EB2 Green Card and leaving paid-employment

[dele]

Hi folks,

 

With an EB2 green card, can you 

 

1)  a) Quit your job and start your own business?

     b) If yes, does it have to be in the same domain/field in which your EB2 green card was granted?

    c) If yes, does it also have to be the same type of job? For example if you were a software engineer, can you start your own marketing firm targeted at the same market where you were working as a software engineer?

 

2) Quit your job and take an extended vacation (i.e. don't work for a few months which would be the equivalent of taking an unpaid vacation from work)?

 

Thanks

[JoeF]

Sure, you can do all of that. A GC includes an unrestricted work permit.

However, an employer-sponsored GC means that you should work for the employer for some time after getting the GC. Otherwise, it could be interpreted as having gotten the GC by fraudulent means.

A general rule of thumb is to work for the sponsoring employer for at least 1/2 year after getting the GC.

[t75]

You need to be careful if you start a company in competition with or engaged with clients of your former employer.

 

You need to have all of your employment documents reviewed by an attorney to determine if there are any restrictions on your activities resulting from your GC sponsor employment.

[dele]

@JoeF: Thanks