1. The Meaning of Fees in EB-3 Employment-Based Immigration

The EB-3 category is divided into Professionals, Skilled Workers, and Other Workers depending on education and experience requirements, and it is a representative employment-based immigration system through which a green card can be obtained via sponsorship by a U.S. employer. This system compensates for labor shortages within the U.S. while also providing a realistic immigration path for overseas workers.
However, the EB-3 process consists of multiple stages, and the official fees payable to U.S. government agencies differ at each stage. If this structure is not accurately understood, unnecessary confusion or additional costs may arise. Therefore, clearly organizing the fee structure for each stage of the EB-3 process as a whole is key to successful immigration preparation.

2. Summary of Immigration Fees by Stage (For the Principal Applicant)

① PERM Labor Certification (ETA Form 9089)
- Fee: $0
- This is the stage submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and there is no government fee.

② I-140 Immigrant Petition (Form I-140)
- Filing fee: $715
- Asylum Program Fee: $600 (employers with 26 or more employees) / $300 (employers with 25 or fewer employees)
- Nonprofit organizations: exempt
- Therefore, the total at the I-140 stage is $1,315 or $1,015.

③ National Visa Center (NVC) Processing (Overseas Consular Procedure)
- DS-260 (Immigrant Visa Application): $345
- I-864 (Affidavit of Support Review): $120
- Total: $465

④ Medical Exam
- Approximately $200~500 (varies by country and designated hospital)

⑤ USCIS Immigrant Fee (Green Card Production Fee)
- $235

3. Example of Total Cost (1 Principal Applicant)

- I-140 + Asylum Program Fee: $1,015 ~ $1,315
- NVC stage: $465
- USCIS Immigrant Fee: $235
- Medical exam: around $300 on average
- Total: approximately $2,000

※ If accompanied by family, DS-260 / I-864 / medical exam / Immigrant Fee costs are added per additional person.

4. Key Points Applicants Must Know

- In principle, the Asylum Program Fee is the employer's responsibility rather than the applicant's, but in actual contracts the cost is often passed on to the applicant.
- Since the Asylum Program Fee varies depending on the size of the employer, it is important to transparently verify the basis for the fee calculation at the contract stage.
- If family members apply together, incidental costs accumulate, so the total cost should be fully considered in advance.

5. Accurate Understanding Is Necessary

EB-3 employment-based immigration remains one of the most realistic paths to obtaining a U.S. green card. However, the fee structure of the system is complex, and in particular it now includes a new item called the Asylum Program Fee, which requires accurate understanding. Clearly grasping the costs and responsible parties at each stage before proceeding is key to a successful immigration process.