,000 to $45,000+ | ₦40M to ₦51M+ | EB-3 Green Card |
| UK | Healthcare Assistant | £21,000 to £25,000 | ₦30M to ₦36M | Health and Care Visa |
| Canada | Personal Support Worker | CAD $35,000 to $45,000 | ₦39M to ₦51M | Work Permit / PR Pathway |
The US base salary looks comparable to Canada on paper, but the structural difference is what happens above the base rate.
American CNA compensation does not have a hard ceiling in the way that UK and Canadian healthcare assistant pay tends to. Many CNAs working in states with high-demand senior care markets work 55 to 65 hours per week with overtime calculated at time-and-a-half above 40 hours. A CNA earning $19 per hour at base rate in California who works a 55-hour week generates more than $1,200 per week before tax. That is over $62,000 per year from a role that required no university degree to enter.
Beyond the personal income, your spouse receives full Green Card status upon approval of your petition. They are not restricted to a dependent visa with limited work rights the way a UK Skilled Worker visa dependent is. They can apply for any job anywhere in the US immediately upon arrival.
If you are still weighing whether staying in the UK system makes more long-term sense for your specific situation, our guide on how to work as a nurse or carer in the UK from Nigeria gives you the full UK-side picture to compare against.
The 5-Step Process to Your EB-3 Green Card as a CNA or Caregiver
Understanding the process in sequence removes the anxiety that most people feel when they first encounter US immigration terminology. Here is every stage explained plainly.
Step 1: Get Your Documentation in Order
You do not need a formal CNA certification from the United States to begin the EB-3 application process. What you need is documentation that demonstrates your ability to perform caregiving duties. This can include a CNA certificate from your home country, a Healthcare Assistant qualification from the UK, Personal Support Worker credentials from Canada, or documented work history in any caregiving, nursing home, or home health context.
For the caregiver EB-3 pathway specifically, most sponsoring employers and programs require a minimum of six months of verifiable care work experience. This can include family caregiving if it was structured and can be documented, employment in a nursing home or care home, work in a medical clinic or hospital support role, or home health aide experience.
The stronger your documented care experience, the higher you rank in the sponsor selection process. A Healthcare Assistant with three years of UK care home employment and verifiable references will be prioritized over an applicant with no documented history.
You will also need a valid passport, your educational certificates, and evidence of any relevant training or certifications you hold.
If you need guidance on English language proficiency requirements, our complete cost breakdown of IELTS and TOEFL explains what is involved and what the current fees are.
Step 2: Secure an EB-3 Sponsoring Employer
This is the step where an intermediary organization like BDV Solutions, IHPS, or a direct employer network becomes essential. The sponsoring employer is the legal entity that initiates the entire EB-3 process on your behalf. Without a committed sponsor, nothing else in the process can move forward.
When you apply through an organization like BDV Solutions, they match you with an employer in their network who has a permanent, full-time caregiver or CNA position available and is willing to file PERM on your behalf.
Important: the employer must offer you a permanent, full-time position at or above the Department of Labor prevailing wage for that role in that specific geographic location. This is a federal requirement. The employer cannot offer you less than the DOL-determined prevailing wage just because you are an international applicant. Your compensation protections are identical to those of an American worker in the same role.
Step 3: PERM Labor Certification (Form ETA-9089)
PERM, which stands for Program Electronic Review Management, is the formal process by which the Department of Labor certifies that no qualified American worker was available, willing, and able to fill the specific position being offered to you.
The employer or their immigration attorney files Form ETA-9089, now submitted through the Department of Labor’s FLAG (Foreign Labor Application Gateway) system. The PERM process requires the employer to conduct a genuine recruitment campaign, including advertising the position through designated channels, documenting the outcome of that recruitment, and demonstrating that no qualified US workers applied or were available.
PERM processing at the Department of Labor currently takes approximately 10 to 18 months under standard processing. This is the primary reason the full EB-3 timeline for CNA and caregiver roles runs two to four years in total. Premium processing is not available for PERM at the DOL stage, so this wait cannot be shortened by paying an additional fee.
Step 4: I-140 Immigrant Petition (Filed with USCIS)
Once PERM is certified by the Department of Labor, the employer files Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, with US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The I-140 formally establishes your eligibility under the EB-3 Other Workers category and documents the employer’s financial ability to pay the offered wage.
Premium processing is available for the I-140 at an additional fee, which can reduce USCIS processing time for this specific form from several months to approximately 15 business days. Many sponsoring organizations use premium processing for the I-140 to avoid adding further delay after the lengthy PERM stage.
Once the I-140 is approved, your priority date is established. This date is typically the date the PERM application was originally filed with the DOL.
Step 5: Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing
This final stage depends on where you are physically located when your priority date becomes current according to the monthly Visa Bulletin published by the US Department of State.
If you are outside the United States, you will go through Consular Processing. This involves applying for an immigrant visa through a US Embassy or Consulate in your country, attending an in-person interview, and receiving an immigrant visa stamp in your passport that allows you to enter the US as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
If you are legally inside the United States on a valid visa status (such as an F1 student visa), you may be eligible to file for Adjustment of Status using Form I-485. This allows you to complete the final Green Card process without leaving the country. You will need to file Form I-485 along with supporting medical examination results from a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, biometric appointment completion, and the Affidavit of Support if required.
Once approved at either route, you receive your Green Card as a Lawful Permanent Resident. Your derivative family members receive their cards through the same approval.
Check the official USCIS EB-3 visa page for the most current processing guidelines
Start your application assessment at BDV Solutions
Begin your application at PRS Global
Apply through Health Carousel PassportUSA
The Scams You Must Avoid Before Paying Anyone a Single Naira
This section exists because millions of naira leave Nigeria every year flowing toward fraudulent agents who promise US Green Cards they have no power to deliver. The EB-3 process is a real, legitimate US federal immigration pathway. The scams around it are also very real.
Here is what the law actually says, because knowing federal law is your best protection.
Under US federal regulations governing the PERM Labor Certification process, the sponsoring employer is legally required to pay all costs associated with the PERM filing. This includes the cost of the recruitment advertising campaign, all attorney fees for preparing and filing Form ETA-9089, and any related Department of Labor processing costs. The employer cannot legally pass these PERM costs on to you, the foreign worker being sponsored.
This is US federal law. It is not optional for the employer. It is not negotiable.
What you are permitted to pay for under US immigration regulations includes your own visa application fees at the consular stage, Form I-485 filing fees if you are pursuing Adjustment of Status, any premium processing fees you choose to add to your I-140, medical examination fees for your immigrant visa medical, and the service fees charged by legitimate immigration consulting firms like BDV Solutions for their coordination and case management services.
That last category is where legitimate cost exists. Organizations like BDV Solutions do charge service fees for their work connecting you with sponsors and managing your case. These fees are paid to the consulting firm, not to the employer. BDV has documented fee structures on their website and their contract terms are transparent. This is legal and standard practice.
What is not legal under any circumstances: any agent, recruiter, or organization asking you to pay money to a Nigerian “connection” who claims to have arranged a US job offer for you. Any promise of a Green Card in six months for CNA or caregiver roles that have not been through PERM. Any request to pay a “processing fee” to a US employer directly. Any agent offering to get your EB-3 approved without an actual employer filing PERM with the Department of Labor.
The PERM and I-140 process is entirely visible in government records. Real sponsors file real documents with real government agencies. If someone is offering you a shortcut that bypasses the PERM process, they are not offering you an EB-3 visa. They are taking your money.
Before you engage with any recruitment agency for international work, read our complete guide on how to spot fake recruitment agencies. That guide has protected many of our readers from making costly mistakes that take years to recover from.
For additional context on why visa applications fail and how to protect your application record, our guide on why Nigerian visa applications get rejected and how to avoid it is essential reading before you submit anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a CNA or caregiver get a Green Card in the US?
Yes. Through the EB-3 Other Workers category, a US employer can sponsor a CNA or caregiver for permanent residency without requiring a bachelor’s degree or two or more years of formal training. According to USCIS, the Other Workers subcategory specifically covers jobs requiring less than two years of training or experience. Your CNA certificate, Healthcare Assistant qualification, or Personal Support Worker credentials all satisfy the baseline preparation requirement.
How long does the EB-3 visa take for CNAs and caregivers in 2026?
For CNA and caregiver roles, which are not classified under Schedule A and therefore require full PERM Labor Certification, the realistic timeline from the start of the PERM process to Green Card receipt is two to four years. The PERM stage at the Department of Labor currently takes 10 to 18 months under standard processing. The I-140 stage at USCIS adds additional time, followed by the wait for your priority date to become current on the Visa Bulletin, and finally Consular Processing or Adjustment of Status.
Do I need to pass the NCLEX to work as a CNA in the US?
No. The NCLEX examination is the licensing requirement for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. Certified Nursing Assistants operate under a completely different certification framework. Upon arriving in your sponsoring employer’s state, you will need to pass a state-level CNA competency exam administered through bodies like Prometric or Pearson VUE. These exams test basic care skills and are not the same level of complexity as the NCLEX. Many EB-3 sponsoring programs provide preparation support for the state CNA competency exam as part of their onboarding process.
Can I bring my family with me on an EB-3 visa?
Yes. Your spouse and your unmarried children under 21 years of age will receive derivative immigrant visas alongside your own EB-3 approval. Once approved, they receive Green Cards and have the full rights of Lawful Permanent Residents, including the right to live anywhere in the US, work for any employer, and apply for US citizenship after meeting the standard five-year residency requirement.
Can I apply if I am currently working as a Healthcare Assistant in the UK?
Yes, and your UK care experience is genuinely valuable in the EB-3 application process. US sponsoring employers and intermediary organizations actively look for applicants with documented, verifiable care work history from recognized healthcare systems. UK NMC registration or CQC-regulated employer history are the kinds of credentials that EB-3 programs can work with when building your PERM case documentation.
What happens to my Green Card if I want to change jobs after arriving in the US?
This is a nuanced area of immigration law. After your I-485 (Adjustment of Status) has been pending for at least 180 days and your I-140 has been approved, a provision called “portability” under the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act may allow you to move to a new position in the same or similar occupational classification without restarting the entire EB-3 process. Before the 180-day threshold, changing employers will typically require your new employer to restart the PERM process. Consulting a qualified US immigration attorney before making any job change after arrival is strongly advised.
Does the employer pay for my relocation to the US?
It depends on the specific sponsor and the intermediary program you go through. Some EB-3 intermediary programs include relocation support as part of their service offering. BDV Solutions, for example, documents that their client services team assists with housing, transportation, and childcare coordination after the I-140 is approved. Other programs may offer partial relocation assistance or none at all. Clarify this specifically with your sponsor or program before signing any agreements.
Start Preparing Now
The EB-3 pathway for CNAs and caregivers is real, it is government-structured, and it leads to permanent American residency for you and your family. The process is long by design, not because it is difficult to qualify, but because US federal law requires a full labor market test before an international worker can be hired permanently into any unskilled role.
Starting now means your priority date gets established sooner. Every month you spend researching instead of applying is a month added to the back end of your timeline.
Get your documentation together. Find a legitimate sponsor or intermediary. Consult a qualified US immigration attorney if you have specific questions about your visa status. And be extremely vigilant about who you pay money to and for what.
For everyone exploring the full landscape of healthcare career opportunities internationally, these are the guides our readers use most:
Healthcare relocation options across the world’s major markets:
Our complete breakdown of 45,000 NHS nursing jobs in the UK with visa sponsorship covers the NMC registration pathway in full detail. The guide on nursing jobs in Canada with visa sponsorship explains which Canadian provinces are actively recruiting right now. For nursing professionals weighing Pacific options, our nursing jobs in Australia with visa sponsorship guide covers AHPRA registration from start to finish. And our roundup of which countries are currently hiring Nigerian nurses gives you the full global picture in a single place.
For those weighing non-healthcare relocation pathways:
Our guide on $55,000 unskilled jobs in Canada with visa sponsorship covers options that do not require healthcare credentials. The Canada visa sponsorship jobs page is regularly updated with current openings. If you are considering Germany, the Germany Skilled Worker Visa guide explains salary expectations and the full application sequence.
For everyone in the process of building their application documents:
The guide on documents needed for studying and working abroad is a practical checklist that many readers have told us saved them from avoidable delays. And if you are preparing an English language test for your application, our IELTS versus TOEFL comparison helps you choose the right one for your specific immigration pathway.
The path to your American life is longer than some people promise. But it is real, it is legal, and it is available to you right now.
