International Student Services

Permanent residents of the U.S. while not citizens are persons who hold the same employment rights and privileges accorded to U.S. citizens. Documented immigrants are issued an Alien Register Receipt Card, commonly known as the “green card”, as proof of their legal right to live and work permanently in the U.S. There are no special recruitment or hiring requirements to fulfill when employing a legal permanent resident. A legal permanent resident can use the green card to complete the I-9 form. They will also hold social security cards.

Application for Immigrant Status or Legal Permanent Residency

International Student Services will assist faculty and staff in obtaining immigrant status and a green card on the basis of employment only with the endorsement of the unit supervisor or hiring official.

There are three major steps in the application for legal permanent residency:

1. BGSU petitions for permanent labor certification (ETA 9089) also known as PERM. PERM is U.S. Department of Labor certification that a competitive national search has been conducted as evidenced by a PRINT ad in a national publication and DOL’s acknowledgment that there are insufficient qualified U.S. workers willing and available to fill the position the foreign national holds. The PERM application is completed in International Student Services and available only to those in H-1B status.
   
   
2. BGSU sponsors the employee for immigrant status on the basis of employment by endorsing the filing of the I-140 form. An approved outside agent must be retained to file the petition and all costs are the responsibility of the employee.
   
   
3. The individual makes application to adjust status to that of legal permanent resident. All costs are the responsibility of the employee