Do Speaking Opportunities Help With EB-1A?
About me:
My name is Jason and I work with top immigration lawyers on educational resources related EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, and O-1. Most of the profile-building insights I share in this newsletter come from my work with these lawyers.
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I get this question all the time.
Yes, speaking helps even if it is not an activity that directly fits into any of the EB-1A criteria.
It helps in:
Showing that you have generated acclaim and recognition for your work.
Bringing out the prestige factors of your case.
Reinforcing the criteria you plan to claim.
Acclaim and recognition
The EB-1A evaluation process happens in two steps.
First, the USCIS officer who is reviewing your case checks to see if you meet at least three criteria.
Then there is final merits where the officer considers whether you have risen to the top of your field based on the acclaim and recognition you have generated for your work.
There are no specific thresholds or standards mentioned for acclaim or recognition.
One way to look at acclaim or recognition is prestige.
Prestige as in have you been able to show that you were able to attain certain opportunities reserved for only the very top professionals in your field.
That you were selected or chosen amongst thousands or even hundreds of thousands of professionals for highly prestigious opportunities.
This kind of evidence requires that you put yourself in highly selective situations and undergo rigorous evaluation processes, which is why showing that you were selected to be a speaker or keynote speaker for a top industry conference can bring out the “prestige factors” of your case.