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What are the requirements for religious workers?

To qualify for immigration as a religious worker, the alien must have been employed to perform religious duties for a denomination that has a similar organization in the US for at least two years.
In the case of immigration, the alien must assume a similar field of responsibility for the partner organization in the US.
The term "denomination" has a very broad definition. Any group that has religious characteristics (e.g. spiritual guidance, ecclesiastical administration, services) may apply for the EB-4 immigration status. The only condition is that the religious organization in the US is exempt from taxation. So not only the big world religions qualify as employers for the EB-4 category. There are four groups of religious workers eligible for the EB-4 immigration status:

- ministers / priests
- religious professional workers (bachelor's degree)
- people working in religious occupations
- people working in religious vocations

PLEASE NOTE:
From October 1, 2009 the EB-4 category will no longer be available to people who have not been ordained a minister, priest or rabbi or are working in similar fields of responsibility, as opposed to the R-1 (non-immigration) category.