How to Write an Experience Letter for a Green Card

For those in the process of applying for a green card, the experience letter requirement can be a confusing aspect of the application. To help understand what should go into a green card experience letter, we’ve put together all of the information here for you, along with a template that you can use!

What is an Experience Letter for a Green Card?

When applying for a green card, an experience letter by a previous employer is required in order to show your skills, abilities, and relevant experience.

The letter is submitted with the I-140 Immigration Petition for Alien Worker stage to help prove the years of experience and skills that you listed in your PERM application.

For example, if you listed in your PERM application that you had 3 years of experience working on computer software, the experience letter would verify that while employed by your previous employer, you did, in fact, work on computer software as part of your job responsibilities.

Parts of an Experience Letter for a Green Card

Although experience letters vary by employer, all experience letters will have the following parts.

Introduction (What, What, Where, When, Why)

As with any professional letter, the experience letter begins with an introduction by the employer. In this section, the employee writing the letter may introduce themselves and list their relationship with the visa applicant.

Position

The experience letter must specify the position(s) you held while employed by that employer. If you held multiple positions while working at the company, the letter should list all of them or the most recent or highest ranking position.

Responsibilities and Skills

In this part of the experience letter, the employer lists the responsibilities you held within your position. The more specific the better as in order to be approved, the letter must demonstrate that you have special work skills to bring to the United States.

Therefore, instead of simply writing that the applicant worked on computer software, the letter should list the specific programs and skills they utilized on that task.

Recommendation

Although not necessary, some employers will include their recommendation of the visa applicant.

Conclusion

To conclude the letter, employers should include their contact information and a signature with their position in the company listed underneath.

Green Card Experience Letter Template

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you to verify that [APPLICANTS NAME] was employed by [COMPANY NAME] during the period from START DATE to FINISH DATE.

Listed below are a list of the duties and responsibilities [APPLICANTS NAME] performed while employed as a JOB TITLE during the previously stated period of time.

Position held: [JOB TITLE]

Duties and responsibilities: [LIST OF ALL WORK CARRIED OUT]

During their time with [COMPANY NAME], [APPLICANT’S NAME] was an exemplary employee who carried out their work to the highest professional standards. We have no doubt that [APPLICANTS NAME] will continue to make an excellent contribution as a [JOB TITLE] in any similar organization.

If you would like to discuss [APPLICANT’s NAME] employment at [COMPANY NAME] in future detail, please feel free to contact our office.

Sincerely,

[SUPERVISORS SIGNATURE]

[SUPERVISOR’S TITLE]

[COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS]

Top 3 Tips for Writing an Experience Letter for a Green Card

With following the format above, writing an experience letter will be a straightforward task. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind while writing your letter.

Be Honest

Any information that is dishonest can come up at a later time and negatively affect your application. The last thing you want would be for your application to be denied due to an incorrect position title or working period listed on the letter.

Be Thorough

The position description and responsibilities should include all relevant duties and skills the worker brought to the table while employed by the company. Every little detail will contribute to the strength of the application.

Be Varied

If you’ve held multiple positions, you can provide a different letter for each relevant position you’ve held. This can help show the variety of knowledge that you will bring as a green card holder in the US.

However, make sure that the letters you submit are all relevant to the skills and experience you listed on your PERM application. Since the purpose of the letters is to verify those skills and experiences, any non-relevant experience listed on the letters will not be needed.

Conclusion

Although it may seem tough, writing an experience letter for a green card is not as difficult as it may look to be. By following our tips and outline, your letter should be ready to submit to green card processing!

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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