Can You Change Jobs During the Green Card Process?

Stage by stage

• PERM not filed or pending: your new employer must start a new PERM. You lose nothing you already had, but the clock restarts.
• PERM certified, I-140 not approved: generally start over. If the I-140 is later approved, its date can still help.
• I-140 approved under 180 days: if your old employer withdraws it, USCIS automatically revokes it, unless your I-485 is pending 180 days.
• I-140 approved 180 days or more: a withdrawal does not automatically revoke it. You keep your priority date for a new PERM and I-140.
• I-485 pending 180 days or more: AC21 portability may let you move to a same or similar job with Supplement J.

How AC21 portability works

You file Form I-485 Supplement J with a new job offer. USCIS checks that the new job is in the same or a similar occupation.

It looks at duties, job codes, skills, education and wages. A big role change, like engineer to sales, may not qualify.

Our I-140 portability and AC21 guide covers the rules in depth.

Your H-1B moves separately

Your work visa and your green card are different cases. On H-1B, you can start with a new employer once it files a petition. See H-1B transfer.

An approved I-140 also lets a new employer extend your H-1B past six years. The employer does not have to be the one that filed the I-140.

Promotions with the same employer

A big promotion can change the job enough that the PERM no longer matches. If your I-485 has been pending 180 days, Supplement J can cover a same or similar role.

Before 180 days, ask your employer's attorney whether a new PERM is needed.

Can you quit right after the green card?

Employment-based green cards are for a future job offer. USCIS looks at whether you meant to take that job when the green card was approved.

There is no fixed waiting period in the law. Quitting immediately can raise questions at naturalization. Talk to an attorney if you plan to leave soon.

Check the new employer first

If you need a new PERM, confirm the employer can file one. As of October 2026, PERM is frozen for eight employers, including Microsoft, Infosys and TCS. See green card sponsors for history and freeze flags.

Also weigh green card timing against career growth. A better job may be worth a restart if your priority date carries over. See the green card hub.

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your situation with an immigration attorney before you act.

Questions

Sources

• USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 7, Part E, Ch. 5: Job portability (INA 204(j))
• 8 CFR 205.1 (automatic revocation), eCFR
• 8 CFR 204.5 (employment-based petitions), eCFR
• 8 CFR 214.2 (H and L limits), eCFR
• Reuters via Hawaii Tribune-Herald: Administration freezes green cards for Microsoft, IT firms (Oct 9, 2026)

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