WeGreened Approval Statistics: Week of November 10, 2025

During the week of November 10 to November 16, 2025, WeGreened received 64 approval notices from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Of the 64 approvals, 43 were for NIW (National Interest Waiver), 19 for EB1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), 1 for EB1B (Outstanding Professors or Researchers), and 1 for O1A (Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement). The EB-2 NIW category again represented the majority of approvals, while the EB-1A category maintained a strong presence among accomplished researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals.

EB1A and NIW Credential Analysis

EB1A petitioners demonstrated strong scholarly productivity, with publications ranging from 7 to 108 (median 16) and citations between 193 and 16,179 (median 424). These figures reflect substantial academic achievement and international impact, with most EB1A approvals clustering in the mid-teens to low-thirties for publication counts and several hundred citations, and a few highly cited outliers in the thousands.

NIW petitioners showed a broader range of academic profiles, with publication counts from 2 to 103 (median 11) and citations between 24 and 3,072 (median 165). This distribution highlights USCIS’s flexibility in recognizing both well-established scholars and mid-career professionals whose work carries substantial merit and national importance, even when their citation counts are more modest than typical EB1A profiles. The majority of NIW petitioners held PhD or medical degrees, a substantial group held master’s-level credentials, and one notable case proceeded under the “bachelor’s plus five years of progressive experience” provision for EB-2 classification.

Insights on Petitioner Backgrounds and Fields

EB1A approvals this week spanned energy engineering, artificial intelligence and machine learning, food science, mechatronics and mechanical engineering, pediatric brain tumor research, synthetic organic chemistry, global health implementation science, computer vision, condensed matter physics, internal medicine, neurosurgery and neurological disorders, soil science, biotechnology, biomaterials, protein aggregation, statistical machine learning, and computational biology and bioinformatics. Many petitioners worked at universities and research institutes as Ph.D. candidates, postdoctoral fellows, research scholars, or assistant professors, while others served in senior technical roles in industry as research scientists, staff scientists, or senior scientists in oncology, drug discovery, and advanced computing.

NIW approvals covered computer science, artificial intelligence and generative AI, robotics, electrical, mechanical, civil, aerospace, industrial and production, and construction engineering, materials science and optical materials, biomedical and biomechanical engineering, neurovascular bioengineering, neuroscience, cardiology, anesthesiology, pharmaceutical sciences, healthcare analytics, agriculture, plant science and plant genetics, and social work and agricultural and resource economics, among others. Profiles frequently included Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, assistant professors, research scientists, and industry engineers, along with clinicians and healthcare professionals whose projects align with U.S. priorities in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, supply-chain resilience, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and emerging technologies.

Highlighted NIW Case: University Researcher Without a Traditional Advanced Degree

A standout NIW approval this week involves a university-based researcher in industrial and production engineering whose EB-2 classification was grounded in a foreign bachelor’s degree plus more than five years of progressive experience, rather than a traditional master’s or Ph.D. At the time of filing, he had 8 peer-reviewed journal articles, 11 conference papers, and 117 citations, with several Engineering papers ranked among the most cited in their publication years. His proposed endeavor focuses on applying machine learning to metal additive manufacturing to optimize process parameters, reduce errors and waste, and lower material costs in high-value metal 3D-printing applications.

Our legal team framed the case under the Dhanasar NIW framework. We established substantial merit and national importance by tying his work to U.S. priorities in advanced manufacturing, supply-chain resilience, and critical technologies, and showed he is well positioned through his publication record, citation impact, and ongoing research role at a U.S. university. In the “on balance” analysis, we argued that waiving the job offer and labor certification would allow him to develop and disseminate process-optimization methods that benefit multiple U.S. manufacturers, rather than limiting his contributions to a single employer. This result is a practical reminder that NIW approval is possible even when the highest formal degree is a bachelor’s, so long as EB-2 equivalency is clearly documented and the record demonstrates meaningful impact and a credible U.S. plan.

Adjudication Trends and Policy Observations

EB1A: USCIS continues to focus on sustained acclaim, significant original contributions, and leadership in the field. Meeting at least three of the EB1A regulatory criteria remains necessary but not sufficient; officers also conduct a rigorous final merits analysis to determine whether the petitioner ranks among the small percentage at the very top of the field. This week’s EB1A approvals, which include both traditional academic researchers and senior industry scientists, underscore the importance of presenting criterion-by-criterion documentation tied to field-wide influence rather than purely internal job performance.

NIW: Officers remain receptive to diverse academic and industry profiles when the record shows substantial merit, national importance, and that the petitioner is well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor. This week’s results—including approvals in non-STEM areas, master’s-level profiles with moderate citation counts, and a bachelor’s-plus-experience case—reaffirm that NIW adjudications follow a flexible, totality-of-the-evidence approach. Petitioners who clearly connect their work to U.S. priorities and present a credible, results-oriented plan to move that work forward are well positioned for success.

North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) is a U.S. immigration law firm dedicated to representing corporations, research institutions, and individuals from all 50 U.S. states regarding I-140 immigration petitions. We specialize in employment-based immigration petition and have a proven record of high success rate for the categories of: EB2-NIW (National Interest Waiver), EB1-A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), EB1-B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor) and O-1 (Alien of Extraordinary Ability).

Our Ten Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With more than 58,000 EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW and O-1 cases approved, we have first hand information on the manner in which the USCIS adjudicate I-140 cases. As the USCIS has constantly changed its adjudication standards for the EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-2 NIW categories, our firm's huge database of successful cases gives you unprecedented insight to USCIS adjudication trends. We carefully analyze the data for all of our cases and apply the results of our analyses toward giving our clients up-to-date advice and adapting our strategies such that we remain on par with the ever-shifting landscape of immigration law in the U.S. With us, you will always have access to important updates, strategies, and information so that you can make the most informed decisions about your case.

We Have Helped Hundreds and Thousands of Clients with Credentials and Backgrounds Similar to Yours

With our exceedingly large number of successful petitions, no matter what credentials you have, no matter your background and field of expertise, no matter your visa status or nationality, chances are we have helped hundreds or even thousands of clients just like you. Our clients are usually impressed with how well we understand their research and work. Our insight and understanding stems from the fact that we have handled many cases with elements similar to yours already, and this helps us devise the best strategies for each individual petition.

Vast Majority of Clients Came to Us Because of Referrals

For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our cumulative total of approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to over 58,000 in 2025.