Onboarding Immigrant Employees: An EB-3 Visa Guide for Employers

Updated November 2, 2026

The EB-3 Visa Process for Employers, Step by Step: Part 9 of 9

The green card is approved, and your new permanent employee is ready to start. This is the step the whole process has been building toward.

Good onboarding matters even more here than with a typical hire.

An EB-3 visa worker is often relocating permanently to a new city, sometimes with their family. A strong first 3 months helps them settle in and stay.

This guide covers onboarding immigrant employees hired through the EB-3 visa.

It walks through what to prepare before arrival and what to do on day one. It also covers the first weeks, helping the family settle and keeping workers for the long term.

Key facts about onboarding EB-3 visa workers for employers

• The worker starts as a permanent resident. With EB3.work, the first day of work comes after the green card is approved.
• Form I-9 works the same as for any new hire. The worker completes Section 1 by the first day, and the employer completes Section 2 within 3 business days (8 CFR 274a.2).
• The worker doesn’t need to wait for the card. A worker arriving from abroad can use the passport with the stamped immigrant visa for Form I-9.
• A Social Security card isn’t required to start. Employers that use E-Verify create the case once the number is issued (E-Verify).
• Pay starts at no less than the prevailing wage. If the local minimum wage is higher, the higher rate applies.

Why does onboarding matter more for EB-3 visa workers?

Your new employee has spent many months working toward this job. They may be arriving in a new country, a new city and a new culture all at once.

The first weeks shape whether they settle in. A clear plan for housing, transportation and the first days at work makes the move easier.

It also protects the time and effort your business has already put into the process.

What should I prepare before the worker arrives?

Start preparing as soon as you know the start date. For a worker arriving from abroad, that depends on their consulate interview and travel, covered in Part 8.

• Confirm the start date and the job details. The job, the wage and the worksite should match what was on the PERM and Form I-140.
• Help with housing. Point the worker to housing near the worksite or on a transit line.
  
  The EB3.work city guides have local information for many of the areas where EB-3 visa workers live.
• Plan transportation to work. Share bus routes, carpool options or other ways to get to the worksite, especially for early or late shifts.
• Share the basics. Give the worker a short list of local essentials: how to open a bank account, get a phone plan and apply for a Social Security number if they don’t have one yet.
• Name a point person or buddy. One person the worker can go to with questions makes a big difference in the first weeks.

What happens on the first day?

The first day includes the same paperwork as any other new hire, plus a warm welcome. Here’s what to cover.

How do I complete Form I-9 for an EB-3 visa worker?

Form I-9 works the same way for an EB-3 visa worker as for any other employee (USCIS, I-9 Central).

The worker completes Section 1 no later than their first day. The employer reviews their original documents and completes Section 2 within 3 business days of the start date (8 CFR 274a.2).

The worker’s green card (permanent resident card) is an acceptable document on its own.

A worker arriving from abroad may not have the card yet, since it arrives by mail within a few weeks.

Until then, their foreign passport with the stamped immigrant visa, showing a temporary I-551 notation, is also an acceptable document for Form I-9.

What if the worker doesn’t have a Social Security number yet?

The worker can still start work. Form I-9 doesn’t require a Social Security card, and the number is added to payroll records once it’s issued.

If you use E-Verify, attach a note to the worker’s Form I-9 and set it aside, then create the E-Verify case once the number is issued (E-Verify).

The worker keeps working while you wait.

Workers who adjusted status inside the U.S. usually already have a Social Security number.

What else happens on day one?

• Payroll. Set up pay at no less than the prevailing wage, or the local minimum wage if it’s higher.
• Benefits. Enroll the worker in benefits, including health insurance, on the same terms as your other full-time employees.
• A welcome. Introduce the worker to the team and their point person, and walk them through the worksite.

What should the first weeks look like?

The first weeks are about training, safety and clear expectations. A simple, steady routine helps a new employee build confidence.

• Job training. Teach the job step by step, and check understanding as you go.
• Safety training. Cover safety rules and equipment on the first days, the same as for every new hire.
• Language support if needed. Use visual guides, written instructions or a bilingual coworker for key procedures.
• Clear schedules. Share shifts in advance, and explain how breaks, time off and overtime work.
• Check-ins. Plan short check-ins at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months to ask how things are going and solve problems early.

How can I help the worker’s family settle in?

Many EB-3 visa workers arrive with a spouse and children, who get their green cards through the same case.

A settled family makes it easier for the worker to settle too.

Share general information about local schools, places of worship and community groups.

The EB3.work city guides are a good starting point for the area around your worksite.

How do I keep EB-3 visa workers for the long term?

A permanent resident is free to change jobs, just like any other employee. Retention comes from a good workplace, not from the green card.

• Fair pay. Review pay regularly, the same way you do for other employees.
• A path to advancement. Show workers how they can grow into new roles or take on more responsibility.
• Recognition. Notice good work and say so.
• Ongoing check-ins. Keep talking with workers after the first 3 months, not just during them.

The ROI Workforce Calculator can help estimate what lower turnover means for your business.

Printable onboarding checklist

Before arrival

• Confirm the start date
• Confirm the job, wage and worksite match the PERM and I-140
• Share housing options near the worksite or on transit
• Share transportation options to work
• Share local basics: bank, phone, Social Security number
• Name a point person or buddy

First day

• Worker completes Form I-9 Section 1
• Review original documents and complete Section 2 within 3 business days
• Set up payroll at no less than the prevailing wage
• Enroll the worker in benefits
• Introduce the team and point person, and tour the worksite
• If using E-Verify and the Social Security number isn’t issued yet, set the I-9 aside with a note

First 3 months

• Job training
• Safety training
• Language support where needed
• Share schedules in advance
• Check-ins at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months
• Share information on schools, places of worship and community groups for the family

Frequently asked questions

The EB-3 visa process, from start to finish

This is the last part of The EB-3 Visa Process, Step by Step. Here’s the full series, in order:

1. What Is the EB-3 Visa? A Plain-English Guide for Employers
2. The EB-3 Visa Prevailing Wage Determination: The Employer Guide
3. The EB-3 Visa PERM Recruitment Requirements: The Employer Guide
4. Interviewing EB-3 Visa Candidates: The Employer Guide
5. The EB-3 Visa PERM Labor Certification: The Employer Guide
6. The EB-3 Visa Form I-140: The Employer Guide
7. How to Read the Visa Bulletin: The EB-3 Visa Employer Guide
8. EB-3 Visa Adjustment of Status vs. Consular Processing for Employers
9. Onboarding EB-3 Visa Workers: The Employer Guide (you’re here)

To start again from the beginning, go back to Part 1, the EB-3 visa overview.