Green Card Journeyman Welder Jobs
Journeyman Welder green card sponsorship follows the EB-3 skilled worker path, which requires PERM labor certification before your employer files an I-140 petition with USCIS. Because welders need at least two years of documented experience, your credentials and AWS certifications directly shape how quickly DOL clears the prevailing wage and recruitment steps.
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Get Access To All JobsRequisition ID: 190876
Position Summary
Plan, lay-out, weld, install, and repair all types of structural steel products in accordance with applicable plans, specifications, welding codes and industry standards.
Experience Level
Intermediate
Primary Responsibilities and Duties
- Set-up, troubleshoot and operate welding machines according to job specifications and welding procedures
- Preheat and weld metal components as specified by blue prints, welding symbols, job specifications, or welding procedures
- Weld various processes FCAW-S, FCAW-G, TGAW, GMAW, SMAW, and SAW
- Operate air arc gouger, grinder, stress relieving machine, and other industry machines, tools and equipment
- Make welding repairs and substandard welds
Qualifications
- May require a high school diploma or its equivalent with previous years of experience in the field or in a related area.
- Must possess strong working knowledge skills and abilities for position.
- Ability to understand, follow and transmit written and oral instructions and communicate effectively with management/supervision.
- Proficient in the safe and efficient use of electrical, hand tools, power tools and layout tools as well as measurement tools
- Ability to pass pre-access drug and alcohol testing, fit-for-duty medical, and background check
- Observe and comply with all safety and project rules, perform other duties as required
Work Setting & Job Requirements
- The person in this position needs to constantly move about a construction/industrial site, so should be able to stand, walk, sit, reach, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl
- Constantly works in a construction environment and will be exposed to changing outdoor weather conditions
- Work irregular hours, weekends, overtime and holidays as required
- May be required to use ladders/mechanical platforms/manlifts/scaffold to access required equipment/work areas (may exceed 200 feet), so must be able to climb and maintain balance on formwork, steel formwork, stairs, ladders and scaffolds
- Move and work in and around confined and cluttered places, and uneven surfaces
- Must be able to complete tasks in a noisy and dusty environment
- May be required/able to move items weighing up to 50 pounds across construction/industrial site
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
Requisition ID: 190876
Position Summary
Plan, lay-out, weld, install, and repair all types of structural steel products in accordance with applicable plans, specifications, welding codes and industry standards.
Experience Level
Intermediate
Primary Responsibilities and Duties
- Set-up, troubleshoot and operate welding machines according to job specifications and welding procedures
- Preheat and weld metal components as specified by blue prints, welding symbols, job specifications, or welding procedures
- Weld various processes FCAW-S, FCAW-G, TGAW, GMAW, SMAW, and SAW
- Operate air arc gouger, grinder, stress relieving machine, and other industry machines, tools and equipment
- Make welding repairs and substandard welds
Qualifications
- May require a high school diploma or its equivalent with previous years of experience in the field or in a related area.
- Must possess strong working knowledge skills and abilities for position.
- Ability to understand, follow and transmit written and oral instructions and communicate effectively with management/supervision.
- Proficient in the safe and efficient use of electrical, hand tools, power tools and layout tools as well as measurement tools
- Ability to pass pre-access drug and alcohol testing, fit-for-duty medical, and background check
- Observe and comply with all safety and project rules, perform other duties as required
Work Setting & Job Requirements
- The person in this position needs to constantly move about a construction/industrial site, so should be able to stand, walk, sit, reach, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl
- Constantly works in a construction environment and will be exposed to changing outdoor weather conditions
- Work irregular hours, weekends, overtime and holidays as required
- May be required to use ladders/mechanical platforms/manlifts/scaffold to access required equipment/work areas (may exceed 200 feet), so must be able to climb and maintain balance on formwork, steel formwork, stairs, ladders and scaffolds
- Move and work in and around confined and cluttered places, and uneven surfaces
- Must be able to complete tasks in a noisy and dusty environment
- May be required/able to move items weighing up to 50 pounds across construction/industrial site
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
See all Green Card Journeyman Welder Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Green Card Journeyman Welder Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Green Card Sponsorship as a Journeyman Welder
Document your certifications before applying
Gather your AWS Certified Welder credentials, apprenticeship completion records, and any state journeyman cards before targeting employers. PERM requires DOL to verify your qualifications meet the job's minimum requirements, and gaps in documentation can stall the prevailing wage determination.
Look up prevailing wages for your area
Use the OFLC Wage Search to find the DOL-defined prevailing wage for Journeyman Welder positions in your target city before accepting an offer. Employers must pay at least that wage during PERM, so knowing the number protects you from offers that won't pass the certification step.
Target union shops and large fabricators
Heavy industrial fabricators, shipyards, and union-signatory contractors are more likely to have established PERM workflows and legal counsel on retainer. Smaller job shops may be willing sponsors but often lack the HR infrastructure to manage a multi-step labor certification process.
Find green-card-sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Search Migrate Mate to browse U.S. employers with verified employment-based green card sponsorship history in skilled trades and manufacturing. Filtering by role lets you focus your applications on companies that have already committed to the EB-3 process rather than cold-pitching employers unfamiliar with PERM.
Understand the EB-3 priority date before you file
Your priority date is set when DOL accepts your PERM application, not when USCIS approves the I-140. If you're from a high-demand country like India or China, check the monthly Visa Bulletin with USCIS to understand how long you may wait before an immigrant visa number becomes available.
Negotiate a written sponsorship commitment in your offer
Before your employer begins PERM, get a written offer letter that specifies the sponsored job title, duties, and their commitment to cover PERM and I-140 filing costs. Verbal agreements don't bind employers to the multi-year process, and attorney fees are typically the employer's responsibility under DOL rules.
Green Card Journeyman Welder: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Journeyman Welder role qualify for EB-2 or EB-3 green card sponsorship?
Most Journeyman Welder positions qualify under EB-3 as skilled workers, since the role requires at least two years of training or experience but typically doesn't require an advanced degree. EB-2 is available if you hold a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive specialized welding experience, though employers must document that the position genuinely requires that level of education.
How is green card sponsorship different from H-1B sponsorship for a welding role?
Green card sponsorship through EB-3 leads to lawful permanent residence, not a temporary status. The process starts with PERM labor certification filed with the Department of Labor, which includes a prevailing wage determination and a formal recruitment test proving no qualified U.S. workers were available. The H-1B visa, by contrast, is a nonimmigrant work visa requiring an LCA and is capped by an annual lottery. PERM has no lottery but can involve priority-date backlogs depending on your country of birth.
How long does the EB-3 PERM process take for a Journeyman Welder?
PERM labor certification processing times at DOL vary and are updated regularly, so check the OFLC Wage Search and DOL's public processing time reports for current estimates. After PERM is certified, your employer files an I-140 with USCIS. If your priority date is current on the Visa Bulletin, you can then file for adjustment of status or begin consular processing. Nationals from high-demand countries may wait years for a visa number to become available.
Where can I find employers who actively sponsor green cards for welding positions?
Migrate Mate lists U.S. employers with verified employment-based green card sponsorship history, searchable by occupation and location. This lets you target fabricators, shipyards, and industrial contractors that have already filed PERM applications for skilled trades roles rather than approaching companies with no sponsorship track record. Focusing your search this way saves time and increases the likelihood your employer can manage the multi-step process.
Can I change welding employers after my green card process has started?
Yes, under AC21 job portability you can change to a new employer in the same or a similar occupation once your I-485 adjustment of status application has been pending for at least 180 days and your I-140 is approved. Your priority date from the original approved I-140 can also transfer to a new employer's petition. Changing jobs before those milestones generally requires restarting the PERM process with the new employer.