Many people get Green Cards (become permanent residents)
through family members. You may be eligible to get a Green Card as:

• an immediate
  relative of a U.S. citizen, this includes spouses, unmarried
  children under the age of 21, and parents of U.S. citizen petitioners 21
  or older


• a family
  member of a U.S. citizen fitting into a preference category, this
  includes unmarried sons or daughters over the age of 21, married children
  of any age, and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizen
  petitioners 21 or older


• a family
  member of a green card holder, this includes spouses and unmarried
  children of the sponsoring green card holder


• a
  member of a special category, this can include battered
  spouse or child (VAWA), a K nonimmigrant, a person born to a
  foreign diplomat in the United States, a V nonimmigrant or a widow(er)
  of a U.S. Citizen

The main ways to immigrate based on a job offer or employment
is listed below:

Green Card Through a Job Offer: You may be
eligible to become a permanent resident based on an offer of permanent
employment in the United States. Most categories require an employer to get a labor
certification and then file a Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for
Alien Worker, for you.

Green Card Through Investment: Green cards may
be available to investors/entrepreneurs who are making an investment in an
enterprise that creates new U.S. jobs. 

Green Card Through Self Petition: Some immigrant
categories allow you to file for yourself (“self-petition”). This option is
available for either “Aliens of Extraordinary Ability” or certain individuals
granted a National Interest Waiver. 

Green Card Through Special Categories of Jobs: There
are a number of specialized jobs that may allow you to get a green card based
on a past or current job, such as:

• Afghan/Iraqi
  Translator


• Broadcaster


• International
  Organization Employee


• Iraqi
  Who Assisted the U.S. Government


• NATO-6
  Nonimmigrant


• Panama
  Canal Employee


• Physician
  National Interest Waiver


• Religious
  Worker

Refugees and asylees can apply for a green card.

If you were

admitted to the United States as:

• a
  refugee


• a
  qualifying family member of an asylee

granted asylum in the United States.

Although most immigrants come to live permanently in the
United States through a family member’s sponsorship, employment, or a job
offer, there are other ways a Green Card (permanent residence) can be
obtained, such as the:

• Diversity
  Immigrant Visa Program (referred to by many as the 'Green Card Lottery')


• K
  Nonimmigrant (includes fiancé(e))


• Legal
  Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act


• Special
  Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) Status

Additional programs include:

Special Categories of Family

• Battered
  Spouse or Child (VAWA)


• Person
  Born to a Foreign Diplomat in the United States


• Widow(er)
  of a U.S. Citizen


• V
  Nonimmigrant

Special Categories of Jobs

• Afghan/Iraqi
  Translator


• Afghan
  Who Assisted the U.S. Government


• Armed
  Forces Member


• International
  Organization Employee


• Iraqi
  Who Assisted the U.S. Government


• NATO-6
  Nonimmigrant


• Physician
  National Interest Waiver


• Religious
  Worker

Other Green Card Programs

• Amerasian
  Child of a U.S. Citizen


• American
  Indian Born in Canada


• Cuban
  Native or Citizen


• Haitian
  Refugee


• Help
  HAITI Act of 2010


• Informant
  (S Nonimmigrant)


• Indochinese
  Parole Adjustment Act


• Lautenberg
  Parolee


• Nicaraguan
  and Central American Relief Act (NACARA)


• Victim
  of Trafficking (T Nonimmigrant)